The Detroit times., 1908-06-30

himself hat as the old CoFnis1uGon
faced towards hun, holding biz No.
knife by the blade with the handle
downwards. He was Just In time. t1G-
old mans arm jerked sharply Nd and
outwards. and the knife Slid throueh
the air like fash OF light and took
the man next behind under the chin.
SO that he dropped without q scu0lo
and died before he reached the ground.
The others ran In over his body and
pinned the murderer after sharp
scimmage. fought out In silence In the
grim green light OF that underground
place.
When they had bound the SNUG
gler and got him aboard the Wonder
land Craft. they set one man to tako{
charge of the dinghey. which fwad
towed behind them with the e0uco<<
less body OF Samuel Ell and the = NY
OF the dead exciseman aboard
since she had steam up already x a.
steered the steamboat out OF the bay
Now. though the gypsy gauger ws6
a sharp man, and had picked up@
something OF the crafts working from
the blacksmith and the drugged stok-
err, yet he feared her still: and when
a kind OF fiat plate hinged at one
side like a trap door. lifted little
with an angry spit and sizzle OF steam.
like q kettle before II boils over he
sprang back with an oath. One look
at Tregethlyn's face, moreover fright,
ened him more than all besides. for
the grim old mans features were dis
torted as by some mortal fear. and
his eyes were fixed on the whi6 OF
the steam.
For Gods sake, man. he cried to
the exciseman, sit on II; Il Is our
last chance. our very last. Try
The gauger was a brave man. but
his knees gave under him and his
face went grey at this. Still he knew
that he could get none OF his men to
do IL for him. and he would have risk
ed his life ten times over rather than
unbind his prisoner: SO he crawled up,
threw fold or two OF canvas Ger IT.
and sQuatted down.
"The thing beneath him seemed
fighting like a living being to frea'
itself, and Tregethlyn. in the stern,
leant forward with the shadow OF
something that his captc- thought was
fear, behind his fierce, grim eyes
The pace of the Wonderful Craft In
creased more and more; the paddles
srun around beating the wavelets 10
foam. and the little boat creaked and
complained with every bolt and plank
i'm he- bui'o. She -,6s doicg night up
- 10 knots an hour at least, ard Jan
Passnore lii the dinghey went fors-
ward {, cut the painter before II WA
swan ped IN the STEAMBOATS, wake.
He had just worked through the Hssc'
strand with his sheath-knife when he
heard YELL great laugh OF derisiou.
and an awful crash. and looking up,
saw a big cloud of steam and thej
gauger flying through the air amongst
the fragments Of the Wonderful rCafE
Tregethlyn had beguiled his foe into>
sitting on the safety valve atop Of the
boiler.
Jan would ha' liked to pray, but,
the explosion had driven all thought
out OF his head. and for the life OF him
all the prayer he could think Of was
TO say over and over to himself.
What is my name?--N. or NJ
What Is my name?--N. or NJ" which
was the beginning of the catcchism
he had learnt at school
when he recovered enough to row
over the spot, II fas no good; the
gypsy and the Cornishman had gone
elsewhere to settle the quarrel. and
had taken the Wonderful Craft With
them
And that was the end. sir, OF tho
first steamboat In Devonshire, and my
yarn too. for that matter" 2S