The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-02-14
CHAPTER xIv.-continued.

-16-
Only some miracle, or the consolida- |
tton Of their interest temporarily on
what was being done forward, had
saved us from discovery. Yet / could
not remain there. almost in plain view.
Where should I turn first? Bascom
would be Of no value, even II re-
leased him; my only hope of assistance
Lay In the two seamen. Gripping the
iron bar. the revolver snugly slowed
away In my pocket. I crept down the
black passageway leading forward,
glad to escape from the light Of the
cabin.
AcCann believed his prisoners were
secure; that 1t was quite safe to leave
them unmatched for the short period
before deserting the ship. The very
fact that the inefficient Dade had been
LEFT alone In the cabin to watch over
Miss Vera, and myself, was evidence
that he needed every seaman to carry
out the work on deck. The measure Of
his confidence, his conceit, was what
gave us this opportunity to act My
hand, fumbling for the lock encoun-
tered a bar. a stout wooden bar, ex-
tending from jamb to jamb, and my
heart bounded madly. This was the
placei had found 1t already, and the
men I came to release were impris-
oned exactly as had been. tapped
gently on the panel.
"Who is it?" Low as the whisper
was, felt convinced the speaker must
be Leayord.
"Hollis. Stand by now; are you
alone2"
YES; Olson and Masters are to-
gether in the bosun's quarters"
Masters when did they lock him
upr'
about an hour ago he made quite a
@ght Of it-that's how I knew what
was going on, sir. Can you get me
outf"
"Ayei I'll rip this bar on in q jiffy.
Have you a light in there"
"Black as the inside Of a whales
belly. sir"
I got a purchase with my iron lever,
and put my full strength to 1t. The
bar was of oak, but the jambs soft
pine, and the nails drew out, creaking
slightly. but making no noise to create
any alarm. 1t was SO Intensely dark
could not even perceive the outlines OF
the mans figure. yet felt aware that
Leayord fronted me in the open door
He found my hand somehow, and
gripped 1t.
I'm sure glad to meet you, captain
he exclaimed heartily, land get out o
that hole. What's the word, sirf"
Release the others, and get busy
minutes are worth hours now. McCanr
and his gang are deserting ship; they
have the boats provisioned, and along
side already; that is why the guards
have been withdrawn"
They were going to leave us aboart
tocked int"
aye, and with the sea-cocks open
dead men tell no tales"
He whistled. his fist shifting thu
wood Of the door.
'.The dirty houndi And where arr
we, sir?'
''Off the Newfoundland coast; the!
think less than fifty miles, but there
nearly hundred miles Of blue waite
to the west Of us. Here's the way o
It in a nutshell: was locked In m.
stnteroom the same as you. 1t wa
Miss Darlington who gave us ou
chance. She became friendly with Nc
Cam, and agreed to go with him. Sh
was left free on board, and manage,
TO release me while the crew were al
on deck. The steward was left Of
watch in the cabin. and she had to hi
him with this iron."
"She didl Lord, I'd never hav
thought It Of that slip of thing
What's become O. the girl7"
"She's In her room. waiting for Nc
Cam to come down for her. She'll dc
lay him all she can. Is this the door, :
"Aye, aye, sir; and give me the iron.
He was not minute at the Job, an
It required scarcely longer to acQuain
the other two released men with
knowledge of the situation. Olso
picked up the bar of wood for
weapon. asking simply:
"vat we do now. captainf Iss 1t I
f1ghtr
"Hushi" whispered Masters, 'there
someone coming up the ladder"
We crept back into the bosum's stat'
room and waited breathlessly. Ther
was scarcely room for the four Of u
and the >doOr caught, and would nj
wholly close. A dim light refecte
along the walls of the passage, maxim
me aware that the fellow who WI
slowly climbing the iron ladder frol
below, had a lantern with him. lie,
yord retained the iron leg, and dre
my gun, holding It light gripped In or
hand. The mans head and shoulder
emerged through the round openin
and the dim light enabled me to reco
nize Tom Dugan. He paused on Il
edge, looking down.
"All quiet enough up here" he calle