Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-03-03
PEMBERTON

afterwards, for surely it could be moth
! ing else than the final triumph Of one
faction.
Il take It tina the men are up against
the rogues, Larry. We could wish for
nothing better than news of their sue
cess."
You think go, sir?"
IT trust a seaman before a landshark
any day, whatever his ship or nation
ality. He is more likely to honor a
woman, Larry-there will be some
measure Of honesty In him; and If 1t
is put to the vote, he will haul down
that flag the first time he is asked.
Why should he not? He las nothing
to fear ashore. The rogues keep him
afoat. I'd wager a hundred guineas
that inconsistencies began this fight and
Will carry 1t to a conclusion-that is,
IL the seamen WIN
And If they do not, sir?"
Then God help the ship, Larry
h will not be afoat a week"
IT'S a coward / was!" said Nc
Shanus, and not ashamed of 1t. This
very minute I tremble like a woman,
though tbs often of kindness a woman
trembles n not Of fears. Look yon-
der at the moke lifting from off the
face of the ship! What lies under It,
my friends? What are those feeling
and thinking and suffering now that
they are going to their Maker? IT'S
as though / myself had been called
this instant to remember that I shall
be as they, who knows when. who
knows how? A cruel torment OF a
thought-God help me for it,"
This fearful encounter ceased finally
about 4 o'clock OF the afternoon watch.
Ironically enough, / heard them strike
eight bells just as though 1T had been
upon a ship in good order at sea; and
as the sound came floating over the
water to us. I reflected upon the amaz-
ing force Of habit which governs a
sailor ever in the most terrible OF sit
uations.
Larry" / said, they would change
the watch even IL the sea dried up.
What's to be don now; what in Gods
name, can we do? I'd go aboard IL
it were not criminal to take the risk.
That's not to be thought ola man
would be safer In a lions den at pres
ent. And yet think OF what it must
be over there
I've been trying not to think of it
all along, sir. Whatever's happened,
it's over now. They're putting the dead
overheard and what's more, launching
a boat. / shouldn't wonder if they
came alongside, sir"
Alongside US, Larry? That would
be something new. Do you really mean
it?"
You must Judge for yourself, sir"
We put up our glasses, Timothy de-
claring, as usual, that there was a
plaster across the end of his (for he
never learned to use the telescope),
and followed with new interest the
movements or the victorious seamen.
Certainly, they were putting the dead
overheard and as Larry had perceived,
they had lowered a boat. Possessed,
l supposed. of what they thought to
be a fine idea (for seamen are grega-
rious beyond all others), they pres
emily lowered a second boat nj upon
this a third. Some one firing a gun
to call u attention, they next
tagged a message to US, SO plainly hon,
est that I caused ii to be answered
without a moments loss of time.
1--WE want help! Stand by to pick
up a boat"
To this our reply fiuttered out, that
we would permit their boat TO come
alongside and the more to
them, we steamed toward the great
ship, and met them when they were
little more than the half of a mile
distant from II. There were seven men
in al, / made out. and a little lad at
the tiller. the boat itself being an or
binary lifeboat, painted white, but Ill
kept and shabby. AS to the national
ity of its crew, 1 could detect a huge
man of color a~midships, while the rest
were mostly dark skinned. and one I
took to be an Egyptian.
Let Bill Evans go up!" was their
cry; and sure enough up came a fer
~ret-faced, red-whiskered, simple-look-
ing fellow who answered TO this very
English designation.
I'd be obliged to know IL you carry
a doctor on this ship. That's first.
We're in a clove-hitch, and no mis-
take. Some's gone, and that's an end
full for a doctor. and there's no de-
nying it."
Come" I said, I'VE must know
more about II than that. What ship
Is yonder and who is in command of
her? Answer my questions properly
and 1t is possible that we may. help
you. There has been a mutiny and
you have the upper hand. Why should
we AXE any part in it?"
He looked up at me-a foxy look. I
thought-and stumbled through as
strange a narrative as I have ever
heard.
"Old Salt Horse went Off In the re-
lief.' ne began, and / knew he meant
Imroth thereby; Captain Ross has
been first since. He was for lying in
this Sair oil OF q sea; we was for
going ashore. That's what the lady
wanted, and who was to stand agin
it. Eight months have me and my
mates been floating about this ocean
like a flock of ducks. Did I ship with
Salt Horse for that? As true as Gods
in heaven, I come from London Road.
Plymouth. and Bill Evans is my name.
Same as my father and mother be-
fore me. You come aboard and do
what you can for us, and we sail
the ship to Rio. No harm comes TO
the young lady. but she stops aboard
until were ashore. and that's my last
word, IL l swing for It,"
CHAPTER XVIII.