Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1919-04-16

60 on with the rest of us; take
your chance with the men and do your
duty. am captain here. The first
sign Of treachery on your part will
send YOU below with those others. II
don'H trust gou,9 and all l. want is an
excuse teaput YOU out of the way-so
be CAREFUL what you do,
l turned and walked away from him
toward the forward rail. The men
were still aloft but coming in from off
the yards. Below me in the door of
the companion, stood Dorothy, her
eyes peering curiously about the de-
serted deck. She glanced up and saw
me.
May l come up there?" she asked.
certainly; let me help you. Stand
! here beside me, and you can see all
that is being done. That's all, lads:
breakfast is ready; lay down all ex-
cept the lookout"
We watched while they streamed
down the ratlines and gathered for
ward of the galley, squatting in groups
on the deck. To all appearances the
fellows had not a care in the world.
or any thought of the stirring scenes
just passed through. The girls hand
touched my sleeve, and + turned and
looked into her face.
p "Have you considered Captain San
chez? she asked.
why no." in surprise, she is help
less below, badly wounded"
mot so badly as you suppose" she
said swiftly. "He is able to be up and
about his Stateroom. l heard him
moving, and believe the steward has
told him what has occurred on board.
and endeavored to bear a message
from him to those men amidshipsiI
held my pistol to his head and locked
him in the pantry. He is there now,
with the sailor you sent on guard.
That is what came on deck to tell
you"
He is danger, of course, but not a
serious one" 1 said confidently. "It
is safe enough to leave him undis-
turbed at present. The first thing /
need to do is to satisfy those men. I'll
the proper securing of Sanchez. Re-
main here with LeVere while go for
ward, and watch that he does not at
tempt to go below"
The fellows had not finished mess.
but felt the danger of further delay,
and talked to them as they sat on
deck, explaining briefly the entire stu
alton, and the causes leading up to the
mutiny. l dealt with the matter in
plain terms, making no apparent effort
to influence them, yet forcibly COM
pelling each individual to realize what
would be the result of our recapture.
They listened earnestly, asking an &C.
casional question, and passing COM
ments back and forth freely among
themselves.
l sent Watkins to the cabin for a
roll of charts, and spreading these out,
endeavored as well as could, to make
clear our probable position and the
nearest point of land. When I had
completed the explanation, and stood
before them awaiting decision, it was
Haines who acted as their spokesman.
'This yere is Cape Howarth?" ne
asked, grimy thumb on the point in
dicated. San yer say it's bout hun
dred and fifty miles west2
Eyes, about that?'
"An' thar's no settlements?
"Some colonists fifty miles north is
ALL"
That's bout right" He turned to
the others. "Say mates, this is how /
figure. We can't go on no long cruise
with all those bloody rats in the hold.
They're bound ter find some way out
If we give 'em time 'nough. Fer as I'm
concerned, I'm fer dividin' up whit
we've got, and ter hell with piratin'.
What 'er yer say, mates? Shall we
run the oil hooker ashore, an leave
her thar, while we tramp the coast?
We're just a shipwrecked crew. What
say yer?"
There was chorus of approval suf-
ficient in volume to satisfy me, and I
accepted this as decision.
"All right, lads" l said briefly. "In
my judgment your choice is a wise
one. I'll have an observation as soon
as the fog clears and We'll head in for
the Cape?"
"When do we divide the swag?"
Fifty miles off the coast. That's
fair enough, isn't it? And my share
goes to you"
There was struggling cheer, but /
broke it up with sharp order.
snow stand by for work, all of you.
Watkins and Carter, want you aft"
CHAPTER XIII.