Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-12-13
By RANDALL PARRISH

cdrr1eU HIT, IOr AedyOIQ sang OuI
through the fog:
forward there! What's all that
racket about?"
Whites fingers choked me into help
less silence, his knee crunching hard
into my breast. 1t was Liverpool Red
who answered sullenly:
81 knocked over a capstan bar, sir |;
never saw it in the bloomin' fog"
Leayord growled something, the
words failing to carry to US against the
wind, but moment later, satisfied that
no further Investigation was to be
made, Liverpool thrust White aside
and lifted me to my feet, his eyes
glazing into mine.
"One whimper from you, an yer
overheard he muttered hoarsely.
'"Take it from me we know what we're
about. Come on now, an don't attempt
nuthin'. There's nobody forard here
ter give yer a hand. Take him by the
collar, jim"
With Whites hand gripping me, and
my own revolver at my head, any at
tempt to break away would have been
simply suicide. The thick fog hid the
scene from those on watch aft, and
that the two men were reckless and
evident. The gray light revealed their
scowling eyes.
= forward yer go, sir !" growled
White, his fingers twisted in the jacket
collar. Its little more yer1 hav' ter
say aboard this hooker"
"What do you propose doing? This
is mutiny, men,"
"Then it'll have to be mutiny. It's
war, an we're Englishmen; this ships
loaded with war stuffs, bound fer Ger
many. That sort o. talk means nuthin'
so come on, and stow that gait"
They forced me around the bulk of
the windlass to the head of the fore
castle steps, slid back the door in its
grooves and thrust me staggering down
into the murky depths below. A slush
light, swinging to a blackened beam in
the deck above, cast a CHASTITY yellow
ish glare over the interior, revealing
to me at least two-thirds of the crew,
clustered about, evidently awaiting
some such event. White held to my
collar, but Liverpool closed the en-
trance, shutting out even that faint
breath of pure air, before speaking a
word.
''Wen. we've got the main guy, lads.
an no shindy," he said cheerfully, IAN
a gun came with him. Now few o. us
will see If we can persuade the first
mate into taking trip forward"
where's Billy Olson?" asked a
voice.
ooh, he's asleep below; there's plen-
ty o. time to attend to him, an we1l
let the engine-room gang alone till we
get control the deck. Simms, you
an Harris better come along with Jim
an me on this job. Leayord is a husky
buck, an we might not get him foul
like we caught Hollis here. We don't
want to hurt nobody unless we have
to. Where's the niger Watson?"
Fright hyar, sah.'
"Come on, then; it's your trick at
the wheel in five minutes; the rest o.
you fellers know yer business"
The five men slipped out cautiously,
sliding the door shut behind them, and
/ stared about into the faces of those
left with me, still dazed by the rough
handling to which I had been subject
ed, yet fully aroused to the fact that
the attack upon me had come from no
sudden impulse, but was the first step
in a carefully formed plan to gain pos
session of the ship. My duty was to
warn the men aft of the approaching
danger. How should I act? In q
vague way knew most of the faces of
those grouped about me, but 1 could
recall only few names. They were a
rough lot, typical foremost hands,
many of pronounced foreign appear
ance, yet there was nothing especially
vicious about them. Ordinarily they
would obey orders without a complaint,
but now they were evidently under full
control of their leaders; yet the ex-
preston of their faces bespoke curl
osity rather than hatred. Determined
to test them, Strengthened up and
placed foot on the lower step.
None O. that now" a voice growled
as hand gripped my arm. you don't?
want ter git hurt none, do yer?"
1 faced the speaker, big, two-fisted
giant with red face and q slow drawl
in his voice.
"You mean to hold me herer'
Sure; we've gone too far on this
job now fer to back down. Thar'd be
a row ov a time if we turned you
loose"
You're an IrishmanT
Twould be hard for a Dugan to
| deny that, sor."
We'll, Dugan, look here-you and
your mates You are sailormen, and
know the rules of the sea. This is