The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-06-03
CHAPTER VII.
The Reticent Mate.

n LANDING above on the poop, SUI
san saw the deed. but her scream
~ went unheeded in the confusion.
DO you striker" came down
again from the frigats.
The smoke had blown away by this
time. and she was close aboard. Mer-
cifully. her captain held his fire.
No response came from the American
ship, and he could see that she was
practically helpless.
The boatswain. after a defiant look al
the dead captain. wiped his sheath-knife
on his trousers, jumped lightly over the
captains body, and ran UP the poop
ladder.
Susan thought he had come for her.
She WAS too unneTved by the terri bic
catastrophe that had befallen her TO
think OF resistance. She shrank back
against the rail and looked at him, hor-
rihed- Her fingers fumbled at her pistol.
y II tend to you presently. my beau
~, ne cried. as he ran fapidly across
the deck. cast of the halyards, and
the Eah-end.
As it reached the deck he stamped his
foot upo,. it.
How dare YOU" cried Susan. awak-
ened into action.
She whipped out the pistol and ran
toward him. Quick as a cat he sprang
upon her, wrenched the weapon out OF
ner hanG' hurled IL into the sea, and
threw her wildly from him.
= m master Of the ship now" he said
emY.''
You killed him." said the girl. 4
....NNGonsenser' was the reply.
Where IS Mr.. Conant2'' asked Susan
Dead on the fOrecastle."
susan buried her face in her hands.
other ShD.
Aye Aye. aye. sir" answered the boat
swain As for YOU" he said. turniDp
70 susan. you'd better get below
tered the cabin ''i4N Oh
81. III send your father after you."
SAID the man, as she left the deck
hut he was not to have things an
uTeIy MS own way, for Mr. Conant at
tLIS JuncJure MADE his appearance in
Ihe waist He had recovered con-
sclousuess. and came aft 2 little mn
steady but apparently master of him
self. u NM
What's this?" ne SAID. as he stop-
pea by the body of Captain Hiram
me me captain was killed. sir" an
sWered the bOatswain, smoothly. de-
seeming 70 the quarter deck, "bv the
ate asa II -
Ny God% exclaimed conant. -And
shes below in her cabin, and nm
swain.
Two Of you carry the captsio,s
! 9Uqy into the cabin said the mate.
no surrendered the ship?'
L did, sir answered the boa tsvvsf7
lingering his knife.
He would have cut down the mate
then and there had he dared. but there
We're too many witnesses. the deck
was too quiet, and he was not sure of
the crew u
Very well" growled the New Eng
lander Get forward, now, and ger
TINS rattle and wreck. cleared away
why don't you heave top came a
peremptory voice down the wind from
the frisate.
aye, aye" returned the mate.
mounting the poop-ladder and pfvfn q
the necessary orders.
And then, while the men busted
themselves in a deSultOrv fashion IN
securing the guns and clearing away
the wreck, he leaned against the rail
moody, and stared up toward the
English ship.
What ship is that?' came down the
Wlnd rom the quarter cf the English
frigate. where a man stood balancing
mn on the rail by holding one OF
The Hiram and Susan Of Boston. ="
answered Conant, sullenly. through the
trumpet. What ship Is THAR" he
roared, in tmpertinent defiance,
III send a boat abroad" was the re-
ply. And mind you stay as you are II
you don't want another dose"
Conant, who was a high-tempered
young man. dashed the trumpet down on
the deck in impOtent rage
From the English ship the shrilIing OF
pipes came family across the intervening
space There was a hurried busting on
the deck A heavy cutter filled with
men dropped from the davits- She pulled
to the starbOard gangway. Two officers
stepped down the battens and took their
places In the stern sheets Handled to
perfection, the boat got under way and
rapidly pulled alongside