The Tupelo journal., 1912-11-29

rimental TO the admirable poise OF my
nervous system; and Mrs. Blackstock
has experienced a shock and a fright
that didn't do her any particular
amount of good"
yes but !"
Coast reviewed their position in q
comprehensive survey Of the cabin,
They three were prisoners, huddled to-
gether In close captivity; the compan.
ion doors were closed and u%ndoubted.
ly locked-since otherwise Appleyard
would long since have had them open;
for the air In the cabin was hot and
oppressive. Katherine was looking
pale and worn. Appleyard bright but
distinctly worried. Coast himself was
suffering severely from the blow on
his head and a broken scalp, which
Katherine had bandaged as best she
could with two handkerchiefs. Inso-
far, their condition was unpleasant
and uncomfortable; external circum-
stances rendered 1t distressing and
apparently dangerous.
'Blackstock jumped me-" Appleyard
explained-I had my back turned,
you know-just as the Chinaman
dropped on you like a load of brick.
Before I knew what was up, the brute
had me in a hold / couldn't break
both arms pinioned. Then he snatched
my gun out of my pocket and threw
me after y~ou-t'o'ther side OF the cen
ter-board. l lit on my feet, but the
doors were slammed and bolted before
l could turn round, and 1t was all over
but the shouting. There was
plenty of that, for Blackstock wasted
a lot of valuable time trying to start
the motor before he told Chang to
hoist the sail. By then the long
boat was close in and Blackstock
warning her to keep off, or he'd shoot.
Right then somebody in the boat
started something-the bullet lodged
in the side, by the sound Of 1t. The
long-boat bumped us, and there was
the dickens Of q shindig going on
overhead. l gathered that Chang dis
tinguished himself with a boathook,
using it as q fail. and Blackstock
must have had another gun besides
mine from the way he kept a-popping.
The other gang kept busy. too; but
they hadn't the heart for 1t Blackstock
and Chang had, and after = bit they
shsered OF and gave 1t up.
Somehow or other Chang got the
sail up, and we began to love. There
was some groaning overhead. and
then a fall, with Blackstock cussin'
moderate, but steady, but we skinned
along as steadily and prettily as you
please. That was over an hour ago
say an hour and a half; and ever since
then this lunatic business has been
going On. l lighted the lamp and at
tackled the door with a screw-driver-
the only crowbar / could fnd-bent
that out of shape and yelled myself
hoarse without any result. My private
opinion is hat both of 'em were
pretty well shot up before they got
away, and are now in no shape to go
pleasure-boating."
That sounds reasonable" said
Coast. preoccupie6. He reviewed the
situation briefly, then bent over and,
with the twisted screw-driver pried up
one of the deck planks, which had
been left unnailed. though tightly at.
ted, to facilitate the placing Of bal,
last. In the aperture revealed a num-
Der of bricks of lead lay against the
center board trunk, In q thin wash OF
bilge water. Coast picked one up,
balancing it in his hand while he re.
placed the plank. The bar OF lead was
solid and very heavy-of the shape
and weight technically known as q
"~fifty-six."
Right" commented Appleyard;
that may do the trick. Come over on
this side, II you please, Mrs. Black
stock" he added, as Coast rose and
facing the door balanced himself as
carefully as the seant headroom OF the
tiny cabin would permit; "f the door
should hold by accident. that things
liable to bounce back like a rubber
ball. only much more so. You might
as we'll keep out of the way"
When Katherine had quietly COM
piled, Coast, the fifty-six poised near
his shoulder, waited until the Echo
momentarily rode with an even keel,
then with all his might sent 1t crash
ing against the panels of the starboard
door. They yielded like paper, leaving
a ragged hole, through which ne
thrust an arm, cropping for the bolt
This found and drawn, he pushed the
door back and assembled, A~ppleyard
following.
To his immense establishment, both
sky and sea were stark and bright
with moonlight.
Behind him he heard the little mans
quiet and courteous voice: Better
not come up just yet, Mrs. Blackstock'
At their feet, blocking the cockpit
with his huge body and long, massive
ly proportional limbs, Chang lay su.
pine and inert, half across the engine
pit, into which one limp arm dangled.
What time the shadow of the sail and
swinging boom did not blot 1t out In
inky blackness, the moonlight struck