The Lamar register., 1919-05-07
IIII1I1II1IIIII1III1I NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Oopy hight By A. o. AeCiurg . 90.

in hasty action than anything else"
/ shut the door behind us and turned
the key. II was relief to get out
side, even into that dismal cabin. be-
You'd view OF Estada's dead face. Lee
We're, who had evidently lost his nerve.
sank into u chair.
you fear an uprising. a mutinyr
/ questioned, "when this is reportedf"
what will PREVENT" he asked.
1.-The captain cannot stir; the mate is
dead; the men already crazed because
we take no prizes. They will murder
US also and take control. Those devils
amidships."
And who leads them? Who would
be captainf"
Manuel Estevan," he whispered.
81 thought as much. Then 1t Is
Manuel Estevan we must secure first
before they know. Whatever his
men may know Of what has occurred
they will make no move until they get
his orders. We must stop the possi-
bIlity of his issuing any. without q
leader the advantage Is ours"
"You mean to kill himi"
"Only as a last resort. There II no
good feeling between those quartered
amidships and the crew."
mo. senior; 1t is hate generally. al
though they are not all alike. The
real sailors are mostly captured men:
they serve to save their lives. and
only for these others on board could
not be held long. Your plan. senior,
il to set the one against the otherr
Eyes, IL possible. These sailor men
are of all races. Can they be trustedf"
"Some might be. sir; 1t Is hard to
tell how many. II is not the race
which counts so much, senior. There
are those among them who would not
care to return to honesty"
"And you. LevereT
He spread his hands and shrugged
his shoulders. There is no nope of
me; was born to the free life"
"What then Ii 1t with your
~Bate. senor--revenge." and his
teeth CLEANED savagely. II would spit
on this Manuel who seeks to be chief.
! can never be-no; am of black
skin, with negro blood in my veins.
and white men would never have 1t so.
But l can hate, senior. That Is why
I am with you now. II the devil so
will. Your plan might work-tell me
more of it,
"what are the odds. say you-thirty
to Il hundredf Az. but surprise will
overcome that. My plan Is this: First
to secure Manuel as quietly as pos
sible but at Whatever cost. With him
In our hands. or dead. the buccaneers
have no leader. What then? There
are men In the crew on deck and In
the forecastle to be trusted-Watkins
Is one. and he will know others, Il
dozen no doubt. They Will be enough.
We will whisper the truth to these.
and have them ready for signal. The
forward door from amidships is closed
by iron bars-ls It notf'
Isl. senor." his eyes again sparkling
with interest. "The men quarreled
and there was fighting"
Then there Is no escape In that di.
rection and II can be no great task
to close any passage leading aft
Lower the deck hatch and we have
those devils below Gagged like SO many
rats. There need be no fighting; star.
walton will bring them TO terms"
But. senior. your dozen men canno,
guard the buccaneers below and also
manage the bark. The crew are not
all lambs-many will sympathize with
those thus locked beneath deck. Co
chose is bad. and friend of Manuel
He will fight, and there are Others
to back him."
II know that. Levere. Tie whole
plan Is desperate. but there is no other
possible. Here 10 my scheme There
is gun rack In the cabin to arm the
dozen men We can trust. The other
have nothing but their sheath knives
The buccaneers can be secured below
before these other lads ever realize
what is happening. As soon as we
have control Of the ship wen round
them up forward. They won't dar,
face the guns. I'll give them their
choice"
And what will you tell them. Sc
norf"
caught my breath, conscious Of
his meaning. My secret hope could
not be revealed to this fellow. The
answer came quickly to my lips.
1.-The whole truth. Senior LeVere-