Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1908-03-14

water
III you don't heave to-" cried the
voice from the other ship, "the next
shot'll so into you"
To hesitate longer was madness I'll
len could hear Capt. Tuggles dash his
trumpet TO the deck and the next min.
ute his hoarsc voice bidding the watch
swing the main yard. The ship slowly
shot up into the wind and presently
lay still. On the ship-of-the-line Ellen
could hear the shrill whistling OF pipes
and hoarse voices calling away the
crew OF the cutter. Unless she acted
Immediately she was lost The ship
ofthe-line could have overloaded the
merchantmen only for her
She turned from the portfolio to fine
Deborah, who had been awakened by
tho cannon shot, standing half dazed
at her side
"Debbie,@ she cried. I've changed
my mind
What do you mean?" asked
Deborah
I'm going back to Portsmouth,
We'll, I'm glad you've come to your
senses at last"
Yes, said Lady Ellen, there's a
ship out there which has just ordered
Capt. Tuggles to heave to- TO stop his
ship, that is. We must escape her
Whose ship is it?"
Il don't know 1t may be a French.
man, or a pirate, Or At any rate, our
only chance Is to get away while they
are busy. They'll never notice u.s.
How will YOU do ita" asked Debo-
rah. ASK Capt. Tugglcs to set you
ashcrc?'
Never" said Ellen.
Selling Debbie by the hand she left
the room, locking the door behind her
and slipping the key In her pocket.
Then she stepped into the cabin For
tunately it was empty There was a
dinf light burning from a lantern hang
ing at the bulkhead. Ellen took II
down and opened the door of what she
deemed from her experience was the
captains room, and found shc had
made correct guess. She took the
precaution to take the key out OF the
door, insert 1t on the inside OF the
lock and turn 1t. The captains room
extended across the after part of the
ship The stern windows wero large
and she and Deborah could easily pass
through them. Her one hope was that
her boat had not been abandoned.
Sure enough, there it was trailing
astern, and fortunately on the side
opposite to that on which the line-of-
driftcd ahead and had been hove to
Off the starboard bow Of the Flying
Star, lcllcns boat was drifting astern
off the port quarter.
From the stern of the merchantmen
Jacobs ladder depended. Ellen, bid
ding Deborah wait moment, scram-
bled ont Of the stern window, got her
foot on the Jacobs ladder, descended
1t until she could reach the boats
paintsr and then drew the boat
toward her with her foot and fastened
1t to the foot Of the Jacobs ladder
She climbed up few rungs and babe
Deborah try the descent Deborah was
very much frightened, but with the re-
peatcd promise by Ellen that they
were going back to Portsmouth, she
summoned her courage and made the
attempt Ellen steadied her and in a
moment more Deborah fell confused
heap in the bottom Of the boat.
Elton. with her sailor suit, carried
a sheath knife. 1t was good thing,
for she had left her sword and pls-
tolls in the berth, where she had
taken them off before going TO sleep.
II was the work of moment to sever
the painter, and a vigorous push drove
the little boat clear OF the ship. There
were oars in the boat, which was not
too large for Ellen to row. She broke
them out cautiously and by few
slow, steady but powerful strokes. she
soon got sufficiently far from the mer-
chant ship to avoid any powerful risk
Of observation. Then she shipped the
oars, stepped forward, hoisted the sail.
drew the sheet aft, seized the tiller
and bore away recklessly into the
night
She knew exactly what had oc-
Cured Sir Charles Seton, or her hus-
band or Lord Strathgate although
scarcely the latter-had interested Adj
Jniral Kephard and he had brought
the britannia out to take her back.
They would be a disappointed and
surprised lot when they examined the
ship and found her gone. Nobody
would be more surprised than worthy
Master Jeremiah TuggIes.
To be continued Tomorrow.