Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1918-01-31
him dose of ms own medicine. hIOve
lively; there's another job waiting US
IN CpCk ~
CHAPTER XIV.
We canture the Ship.

1
They were in no way gentle about 1t,
yet the work was .noiselessly done. and
with sailorlike thOroughness. Dugan
undertook to curse, but was so instant
ly gagged that only the first muffled
word reached me In the passage. Mas
tiers held the lantern, while the two
mates refastened the door, driving
home the nails with the iron bar. The
moment this was secure I was ready
for the next act.
"Give the lantern to Olson. Masters.
You've got to look after the engine
room, and leave us to attend the deck
job. There'll be those sea- cocks to see
to first, and then keep enough fire un-
der the boilers for steerageway. Down
with you, and don't pay any attention
to whatever we do"
Heavy as he was he went down the
iron rungs of the ladder like a fireman
answering a call, and the three of us
who were left behind in the passage,
stared into each others faces, barely
visible in the dim radius of light.
"What next. sirT' asked Leayortl
anxiously. "There's only three Of us
now. an forty-three o. Them"
zone less-you're counting Dade, and
he's safe enough. The boy Moon is OF
no account, and imagine there are
twenty men out in those bouts who
have no heart in this business. They'd
be with us now If they had any chance
isn't that SO. Olson2"
'Yas, sir-but they won't likely git
no chance"
"True enough; yet 1t is something to
knew that Mccain and his gang can.
not count on them either, If 1t comes to
a fight. AS things stand 1t is all mat
ter of luck and nerve. There are only
six in the boat hanging to the foot Of
the ladder, with Mccain left alone on
deck. We ought to be able to handle
that bunch"
Leayord dug the iron bar he held
into the deck planks savagely.
"What did yer tell Masters to only
keep up enough steam for steerage.
way for, sir?" he asked bluntly.
II was afraid they might notice. II
he fired up"
"Tain't likely, so the tunnels don't
git ter blazin'. The. only fellers with
eny brains are in tibet boat close in
alongside, sir, an they can't see nuthin'
frum thar. Them common fO'castle rats
in them other boats never would notice
a bit more smoke"
"What Is 1t, Leayord? You have q
/ nj in1~ MI
stand talking here"
"'Tain't not much o. plan, sir" he
explained briefly, "only I don't see why
we couldn't just naturally heave this
cuss Mccain overheard. er else kill
him just us you please. Eny two o us
could keep that quarterboat crew from
comm up the ladder. an then, If Mas.
tiers had his boilers het up. no darn
rowboat could ever catch us. Thet
would leave us one hand at the Wheel
It was true, the very simplicity Of II
making me curse my own stupidity.
stared into his face without uttering q
word Of comment, yet with my mind
grasping instantly the necessary de
tails. With single step I was bend
Ing over the ladder peering down into
the depths below. A faint far-awaJ
light appeared at the bottom.
"Masters!" called. my voice thrown
downward through followed hands.
saw his shadow emerge into thu
circle Of light.
"Aye, aye, sir"
"Have you any pressure now1"
"Fairly good, sir. The waters draw
ing off and the wet coal will steam W
in a fifty"
"Well, stand by for all the steam
possible, and give it to her the instan
you get the signal-only be careful no
to flame your tunnels. You hear me?'
'Every word. sir"
"All right; stand by, and don't fai
u.s."
"Now, lads" I said, standing erect
"First It's the after cabin, and thel
the deck. Douse the glim, Olson; weir
better off in the dark. Follow me, an,
mind your footing"
The gloom was no handicap In tina
narrow space where we COLD fee
either wall with our fingers, but
emerged into the cabin with caution
fearing the possible presence there o
Mccain, who might even have brough
a man, or two, back on board 10 assis
him. The hanging lamp had been ez
tinguished, or else it had burnt Oh
from lack of oil, but there was a fain
gllmmer of light in Miss Darlington
stateroom. enabling me to discover q
a glance that the main cabin WIS uno,
cupied. Her door stood wide open, bu
with no signs of co~eusion within.
What had happened? There we
nothing to tell me the truth. Had NJ
Cam succeeded in inducing her to a,
company him on deck? Had he take
her there by force? or, had the gil
finally yielded to his insistence, ate
exhausting every form of delay, HI
last faith in my return having val
ished? Nothing remained but to folio
them, and find out what had occurre
and, If not already too late, attempt
l rescue.
'sThere's no one here" I said in