The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1919-06-20

appeared familiar. what IS you
name. my MANI
jim. Garter, air.
"Yon were en he Sinbad, three
years ago."
- was that. Mister Carlyle" he an
swered grinning. II know'd you the
minute I cum down yere."
@'Chen that is all / need say on that
line. Rere'S one of your mates, lads,
who will vouch for me. Now, as I've
been told. you are all of you in the
same hOat-yOu are prisoners on
board. Luck has given is a chance to
make a break, and get away. Captain
Sanchez is wounded and helpless.
Pedro Estada is dead, and I've got
Manuel locked in that staterOOm. His
cut-throats are all below, and now all
we've got to do is clap on the hatch
and keep them there. Now, what /
want to know is are you fellows with
| me?"
Watkins answered up promptly !;
then Carter; the others joining in with
less heartiness, the different accents
revealing their nationalities. / knew
sailors well enough to feel assured
they would follow their leaders onee
the game started.
That's good enough now we've got
10 hit hard and quick, lads. There are
| six men on deck who are not with us.
Watkins will take care of them with
those fellows l don't assign to other
Work. Homes. you and Carter make
straight for the ~forecastle and don't
let anyone come up the scutlle. One
Of yOu had better drop down below,
and prevent any of those lads from
unbarring the door leading amidShipS.
Who is the best for that job?"
lie Carlson do it,"
"An right-CarIsOn il is then. You
Frenchnen, and the two negroes, your
part will he to ship the main hatch.
10 q quick job, and clamp it down
tight"
I'm come down to you Carlson, as
soon as we have the deck. 1t ought
not TO take more than five minutes to
handle those lads, and slew around a
c%arrOnade. Watkins. you and Carter
hand out the CutlaSSeS from the rack :;
you boys will handle those better than
firearms. Good; now are you all
ready?"
There was 2 low mur1nur of voices,
the faces watching me showing their
increasing excitement and eagerneSS.
Our little talk had served TO arouse
their confidence in my leadership, and
with cleaning weapons in their hands
they became self-reliant volunteers.
Once turned loose my greatest diff
Guilty might be to restrain them, rather
than urge them IN. Revenge for past
wrongs was in each heart and they
welcomed a chance to strike.
/ whispered a parting word of adj
mOnitiOn into the ear of Dorothy, re-
ceiving in return a glance from her
eyes, which gave 81 new thrOb to my
heart; then Strengthened up, and pis-
toll i'm hand, pushed my way through
the thrOng of sailors to the foot of the
stairs.
"Follow me, lads" said quietly.
We emerged through the companion,
and I stepped aside as the others
rushed by. There was no shout, no
cheer, the fellows seeming to realize
the desperate nature of their work,
and the Importance of surprise. They
were o~utnumbered five to one, and
their only hope of success lay in rem
Oering their opponents helpless before
they could rally to a defense. All the
pent-up hate of years was in their
blaZed madly in their eyes;
they were tigers lcaping al the throat
of their prey. yet SINE enough to COM
prehend even in their blOod-rage that
they must act together. 1t was owe
quickly l scarcely saw it all. My |
eyes swept from group to grOup-the |
four tOiling at the cOver of the main
the fellows racing toward the
and Watkins squad driv-
ing straight into the grouped watch
the foremost. 1t was smartly
done; Watkins had taken no c~utlass, |
but went i'm with both fists, asking no
questions, but battering right and left.
his men surging after, with steel
blades flaming in the sunlight. The
watch, cursIng and fighting
grimly, held for a moment, and then
went staggering back against the port
rail, unable to stem the rush, and roar.
ing for mercy. / had view OF Carlson
dropping recklessly down the f%orecas.
tie scuttle, and then sprang forward
myself to give a hand to the four
wrestling with the main hatch. TO,
gether we dragged it into position.
relentlessly back as we did SO.
a dozen struggling figures frantically
endeavoring to reach the deck. Shots
were fired, the bullets whistling
through the opening, the fare lighting
up the black depths below, revealing
vaguely a mass of frantic men staring
and cursing us fiercely in a dozen
put. il sRite Of them, we