Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-06-23
CHAPTER IN CONT1NrTD)

ears, and the convict answered readily:
"A friend"
''Severai friends, 1t would SEEM"
those friends are"
Now shouted Dc Sylvia. lcaping
forward.
There was a Wild scurry two or
three shots were fired, and Hozier
found himself on the ground gripping
TIE throat of a hronzcd man whom he
had showed backward with a thrust,
for he had no time to swing his stake
for blow. He was aware of pair
of black eyes that glarcd up at him
horribly in the moonlight. Of white
teeth that shone under long mus
tachics Of peculiarly warlko aspect.
but he felt the man was MS putty In
his hands. and his fingers relaxed
their pressure.
He locked around Tie fight was
ended Amos: rs soon as it began. The
soldiers, six in all. we're on their backs
IN the roadway Two OF them were
dead. The Italian sailor had been shot
through the body and was twisting In
his last agony.
The Dloodshcd was bad enough but
those shots were worse. They would
set the island in an uproar. The re-
ports would be heard in town. citadel
and fort, and the troops would now be
on the qui vive i'ut De sylvia was
man of resource
strip the prisoners." he cried
Take their arms and ammunition
but bind them back to back with thci,
belts"
Putt in there. me lads" vociferat ted
roke. who had accounted for one of
the Brazilians with an AK. step live
l.. Now we've got some uniforms an
yurs we can rush that cittvdel easy"
Hozier was busy relieving his man
If his coat. When the prone warrior
realized that he was not to be killed
be helped The operation. but Philip
was thinking more of Iris than Of
Seeds # derring-do.
why attempt to capture the citadel
ut al!?" he asked. Now that we can
make sufficient display. is there any
reason that we should not go straight
IOt the lauhcn:
Il think it is good suggestion"
,ape the calm answer. provided. that
Is, the launch is in the harbor."
A bell began to toll in the convict
settlement Lights appeared in many
loTses scattered over the seaward
slope. Hozier. never for an instant
forgetting Iris, saw that Marcel still
paH hic nd
new circumstances it certainly would
.ae a piece OF folly to send back until
hey We're sure of the launch.
Happily the launch was there moor
I'd alongside small quay. From the
nearest building it was necessary to
cross Il low wharf some fifty yards in
width. and De Sylva's whispered CON-
nands could not restrain the eager
men when escape appeared no longer
problematicaI, but assured. They
broke and ran. an almost fatal thing.
Is 1t happened. since the soldiers
whom Philip had seen from the rock
were still on board One of them no.
ticed the inexplicable disorder among
body of men some OF whom resem
bled his own comrades. He had heard
the firing and was discussing it with
others when this strange thing hap
pened.
He challenged San Benavides an
swered, but his voice was shrill and
anoficer-like.
The engines were started. A man
leaped to the wharf. He was in the
act of casting a mooring rope of
1xed capstan when De sylvia shot him
between the shoulder blades.
ION board. all OF you" shrieked the
ex-president in frenzy.
AT 'em, boys" gasped Coke, though
scarce able to stagger another foot.
The men needed no bidding Sheets
Of fame leaped from the vessels deck
as the soldiers seized their rifles and
fired point blank at these mysterious
assailants who spoke in foreign ian
guage. But flame alone could not stop
that desperate attack. Some fell, but
the survivors sprang at the Brazinnns
like famished wolves on their prey.
There was no more shooting Men
grappled and fell. some into the water,
others on deck or they sprawled over
The hatch and wrought In frantic strug-
gle in the narrow cabin. The fight did
not last many seconds. An engineer,
finding lever and throttle valve.
roarsd to sailor to take the wheel,