Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1918-02-07
"Get up there, Mccain; on you

"Get up there. Mccain: on your
knees now; for heavens sake don't
miss that rope, and hold on hard; take
turn around that thwart umidships-
no! don't make fast! Give Tony the
end; he has one hand yet. Now get
Dubois into the sling; D. you. mau,
you've got to; we can't leave th.:se
oars. Take grip there, Dubois. and
help yourself. That's better" He lift.
ed his arm in signal. "All right, sir,
swing away!"
1t was q good half hours Job, and
hard one; twice the boat nearly
swamped, and went down. Liverpool
was the last to leave the boat, already
half filled with water. AS he rose slow.
ly, gripping the rope with his hands,
unable to get foot in the moose. the
deserted craft floated away, the dead
body of Watson half covered with
water.
The four Of them made sorry look.
ing bunch on the deck. but now that
they were safe, my feeling of sym.
pathy had vanished. I could only re-
call their treatment of us, and the dam
ger we still ran in having them once
again aboard. Nothing was to be
gained by soft words with such as they.
I stepped across to front them, and o.
son and Dugan Joined me.
"Now, look here" I said grimly.
We've taken you aboard because
we're human beings; hut there's going
to be no mistake as to your exact
Status on this ship. You'll take your
orders from me, and I'll kill the first
man-jack of you who shows n sign Of
treachery. What became of Sachs?"
Mccain was still gasping from his
drop into the sea, and could not I'm.
swer, although 1 addressed my ques
ton to him. Liverpool replied:
"He knitted Watson. and Dubois
knocked him overheard with IN oar; ;
he never cum up"
"Was it in the fight Dubois got
hurt?"
mo, he was hit by the boom, an
Tony there broke his arm when he fell
into the boat Off the ships ladder"
"All right; three of you are fit for
work, and Tony can stand watch in the
engineroom. Have you had anything
to eat?"
eyes. sir, in way; there was food
in the boat"
"Then you have Jared in that respect
better than we have. White, you "a
below and hustle coal you climb dow.
also Tony, and relieve Masters. Tell
him to lie down and get some rest.
Move along now; I'll be down there
myself presently"
turned to Mccain. "Get up from
there; you are hand on board this
ship the rest Of the voyage. Do you
} understand? Answer me-do yOu1"
EYES,"
"Do better than that
Eyes, sir"
"Very we'll; now you and Liverpool,
pick up Dubois, and put him in mum.
Der seven stateroOm. Make him as COM
Portable us possible, but don't be Ions
about it. Then report on deck to Mr..
Olson; he'll keep you busy, and out Of
mischief. A word with you, Olson"
with me to the rail; the drifting boat
had disappeared, having either sunk,
or being hidden in the hollow of the
great surges. The screw was begin.
ming to revolve once more with power,
the planks trembling under foot and q
bit of sunshine was streaming through
the clouds overhead. stood silent q
moment, endeavoring to think out the
situation, and Olson waited patiently,
his eyes sweeping the sky and then the
sea.
'What DO you think Of our guests7'
asked finally. "Can we trust them
at all?"
"Not SO far as you could swing a
bull by the tail, SIR" he answered
soberly. 'They amt forgot the night
in the boat yet. hut there's Just al
much devil In 'em as there ever was"
"Your opinion u.s. they will never
help sail this ship into st. Johns. II
any villainy will save them?"
"That's 1t, sir; they're so black now,
they won't mind little MORE"
"That's my judgment; we must keep
them apart as much as we can, and
have an eye on them all the time.
How about Dugan7'
"He talks straight enough, and to
my notion means to play square,"
"That was my impression; he's
irish, and hot-headed, but no criminal.
We ought to be able to keep the fel.
lows separated. Besides I'll be about
| most nj tho f1mo1
"How long do you suppose it will b,
sir?"
"Today and another night likely; !
can tell better when I get an obser-
walton at noon. It will not give them
much time for plotting"
sent the two forward with Olson
when they returned to the deck from
the cabin. and he busted them gather.
Ing up the rifle about the forecastle
caused by the nights storm. Mccain
moved as though scarcely able to exert
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