Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-06-04
Copyright, BY 4. c. mcclure & Co

hound who kicked you is Portu-
guese, and LeVere is more niger than
anything else. I'll bet there is a hum
dred rats on board this Namur right
now who'd cut your throat for SOW
ereign, and never so much as think of
it again"
"a hundred? Is there that many
aboard?"
ga hundred an thirty all told. Most
o. 'em bunk amidships. They're not
sailormen, but just cut-throats, an sea
wolves. Yer ought ter see 'em swarm
out on deck, like hungry rats, when
thar's a fight comm. It's all they're
good fer"
"Watkins," I said soberly, after a
pause during which he spat on the
dirty deck to thus better express his
feelings, "do you mean to say that in
three years you've had no chance to
escape? No opportunity to get away?"
''NOt a chance, mate; no more will
you. know what yer thinkin' bout. 1
had them notions too when / fust
come abOard-gettin' all the decent
sort tergether, and takin' the vessel.
'Twon't work; thar amt 'nough who
wud risk it, and if thar wus, yer
couldn't get 'em tergether. Sanchez is
too damn smart fer tibet. Every damn
rat is a spy. I amt he'd no such talk
as this afore in six months, Gates; the
last time cost me twenty lashes at the
mast-butt. What'd yer have in yer
mind, mate?"
"Only this, Watkins. I've got to do
something, and believe I can trust you
its not my life I'm thinking about,
but that of a woman"
"a woman! Not the one brought
aboard last night?"
Exactly; now Iisten-Tm going to
tell you my story, and ask your help.
My name is not Gates, and / am not
the man Mendez brought aboard drunk,
and who was thrown over the rail by
LeVere. That fellow was drowned. 1
am Geoffry Carlyle, an English skip
per-"
Thereupon I told him my story in
detail. Then I said:
81 have no plan; to become a men,
Der of the crew was my only thought.
But 1 must act, if at all, before the
captain RECEIVERS. He would recognize
me at sight. You will aid, advise
me?"
''That is easier to ask than answer,
mate" he admitted finally. 81 am an
English seaman, and will do my duty,
but, so far as I can see, there is no
plan we can make. 1t is God who will
save the girl, if she is to be saved. He
may use us to that end, but it is
wholly beyond our power to accom-
plish it alone. The only thing l can
do is to sound out the men aboard, and
learn just what we can expect of them
if any opportunity to act comes. There
are not more than a dozen at most to
be oiled upon. Play your part, and
keep quiet If you can let her know
of your presence aboard it might be
best-for if she saw you suddenly, I'M
prepared, she might say or do some
thing to betray you. There are other
reasons why it may be best for her to
know she is not entirely deserted"
He leaned over, motiOning me
toward him, until his lips were at my
ear.
''It may not prove as hopeless as it
appears now" he whispered conf1den-
TALLY. 81 helped carry Sanchez to his
stateroom, and washed and dressed his
wound. There is no surgeon aboard.
He has a bad cut, and is very weak
from loss of blood. The question of
our success hinges on Pedro Estada.
This is a chance he has long been
waiting for. The only question is, has
he the nerve to act. / doubt if he has
alone, but EeVere is with him, and
that half-breed would cut the throat
of his best friend. You understand?
the death of Sanchez would make
Estada chief"
But" l interposed, Gin that case
what would the crew do?"
accept Estada, no doubt: at least
the cut-throats would be with him, for
he is of their sort. But Sanchez's
death would save you from discovery,
and" his voice still lower, so that /
barely distinguished the words, sin the
confusion aboard, if we were ready,
the Namur might be so disabled as to
compel them to run her ashore for re
pairs. That would give you a chance.
If once we reach Porto Grande there
is no hope"
A marling-spike pounded on the
scuttIe, and Haines' voice roared
down.