Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-04-22

WOLVES |
fhe SEA !
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS !
BY (
RANDALL !
PARRISH !
CHAPTER XII.
A Friend In the Forecastle.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
copyrisht By 4. q Accisss Co ,Iy3

~ VTICNO III LIE EOTSCooStSs
slowly opened my eyes to find my
self lying in an upper bunk OF the fore.
castle. Memory soon returned. stimu-
lated no doubt by the aching Of my
body where Estada had so brutality
kicked me with his heavy boot. The
heavy rolling of the bark clearly evi.
denced that we were already at sea,
and bucking against high wind. 1t
was dark, dismal, smelly interior,
amply large enough, but Ill ventilated,
and inexpressibly dirty. ! must have
been lying unconscious for several
hours. rested back, feeling Of the
numerous bruises on my body, and
touching gingerly the dried blood
caked on my face. No very serious
damage seemed to have been done, al-
though every muscle and tendon APP
peared to be strained and lacerated.
Clinching my teeth to keep back a
groan, l succeeded in sitting upright,
my head touching the upper deck, as
I undertook to survey my surround.
ings. About half the hunks seemed to
be occupied the figures of the sleeping
men barely discernible.
AS sat there. staring about at this
scene there was stir within the up
per berth on my own level, and an up
lifted face appeared suddenly in the
yellow flare of light. 1t was mani
testify an English face at first glance,
rosy of cheek, with chestnut beard. A
pair of humorous. gray eyes surveyed
me silently. and then. apparently salts
fed by the scrutiny, the owner sat up
in the bunk, revealing powerful Shout
ders, and round, bull neck.
"Ahoy, mate" he said pleasantly.
endeavoring to speak low, the effort
resembling the growl Of bear. allow
do You feei--pretty sore?"
cache from head to foot" 1 an
swered, Immediately feeling his friend
illness. But no harm done,
81 saw part of it. The damn black
brute kicked savagely enough, but al
that you're lucky; it's the Spanish
style to use knife. I've seen that
cock slash q man into ribbons for
nothing at adjust to show he was
bad. Haines tells me your name is
Gates, and thdt you are English"
That's right; shipped first out Of
Bristol"
$50 did /, mate-twenty years ago
though, and / never went back since.
My name Is Tom Watkins. Let's shake;
there Is quite a sprinkling of us Brit.
ishers aboard, and we ought to hang
together"
) ut out q Zig hairy fist, and J
gripped it heartily, decidpu.s liking
the man as his eyes frankly met mine.
He appeared honest and square, fine
type of the English seaman.
tom Watkins, you said. May ask
If you were ont on the bow-sprit along
with Haines last nighti'
"Just afore the longboat come inf
Yes, we were there"
well, I was down below, hanging
to the cable, and overheard you two
talking together. Somehow, Watkins
you do not seem to me to fit in exactl.
with this gang of pirates; you don't
look to he that sort. How long have
you been with them?"
He glanced about warily, lowerini
his voice until 1t became a hoarsc
whisper.
"Three years, mate, and most of that
time has been hell. I haven't even
been ashore, but once. and that was
on an island. These fellows don't put
any trust in my kind, nor give them
any chance to cut and run. Once in
awhile a lad does get away, but most
of them are caught; and those that are
sure get their punishment. They
never try it again. I've seen them
staked out on the sand and left to
die; that amt no nice thing to remem.
ber."
"But how did you come into it,"
Like most of the rest. was Sec
ond mate Of the Ranger, q Glasgow
brig. These fellows overhauled US at
daybreak about hundred miles of