Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-07-01

his personal dread Of Coulter ana tne
knowledge that, with 30 much known,
caution was futile. While he hesitat-
ed, the other men tacitly grouped
themselves together at his back
and stood sullenly eyeing tho
officers. Coulter and his two subor-
dinates slipped their. hands into their
pockets. 1t was tense moment, and
a noiseless one
When the captain broke silence his
voice was cool, almost casual.
"Mr. Kirkenhead," he ordered tho
chief engineer, take this man Hoax
to the stoke-hole and keep him there
until we reach port. Give him double
shift, and If he makes false move
kill him" ha ttI
The giant made a passionate start
forward, and found himself looking
down .''e barrel OF Coulter's magazine
the CLINT of the raised weap-
40 lung himself backward against
ne rail I'D and stood snarling inco-
,eren.iy Iii cornered dog.
"Hi didn't sign as no blymed stok.
r." he growicd; ali won't go"
1.-THE stoke-hole or hell-it's up to
y, J." replied ,ulter in an absolutel!
m, otory of ice. "There's thirty
sec, ids to dec Q. Mr.. Kirkenhead,
look 1t your we h."
Fol a seeming ternity there was
waiting and bated reath. We could
lzon n nf tho onCippg
and the height" strained breath
ing of the co." men.
Then i1irkenhead announced.
"Twenty seconds. SIR"
Hoax turned, dropping his head in
utter detection, and shambled aft to-
ward the engine room companionway.
"Mr. Hefferman." came the captains
staccato orders, instruct the ships
carpenter to scuttle the boats except
the port and starboard ones on the
bridge. II we are to have any little
disagreements on board we will set
tie them among ourselves. No one
will leave in my boats except by my
orders. And"-he wheeled on the
Ifteu- Whenever sou NSihiih hSSA III
clined for trouble. start IT," So
So that incident passed and went
to swell the cumulative poison Of fes-
tering hatred.
We knew that the eruption had
merely been delayed; that 1t must in
nvitably come and that now its COM
ing would be soon.
Between forward and aft war had
been declared. ater that same even
ing l made bold to demonstrate with
Captain Coulter as to the order con-
cerning the boats. The conversation
took place on the bridge, and was
brief.
"Mr. Mansfield and myself" said,
"are passengers who have paid our
full fares and have full rights. We
demand protection. This hulk Is rot
ten and unseaworthy. When you scut-
tie her boats you are throwing the
parachute out of leaky balloon.
Coulter looked me over for mo-
ment, and replied with absolute com.
posure:
"Mr. Deprayne, rights are good
things-when you can enforce .hem.
Consulates and admiralty are long
way off. The intervening water is
quite deep. If you don't like the Was
trel, leave it. I'm sorry l can't spare
you boat to leave in"
Mansfield and myself went that
night in the miserable cabin which
we shared oppressed with the convic-
tion that the breaking-point was at
hand.
Mansfield had suddenly sloughed of
his boyishness and become uneXpect.
edly self-contained, giving the i'm.
preston of capability. The prospect
of action had changed him. Once
more he began to quote his CHASTITY
verses. but now without shuddering
almost cheerfully-
Twas cutlas swipe or an ounce
Of lead,
Or a yawning hole in a battered
head.
And the scuppers glut with rot
ting red.
Then he remembered that some
times men survive strange adven
lures, and he wrote a letter to the
girl in Sussex which he asked me tc
deliver in the event that and not he
should prove such survivor. l fas
tened it with pin into the pocket
of my pajamas-j jacket.
For hours after we had turned int.
our berths each of us knew that tn;
other was not sleeping: We heard the
crazy droning of the sick engine, the
wash of the quiet water, the straininf
of the timbers. When sleep came tt
me it was fitful with thousand
nightmare impossibilities.
I saw in my dreams the face of the
stale sea and sky translated into {
broad, human visage paralyzed ant
smiling unendingly in that hideou!
grin which clamps the tortured teetl