Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-11
CHAPTER XXI
Held n Prisoner

CHAPTER XXI
Held n Prisoner
THESE words and the laughter with
l. which they were greeted made clear 10
my mind tho whole truth of the uprising.
II was not so much the destination of the
ship. or the nature Of our cargo. which ac-
counted for the widespread spirit of mutny
aboard as IL was the Mccain money These
other things had been used TO influence the
men, to convince them that they had right
TO seize the vessel, and refuse to continue
the voyage, but il was the glitter of the
Mccain gold which had won converts to this
theory.
Liverpool and White were playing for
high stakes no doubt with fixed sum
offered for their services; perhaps had
already been handed enough to scatter
among the crew To inflame their passions.
That would be easy, as no large sum would
be necessary to induce them to repudiate
a voyage already dstasteful to the most
of them. The sight Of n little real money.
coupled with the promise of more, would be
sufficient to turn the trick. One thing was
cert ain--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 reason, this
big Irish brute of a nugan had control, and
he could not he overcome by physical force.
There flashed through my mind a vision
of what was already occurring on deck
the flre men creeping silently aft through
we ips s ul',n lney a''aiueu 'he nearest spot
possioIe Wl'nout neins observed oy LeaSord'
VI tne negro ciimping the slde-iadder' os-
tensbly to take his trick at the wheel the
hrst mate never suspecting any other pur-
pose in his approach. No doubt the other
wheelsman was In the plot. and stood ready
to give a hand and it was quite likely
watson would have my revolver hidden in
his shirt At the first sign of action the
four men below would swarm IN the lad.
der and Ieayord taken completeIy nv sur
prise a gun at his head would he in their
power before he could strike a blow. or
sound an alarm
r.o ,.o,,, ,hou,,. ss, -,
,,,o 80 aasnara,;o w., hna - ''.. i., u.oNe
no,,,Ia,ot, aonsi,,, IT. @ 80 ou," 80, 80
hona ia,, Il, 49,, oso,,o 10 80 80 amu o''s
-, ~ ,,esi, - m s le a.,
~ h,,ra IT, ol '".u
ou,,,oa ~ or'' ia snss si n,"', an,
and bis ,osi,io, o,' 49, ", -, 49," i ~ la sti
him TO nut up a strong defense, These
thoughts flashed through my mind as
stood there. staring into Dugans face. I
dared not glance about. or seem TO harbor
any plan of escape, yet knew that all was
clear between me and the three steps lead
ing to the deck. and that the sliding door
was not hooked The fellows were gathered
cloSly about us in "A half circle, Dugan alone
being within reach of my arm The only
weapon | saw was sea boot beside a
chest TO the right. The fellow must have
felt some vague glimmer OF my purpose,
for he gripped my shoulder, his iron fin-
gers pinching the flesh
"None n that now" hoarselv "yo,,
can't fight the whole"
u,ro,. ,,, .,,, -, a. x .,.
.hro - ~ ,,s, h,, s u ~
s,aanor,,,t, hao,, 80 ~ i, ""r 10 ~ ~
ia oia,,;no =, ~ ~ prt f ,i ~.
nasia naS ,h ssu az ',ue -, az nu' loi .le',
.1 saS, ,,- VI W, ~, ue.n. 81. iolee " ms
80. w , u,. VI ~ 'oi 'ns Nv
.,I', s'ans ,vi,n ' ""u ea,neu t.'e
pppoi ,. 'u,'us ~" pne 'eap nau uie
III; go "" "s II
.iaon.'!s . as"i.s1 Wv Ia.e W 'ne ieI'oW
'e."'e' n'e anu ,''e I'".l SCI re wen.
oNer me d s'lioNen pu''och; rama
stripped ior rue, W. Hi'Sseu i.s no.u 'nere
was roar "i allseI, rush ol oou'es'
anu appNe an o'nc' S"ui'u9 'usdn voice
''s maui
stop him, yer tarriers, Crack him on
ther head"
I stuub.,d over the body on the lower
stem vet had reached the door before the
frst man gripped my leg. I broke loose
from his fingers. vet the instant of deIav
blocked escane They were on mo thei,
faces barely visible in the dim light and
fronIed then, 6ghtinr for Ifa str,tIrc
earc.ly With tho great coo boot ,ts ;rorH
shod heeI n terrihIe yyeanor Twice noar
coll hut tbere uero too r,an,, a, then, nn,
o,,,a ro,oot ,,,,. r,, W 'nu,,'. .ol
IN either side and clambared mn hehinG
mo the low bsams of tha unrar 6ec,, 49,,
,,t,tt,na no su,,ps 70 ,,,r -. 80 fpe', pe
grinnad NV feet nd another ,saned ~ Nv,
throat ya, trimmed and euna baast.
tha tuu weight ~ n,an's bnS,, orashin,,
ao7,r ~ ,on 80 ,,a Than hIi''Ia', %sl.s
uoTn ". on sop " ,ne "un eai,1 ooii, ION,
Io" 'oas : Ie,na'heu ns @ uneonsclous never
my ,,,an s,rmas,ad hao,, ,e so',,o nou,s,