Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-08-06
WOLVES OF THE SEA
By RANDALL PARRISH
Copyright. BY a c. McCiurg s CO.


man has been murdered. knitted. Who
did .it-and why?"
He could scarcely answer gripping
at the table for support, and never re-
moving his gaze from the face of the
dead man. Yet l believed his words;
was convinced this was not the terror
of guilt.
MY Godl cannot tell; 1 have
never dreamed of this"
Had the man enemies. Anyone
you would suspect?"
Enemies? Ay, plenty of them; we
all have We expect that in our
trade. This ship is full of devils ready
enough to do such a job; but l could
not name the one who did do 1t.
know of no cause. have heard moth
ing"
81 believe you, Levere," l said.
""What can we do, senOr?"
DO! We must talk that over first.
We cannot meet this thing until we
are prepared. There is more danger
in hasty action than anything else"
shut the door behind us and turned
the key. 1t was a relief to get out
side, even into that dismal cabin, be-
yond view of Estada's dead face. Lee
We're, who had evidently LOST his nerve,
sank into a chair.
you fear an uprising. mutiny?"
l questioned when this is reported?"
what will preyent?" he asked.
1.-THE captain cannot stir; the mate is
dead; the men already crazed because
we take no prizes. They win murder
us also and take control. Those devils
amidships."
"And who leads them? Who would
be captainT"
Manuel Estevan," he whispered.
81 thought as much. Then it 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 posi-
bility of his issuing any. Without a
leader the advantage is ours"
You mean TO kill him?"
| "Only as a last resort. There is no
good feeling between those quartered
amidships and the crew."
mo, senior; it 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,
is to set the one against the other?"
"Yes, if possible. These sailor men
are of all races. Can they be trusted?'
"Some might be, sir; 1t is hard to
tell how many. 1t 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 hope of
me; was born to the free life"
"What then is it with your"
"Hate, senor-revenge." and his
teeth cleaned savagely. II would spit
on this Manuel who seeks to be chief
can never be-nO; l am of black
skim with negro blood In my veins
and white men would never have it so
But / can hate, senior. That is why
am with you now. If the devil SO
will. Your plan might work-tell me
more of it."
"What are the odds, say you-thirty
to a hundred? Ay. 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
rs one, and he will know others. a
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-is it not?'
"Si, senor," his eyes again sparkling
with interest. 1.-THE men quarreled
and there was fighting"
! "Then there is no escape In that di,
rection and it 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 cannot
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."
81 know that, LeVere. The whole
plan is desperate, but there is no other
possible. Here is my scheme. There
is a gun rack in the cabin to arm the
dozen men we can trust The others
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 we'll round
them up forward. They won't dare
face the guns. I'll give them their
| choice"
"And what viii you tell them. Sc
norf"
l 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 LeYere-
that Manuel conspired to seize the
bark through a mutiny of the bucca-
neers; that these were to be turned
loose with license TO kill anyone on