The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-09-07

tending from 1amb to jamb. aid my
| cart bounded madly. This was the
place! had found 1t already, and the
men I came to release were impris-
oned exactly as had been. tapped
gently on the panel. -
"Who lis it?" Low as the whisper
was, felt convinced the speaker must
be Leayord. e-@.,.:es.i
"Hollis. Stand by now; are you
alone?" ~.
"Yes;. Olson and Masters are to.
gether in the bosun's quarters"
Masters! when did they lock him
upw4, III 49, :.
"Abaut an hour ago he made quite
fight a. it-that's how l knew what
was going on, sir. Can you get me
Out?" e. ... .-r'
"Aye!: ri rip this bar of in a jiffy.
Have you light in there7" -
'"Black as the inside Of a whales
belly, sir" ! .'.
got purchase with my iron lever.
and put my full strength to it. The
bar was Of oak, but the jambs- soft
pine, and. the mills drew out, creaking
Slightly, but making no noise to create
any alarm. 1t was so intensely dark I
could not even perceive the outlines OF
the mans figure, yet felt aware that
LeayorI fronted me in the open door.
He found my hand somehow, and
gripped it. -
I'm sure glad to meet You, captain"
he exclaimed heartily, "and get out o.
that hole. What's the word, slr2''
"Rclease the others, and get busy:
minutes are worth hours now. McCana>
and his gang are deserving ship; they
have the boats provisioned, and along
side already; that is why the guards
have been withdrawn" ~,
'"They were going to leave Us aboard
locked int"
AYE, and with the; sea-cocks open;
| dead men tell no tales" ~
He whistled, his fist shifting the
wood Of the door. -a
1.-THE dirty hound! And where are
we, sir?' -''s<"
"Off the Newfoundland coast; they
think less than fifty miles, but there's
nearly a hundred miles Of blue water
to the west Of US. Here's the way Of
it in a nutshell: I was locked in my
stateroom the same as you. 1t was
| Miss Darlington who gave US our
! chance. She became friendly with Nc
| Cam, and agreed to 60 with him. She
| was left free ON board, and managed
to release me while the crew were all
on deck. The steward was left on
watch in the cabin, and she had to hit
/ him with this IRON"
"She did! Lord, I'd never have
thought it Of that slip Of thing!
What's become O the girlf'
"Shc's in her room, waiting for Nc
Cam to come down for her. She'll de-
lay him all she can. Is this the door,
AYE, aye, sir; and give me the iron"
.a He was not minute at the Job. and
| 1t required scarcely longer to acQuaint
the other two released men with a
knowledge Of the situation. Olson
| picked up the bar of wood for q
/ weapon, asking simply:
wat we do now, captain7 ISIS 1t to
fght?" ....
"Hush!" whispered Masters, there's
someone coming up the ladder"
We crept back into the bosum's state
room and waited breathlessly. There
was scarcely room for the four Of US.
and the door caught, and would not
wholly close. A dim light reflected
along the walls Of the passage, making
me aware that the fellow who was
slowly climbing the iron ladder from
below, had a lantern with him. Lea
yord retained the iron leg, and drew
my gun, holding it tight gripped In one
hand. The mans head and shoulders
emerged through the round opening,
and the dim light enabled me to recog-
nize Tom Dugan. He paused on the
edge, looking down.
"Al quiet enough up herr" he called
You better draw the fires, Tony"
mo use O. that" answered sullen
voice from a distance. 1.-THE water
viii fix 'em in half an hour: there's two
cocks open. III s5v5:a' on deck; that
crooked millionaire don't git no chance
ter drown me-"
Dugan laughed.
always a thinkin' how to git out Of
a scrape safe. Yer got yer price, didn't
yerT
Enough ter make me want ter live
long 'nGugh ter spend 1t, anyhow. Are
you comm down this way agin, Du-
'Egan?
NO; I'll have look at the cabin on
my way UP; the boss doesn't want any
mistake made. There's nuthin' left
ter do aboard this hooker; she's tick
! eted for Davy Jones"
He stared below a minute, as though
10 make sure of what Tony was doing
down In the engine room; then, appar-
entity satisfied, swung to firm footing
on the deck of the passage, flashing his
! light aft. The radius was small, and
his glance must have revealed nothing
t sti ange, for the fellow whistled softly
as he advanced. "a 5fa9
i He was almost at the stateroem door
4 behind which we we're hiding before be
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