Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
CHAPTER II.
dutch Courage"


Capt. Dove had come up on deck and
was standing by the companion hatch
drawing difficult breaths, swaying to the
rise and sink Of the ship on the long
slow. ceaseless swell.
He had only a greatcOat secured by q
single button around his shoulders over
his nightdress, and on his feet an ole
pair of carpet slippers. Sallie darted 8
blazing glance of indignation at Jasper
Slyne, who, instead of helping the sick
old man, seemed only bent on aggravat
ing him with his evil tongue
You coward'' she cried ht that i'm
maculate gentleman, and would have
gone to the old mans aid. but that he
angrily waved her aside as he totteree
forward, changing his scowl by the way
to that sleek, benevolent smile which hi
could always assume at his pleasure.
A slow silence followed on the low
suspicious rumble of voices with which
the mutineers had greeted his most uneX
pected appearance. They had, of course
supposed him physically incapable OF
further interference with them and thell
plans. But. as it was he did not looi
very dangerous in his Srotesque dis
habille.
AS he reached the rail Reuben Yoxal
stepped to one side, touching his cap II
his customary salute. Slyne had halted q
couple of PAGES behind, and Sallie, too
had drawn back. Capt. Dove stood alone
at the top of the stairway, in the fore
front of the little group there. and looked
contemplatively down at the men who
peal of his for his life. From his placid
benign demeanor then he might have
been inspecting a Sunday school.
His features were in themselves of an
unctuOus cast, smooth, fiat. snub-nosed
clean-shaven as a rule, except for d strag-
Cling fringe of whisker. His white hair
and weak, winking eyes added to his
smugly sanctimoniOus expression He
was squat of build, unduly short in the
legs and long of arm. And, altogether,
he cut no very dashing figure in his
ridiculous garments. one sleeve of his
coat hanging limp and empty, the
arm that should have filled it lying
across his chest in a sling, his chin dis
figured by a weeks growth Of stubble,
his whiskers all unkempt
But 1t had never been by his gallant
presence that he had held to heel the
cutthroats who composed his crew, and,
even then, when they had him before
them helpless. certain target for their
loaded rifles, not one of them seized the
immediate opportunity.
He steadied himself with his free hand
on the rail of the narrow stairway and
SO stepped downward among them. Still
no one else moved 1t may have been
that his almost inhuman daring daunted
i'm the background, was holding her
breath. She knew he was counting a
bloody death, and feared he would meet
1t there, before her shrinking eyes. That
tragedy and all its unspeakable cOnse-
quences were literally hanging on a hair
{ He reached the level below. still sn1iI-
ing blandly, and, letting go the rail, shuf-
fled forward. slowly but steadily enough,
his slippers Tapping at his heels with 'lu-
dicroIs effect. Two or three of the men
confronting him stepped to one side. gave
him free passage into the throng, and
closed in again behind him. He took no
notice of any one, but held on his way
till he reached the ladder which led from
the break of the poop to the quarter
deck
He climbed that at his leisure. painting
a little. his back toward them. They had
faced about and were following his every
movement with malevolent eyes. A sin
gle shot would have made a quick end of
him, but no shot was fired. And at the
top Of the ladder he turned to speak.
'I'll send Mr. HobsOn aft to issue your
ammunition he said. in voice without
any tremor of weakness. Get two full
bandoliers, each of YOU and then file for
ward again while the others come aft for
theirs
And with that, leaving them to their
own reflections. agape: absolutely dunn
founded by his audacity, he made his
way up on to the bridge. the skirts of his
nightdress futtering from under the
shorter length of his heavy coat.
They fell to whispering among them
selves, excited and distrustful. They had
only a few loose rounds for their rifles,
and Capt. Dove alone knew how the
ships magazine might safely be entered.
1t would undoubtedly have cost some of
them their lives to force that secret. No
one of them would be willing to sacrifice
himself for the common cause, and Capt.
Doves unlooKed-for concession of their
chief need had no doubt mystified them
altogether.
HObson. the second mate. came aft a
few minutes later. a beetle-brOwed, foxy
looking fellow. with furtive smile Of en-
couragement for his accomplices. At a
sign from him they unshpped the
matches. He disappeared into the hold a
bunch of keys dangling from one wrist,
and presently shouted up some order in
terms much more polite than he had late
ly been in the habit of using, to them at
least A chain of living links was prompt
ly formed from the magazine, and packed
bandoliers, passed rapidly from hand to
hand, soon reached its farther end. The
men grinned meaningly at each other as
they slung the web belts crosswise over
their shoulders For with these they
were still more absolutely masters Of the
situation.
Reuben Yoxall, back at his dangerous
post by the stairway, was watching them
no less narrowly than before. 1t seemed
the sheerest madness on Capt Dove s
part to have disclosed to their ringleader
the secret of the magazine. and no one
could tell at what moment they might
now assume the offensive. The sun was
already dipping behind the sea-rim
We've changed our course" Sallie said
to him i'm a puzzled whisper. and he nod
ded silently. The Olive Branch was head
ing inshore. The outline of the coast had
grown clearer under the last of the even
ing light. Here and there against its
smudgy-brown background showed dark
greer blots that were mangroves OF
clumps of palm. A thin. white ribbon OF
surf was distinctly visible on the distant
beach.
Capt. Dove was at the starboard ex-
tremity Of the bridge. his binoculars at
his eyes. He laid them down, and point
ed out to the third mate. at his elbow,
some landmark directly ahead. Then he
climbed carefully down to the quarter
deck and began to make his way aft
again Behind him, rifles in hand, came
creeping another strong contingent of his
strangely numerous crew. Half a dozen
of those nearest him had drawn and fixed
the long word-bayonet each wore at his
hip.
The old man in greatcoat and slippers
paused at the afterrail of the quarter
deck. The bayonets were almost at his