Connecticut western news., 1919-05-01
CHAPTER xII.
A Friend in the ForecastIe.


 I slowly opened my eyes to find my 1esf lying in an upper bunk of the fore anstle. Memory soon returned, stimu- aEted no doubt by the aching of my Hody where Estada had so brutally Kicked. me with his heavy boot. The heavy rolling of the bark clearly evi- &zAced that we were already at sea. xnd bHcking against high wind. It Nns dark, dismal, smelly interior, anply large enough, but ill ventilated, and inexpressibly dirty. I must have bGen lying unconscious for several 1ours. I rested back, feeling of the xunerous bruises on my body, and 1suching gingerly the dried blood Msked on my face. No very serious 1nnlage seemed to have been done, al- Enough every muscle and tendon ap- 2e1red to be strained and lacerated. HEnching. my teeth to keep back ErUan, succeeded in sitting upright, ~ head touching the upper deck, as T undertook to survey my surround
 gsl About half the hunks seemed to
 e occupied. the figures of the sleeping nFn barely discernible.
 II AS sat there, staring about at this Ex1fur there was a stir within the up
 er berth on my own level, and an up
 fted face appeared suddenly in the
 aloW flare of light. It was mani 6stIx an English face at first glance,
 V of cheek. with chestnut beard. A
 nfr of humorous, gray eyes surveyed I1.e silently. and then, apparently satis-
 I'd by the scrutiny, the owner sat up the bunk. revealing powerful shour- xeFB, and round, bull neck.
 A 'Ahoy, mate" he said pleasantly,
 naeayoring to speak low, the effort
 ssembling the growl of bear. Flow NAgpu feel-pretty soreT'
 S @Athe from head to foot" an 1wered, Immediately feeling his. friend Aness. "But no harm done.'
 'd saw part of it. The damn black BxNte kicked savagely enough, but at katat you're lucky; it's the Spanish Styfe, to use knife. I've seen that eDck slash man into ribbons for nSthing at all-just to show he was 1aa. Haines tells me your name is Hates. and that you are English"
 That's right; shipped first out of Bxistol." M So did !, mate-twenty years ago Enough, and never went back since My name is Tom Watkins. Let's shake there Is quite sprinkling of us Brit fkhers aboard, and we ought to hang 1Dgether."
 He put out big, hairy fist, and 8Hipped it heartily, decidedly liking the man as his eyes frankly met mine
 He appeared honest and square, fine 1Jpe of the English seaman.
 "Tom Watkins, you said. May ask 1T you were out on the bow-sprit along with Haines last night?'
 @dnst afore the longboat come in? Ets, we were there" ~Well, I was down below, hanging fs- the cable, and overheard you two Gnaking together. Somehow, Watkins 7pu do not seem to me to fit in exactly with this gang of pirates; you don't Hook to be that sort. How long have lYgu been with them?"
 si He glanced about warily, lowering &fs voice until 1t becane a hncrse ynisper.
 "Three years. mate. and most of that 4Me has been hell. haven't even lwen ashore. but once, and that was Sn- an, Island. These fellows don't put amy trust in my kind, nor give them SnE; chance to cut and run. Once in 0kifile q lad ddes get away, but most VI tbeH'are caught; and those that are
 re get their punishment. They 1ever try it again. I've seen them akked out on the sand and left to ukA; that ain't 10 nice thing to remem- hx.N
 sBiit how did you come into itr'
 sTlke most of the rest. was sec