News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1910-06-29

teer. Soon all hands were at work,
and it was due to the girls forethought
that strips of linen were procured from
Tulsa Gomez and healing herbs APP
piled to the cuts and bruises of the In
jured men. sylvia was for leaving
the. two soldiers on the island, but
Coke's sailorlike acumen prevented the
commission of that blunder.
"No; that will never do" he said
with irritating offhandness. "These
jokers will be found at daylight, an
they'll be able to say exactly wot
time we quit. The wimmin can make
out they was scared stiff an darsent
stir. 1t 'ud be different with the So
jers. An we amt goin' to have such
'eartbreakin' start, even if the cruiser
clears away soon after 2 o'clock"
"Where do you propose to make forT
"Where dye think, mister? Nor
east by nor, to be sure, until we sight
| some homeward bound ship"
"You mean to abandon everything,
then? said De Sylvia. He seemed to
be watching the onward sweep of the
searchlight as the warship went to the
north. But Coke was shrewd. He felt
that there was something behind the
words, and he suspected the eX-pres1-
dents motives.
81 don't see any 'elp for it," he an
swered. Cords trewth, wot is there
to abandon? I've lost me ship, an me
money, an me papers, an arf me men.
Unless one was lookin' for trouble,
this amt no treasure island, mister"
yet it might be made one"
CAS- how"
"Do you not realize how greatly the
members of the present government
fear my return to Brazil? Here l am
their prisoner, practically friendless, J
almost alone. They dare not kill me !
by process OF law, yet they are NOV |
ing heaven and earth to prevent my |
escape or shoot me down in the act. |
Why? Because they know that the |
people are longing to hail me as pres
ident again. Suppose you and your
fnen took me to Pernambuco."
-"S'pose Halifax" snapped Coke.
please. listen. You can but refuse
when you look at the facts fairly. If,
as say, were put ashore at Pernam-
buco, or at any other of half dozen
ports | can name, | should be among |
my own followers. You, Captain
Coke, and every officer and man of
your ship and her owners and the rel
Rtives of those who have lost theif
lives would not only be paid all just
claims by the new government, but
rewarded. In your own
case the rerompense would be prince
ly; but, assuming that we board yes
! bound for Europe, what certainty
have you that you will ever receive a
penny?"
"Oh, RELY, that's comm it bit
thick, mister" growled Coke.
You believe l am eXaggerating the
of your position? Pray con.
slider. Your vessel is broken up. She
was fired on while ,at anchor on the
wrong side of the island, on the very
day selected for my escape. You and
your men manage to dodge the bullets,
and, under my leadership, assisted by
Captain San Benavides, you overrun
the place by night, kill several soldiers,
seize a launch despoil peasants of
their crops and stores and make off
to the Brazilian government, not ia
mention the presence in your midst of
such significant parsonage as myself.
Speaking candidly,/ Senior Captain,
what chance have you of convincing
any international court of your inno-
cence? Who will believe that you were
not true filibuster?"
"Wot exactly is your offer?"
"Ample compensation officially. Five
thousand pounds to you in person"
Give thousand" Coke cleared a
throat husky with doubt. THAT 'ud
make things pretty easy for the missus
an the girls he muttered. "An'
there's no new ship for me wen
Dickey Bulmer cocks is eye at Hozier.
It's moral there'll be holy row be-
tween i'm an David. Dye mean it,
Even if fail and my life is spared
will pay you the money out of my
own private funds" was the vehement
reply.
"Well, we'll, leave the job to me-"
Il promise on my honor" De Sylvia.
began.
But the nearer surface of the sea
flashed into a dazzling distinctness,
and Coke dragged him down to the
launch. The cruiser had rounded Rat
island and was devoting one sweeping
glance eastward ere she sought her
prey in creek or tortuous channel.
At last after a wearying delay she
vanished. Five minutes later Watts
and Olsen brought the welcome news
that she was returning to the road
stead.
1t was then half past 2 o'clock, and
the sun would rise soon after 5. Now
or never the launch must make her eff
fort. Ready hands tore away her dis.
guise she was tilted by crowding in
the poop nearly every man on beard,
the engines throbbed, and she was
afioat.