The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-08-30
CHAPTER XVII.
Held a Prisoner,

These words, and the laughter with
which they were greeted made clear
to my mind the whole truth of the
uprising. 1t was not so much the des-
tination Of the ship, or the nature of
our cargo, which accounted for the
widespread spirit Of mutiny aboard,
as 1t was the Mccain money. These
other things had been used to inflt,-
ence the men, to convince them that
they had Il right to seize the vessel,
und refuse to continue the voyage, but
it was the glitter of the McCann gold
which had won converts to this theory.
One thing was certain-nO argument
Of mine, no threat of punishment,
would have any present effect on the
fellows. While there might be among
them some who would listen to rea-
son, this big Irish brute Of Il Dugan
had control, and he could only be over
come by physical force.
The one and only hope lay in my
escape; in my raising an alarm in
sufficient time to warn Leayord Of
danger. He was fighting man, and
armed; one cry would put him on his
guard, and his position on the poop
would enable him to put up a strong
defense. These thoughts flashed
through my mind as l stood there,
staring into Dugan's face. dared not
glance about, or seem to harbOr any
plan of escape, yet knew that all was
clear between me and the three steps
leading to the deck, and that the slid
ing door was not hooked. The fellows
We're gathered closely about us in q
half-circle, Dugan alone being within
reach of my arm. The only weapon
l saw was a sea boot beside chest
to the right The fellow must have
felt some vague glimmer Of my pur-
pose, for he gripped my shoulder, his
iron fingers pinching the flesh.
"None O that now" hoarsely. You
can't fight. the whole"
struck him with all the force
could throw into the swift blow, and
he went staggering back into the ring
of men, his hands clawing at the air.
But for their bodies the fellow would
have measured his length on the deck.
The force of his fall, the unexpected
suddenness of it, for the instant
stunned the others, and gained me Op-
pOrtunity. With one leap had the
heavy boot in my hand, and swung it
crashing against the face of the fel-
low between me and the lower step.
He went over like stricken bullock.
A hand gripped for me, but missed its
hold; there was a roar of anger, a rush
of bodies, and above all other sounds
Dugan's voice bowling madly:
stop him, yer tarriers! Crack him
on Their head"
stumbled over the body on the
lower step, yet had reached the door
before the first man gripped my leg.
l broke loose from his fingers, yet the
instant of delay blocked escape. They
We're on me, their faces barely visible
in the dim light, and fronted them.
fighting for life, striking fiercely with
the great sea boot, its irOn-shOd heel
a terrible weapon. Twice men fell, but
there We're too many Of them, nor couic
I protect my rear. They swarmed to
either side, and clambered up behind
ME; the low beams of the upper deck
permitting no swing to my arms; one
fellow gripped my feet, and another
lcaped at my throat. was tripped and
flung headlong, the full weight OF Il
mans body crashing down on top OF
me. Then came oblivion.
How long l remained unconscious j
never knew, but it must have been
soma hours. for when l struggled back