The Elbert County tribune., 1918-04-26
CHAPTER xI-tcontinued.)

1.-The glass Is falling rapidly" an
swered, land / suspect a storm is
brooding behind that curtain; that is
why am so anxious to make all clear.
What do you think of the crew.
She glanced inside toward the mo-
tionless negro at the wheel, and then
at the men shufling about their work.
IL hardly know; they-they look
awfully rough and-and disreputable.
Weren't some of them drunk?'
mo doubt, yes. Don't worry. Miss
Vera. Those things are frequent
enough on shipboard. We will have
these lads thoroughly tanned within an
other twenty-four hours. There Is never
a mutiny without some leader and n
better cause. i am working under
your orders. you know"
She glanced up quickly into my face.
"Under my orders7 No. not TINT.
Mr.. Hollis. You told me it would be
your choice; merely granted permits
sion"
Your permission was equivalent to
an order. / SO accepted It."
'But that is hardly fair. Not that /
regret the choice. for 1 could never
have forgiven myself IL my selfishness
had ruined Philip Bascom. He is really
an old friend"
$50 / supposed; very interesting
man In spite of his misfortune"
'He was, indeed. before that bullet
wrecked him. 1t is sad; and to think
that the one who shot him is actually
on board-his guest"
mot altogether pleasant thought
to me-" I said soberly. "For Mccain is
the kind to breed more trouble II he
can find an excuse"
"You do not consider the man dam
gerousT'
'Not In the sense you mean. He will
never attack openly, or permit himself
to be known In any conspiracy. But
be will have to be watched, neverthe-
less. He is the sort to harbor revenge,
and as he feels hatred and distrust
toward both Bascom and myself, we
cannot be too careful. I shall have to
tell Leayord the whole story"
"Leayord2"
1.-THE man named for first officer;
be is standing abaft the foremost yon-
DER"
1.-The second officer Is Swede"
yes; rather young, but like his
face. and he seems to have the re-
spect OF the men," / turned and gnzed
into the face of the compass, already
lighted.
what is your manner" I asked Of tho
black at the wheel.
watson. sab; Charles Watson"
swell, Watson, let her head fall of
= couple of points-that's 1t. my man.
Il this the signal cord to the engine
roomr
showing oddly. and rang for an in
crease of speed. Watson. bracing the
wheel with one knee, wiped his lips on
his sleeve.
"Am yo' shorely amin fer ter sail
dis yere ship long ter Hamburg. sah?"
he asked cautiously.
you heard what said to the menu
''Yas, sab, / done heerd dat But
thought maybe best tell yer. sab. that
thar's sure a bad lot forward, an
they's plum set against goin' no far
Their"
"a bad lot. hey? And who seems to
De tue ieuueT, WdtbOuI
He scratched his head.
wal. sab, there's two or three who
has q lot ter say, but sorter reckon as
how de real boss Is a white pusson
call Liverpool Red-he dun started ter
knife me night afore last, and II
hadn't done got outer thar right lively.
I reckon I'd bin dead niger sure"
"What objection does this fellow and
the others with him have to finishing
this voyage"
"wal, mostly at first It wus Just
ordinary cussidness, sab but now they
got the war ter harp about, dat Liver
pool is a-playin' 1t up ter beat all, sab.
He says this ship II loaded with war
stun, and bound ter be sunk or cap
tured am dat 20. sahr'
1--WE have q miscellaneous cargo"
answered. land some Of 1t might be
sontraband. But It was shipped before
war was declared, and we have ample
time to reach port before the establish
ment of q blockade. There will BE- NO
trouble. Watson. II the men only do
their duty. You let them know that
aaid NJ whsa ysu - forward"