Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-02-21

supposed. The soft pine yielded easily
to the sharp blade, and a very few mo-
ments sufficed to cut the lock clear,
enabling me to open the door silently
and take cautious survey Of the main
cabin. At first I { doubted the presence
Of anyone, and had, indeed, ventured
forth before perceiving the form of a
man outstretched on the divan sur
rounding the butt of the mizzenmast.
The fellow was asleep, yet restless
enough to be dangerous. His face was
in shadow, and I thought it best not
to venture close enough to identify
him, although the dim light revealed
a belt about his waist, and the bullying
butt Of a revolver. Convinced that my
only hope of accomplishment lay in
the discovery and release Of my fell
low prisoners, I crept across the de-
serted cabin, and entered the passage
leading forward. Somewhere amid
ships these were surely confined. But
I was not destined to discover where.
I had taken scarcely a step when the,
companion door opened, and a man
started down the stairs. C%rouched in
the darkness, I saw the sleeping guard,
aroused by the noise, spring upright
and as the light fell on his face, 1 rec,
Ognized a seaman named Dubois. The
man on the stairs paused, gripping the
rail, staring down as though momen-
tarily blinded by the light.
"Is that you, Dubois?' he asked in
the harsh croak belonging to Jim
White.
ID you-you was asleep" =,
9" lay back to rest, but I was not
asleep, monsieur-nOn, non."
swell, we won't fight over that now.
You're the only Frenchman on board,
and we want you on deck. Go on up;
I'll stay here. Aye, man, yer better
leave the gun"
swat ees it, Monsieur White? Why
they want me on deck?"
"What's the difference, you frog
eater? But I'll tell yer anyhow. There
is a cruiser showing up off our port
quarter, which has caught sight O. us.
She looks Frenchy, and if there is a
hail, it will be up to you to nswer-
you are the only one aboard this
hooker who talks the lingo like a ma
tive, see!" y
Dubois stood staring, his lips parted
in sudden terror.
IA French warsheep; eet hail us?'
"Not yet; but they are bound to
question us, all right. There! did you
hear that? A shot across u bows,
politely asking us to heave to; aye
and we are slowing down; come, hurry
up, N deck with you, Frenchy."
"But-but, monsieur, what ees it
can say? I know not re words, ze-
, re explanation"
| "You speak French, don't you?"N
! "Oui, monsieur, oui, but-but I know
] not what to speak"
swell, don't let that worry you. Nc
| Cam will tell you-but God pity you
Dubois, if you fail to repeat it. Vi
e with you now, and be lively about it!'
Y All thought of my former purpose
v vanished from my mind as I realized
t this new chance Of rescue. At any risE
4 Unjust attain quickly to the open deck
0 where l could create an alarm sufIi
cient to awaken suspicion IN board thu
e approaching Frenchman. McCann'!
only hope of escape lay in some salts
+ factory explanation, which would lul
the suspicious of the French com
m~ander--some lie smooth enough t
G prevent boarding and search.
e Assured that White was beyond OBJ
e servation of any of my movements,
crept cautiously around the stair rail
t and noiselessly mounted the steps.
Y found the after part of the main dccl
n deserted, although forward of tn
mainmast l could perceive dar.
blotches along the port rail, wher
9 members of the watching party wcr
s observing the approach Of the Frcnc
# cruiser. With heart beating like Il triI
4 hammer, 1 made my way along tn
front of the cabin, until / ventured t
: peer owe the port rail, secure that m
presence on deck was screened by tn
deep shadows in which 1 lurked.
q The CLEAN of the stars alone re
vealed the glittering surface of the Sc;
but the night was clear of dog, and tn
black outline of the French warshi
e was plainly visible, approaching us a
% half-speed, and silently closing up tn
J. narrowing gap of water between tn
Is two vessels. I felt the heart come u
" into my throat as I gaZed s%"ellbounC
is every nerve in me throbbing painfully
A single voice echoing along thos
le decks yonder could blow us out of tn
e water. Even as I stared at the gri1
ID spectacle. the slim figure of a man al
peared ut the end Of the bridge, az
h q voice hailed us in French.
"Ahoy there! What ship is that?"
e There was a shuf1ling of feet aboy
n me; then Mccain spoke in English:
"The American freighter India
Pe Chief, bound for Liverpool"
,r us there anyone aboard who speak
L. French?"
n l heard them hustle Dubois forwar
ID to the rail, and caught a word or tw
H. of McCann's swift threat Kissed mi