Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1919-04-16
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Deck Is Ours.

dHV 0CSA 10 O0Io
1 had the next step carefully out
lined in my own mind, and yet I hest
tated moment, glancing into the two
faces before me, with a sudden reali-
cation of what the contemplated ac-
ton would mean to all of us, if by any
chance it should fail of success. I
managed to speak cheerfully, putting
ring of confidence into my voice.
"Then the sooner we act the better.
Watkins, have LeVere order these men
aft. Let him say that Senior Estada
wishes them to break out some stores
in the lazaret. They need be here only
long enough for us to distribute these
arms among them, and for me to speak
a word of instruction to them"
"But have / no part? Is there no
way in which 1 can help?" asked the
girl.
''You have your pistol? Then re-
main here. shall have to go on deck
with the men, and will not dare leave
them moment until the ship is alb
solutely secure. Manuel is locked in
that stateroom, but must not be COM
municated with by anyone. 1t will be
your part to see that Gunsaules
neither enters that passage leading
amidships, nor approaches this door.
Keep him in sight. You will save us
man. Wait here now until see how
securely this passage forward is
closed"
It was as described to me-a heavy
oaken door, nail studded, not only
locked, but held firmly in place by a
stout iron bar. There was not the
faintest possibility of any entrance
aft, except through assistance from
this side. AS I returned to the cabin,
Gunsaules came out of the captains
room and crossed the deck. AT sight
of me he stopped instantly.
"Gunsaules," I said, "you are to re-
main in this cabin until I give the
word. The lady here has pistol, and
orders to shoot if you attempt to
either enter this passage, or approach
the door of Manuels stateroom. How
did you find Sanchez"
Sitting up in his bunk, senior, and
able to eat"
''Does he know what is occurring on
board?"
mo, senior. He questioned me, but
I only told him everything was all
right, so far"
Ins my heart believed the fellow
deliberately lied, but there was no op-
portunity to question him further, for
at that moment the door of the COM
panion opened and a miscellaneous
group of men thronged down the
stairs. They were a rough hairy lot,
here and there sturdy English coun-
tenance meeting my gaze, but the
faces were largely foreign, with those
of two negroes conspicuous.
'Twelve here, sir; I couldn't get
HARDWOOD down from the foretop," said
Watkins.
"And there are others below who
will join us?'
"Yes, sir; six more count on"
(which means lads, that with Har-
wood, Senior LeVere, and myself, we'll
total twenty-one in this shindy. Now
I'll tell you what is up. Watkins gave
you some of it no doubt, but word
from me will make it clearer. I'm no
pirate; I'm an English sailor, shang-
hied. Estada named me first officer
because understand navigation"
I stopped speaking, staring at one
of the faces before me; all at once it
appeared familiar. 'What is your
name. my man?"
"Jim Carter, sir"
'You were on the Sinbad, three
years ago."
81 was that, Mister Carlyle" he an
swered grinning. 81 know'd you the
minute / cum down yere."
"Then that is all I need say on that
tine. Here's one of your mates, lads.