The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-02-26
From Our last I.s,,el

stantly his schooner was mnncuvcret
to come to close quarters. Th'
Anne Dudley approached until
tumbllng SEA lifted her and che
rolled against the side Of the six
master with shock that seemed q
wrench her planking asunder.
Once more she rolled and sever
men icaped across To tho other deoi
which was almost level with theii
own. The two vessels had erashc,
together Just AZ Gus was siEhtinl
his pistol to finish the business foi
Peter Strawn. Thunderstruek. h
/ Yelled 20 the other sailors TO hell
him ward Oft the visit OF Captain
Wesley Amaxeen. They responded
with hearts aquake. for only ghosts
or devils would board a ship in THU
fashion.
A voliey OF limestone ballast smcis
them with terrific accuracy. and
then they were caught between tive
fires. dubbed and pounded front and
rear. Wesley Amaxeen was enjoy
ing himself with 50 much youthful
gusto that he failed 20 notice Fen
wick's absence from tho fray until
he turned aside 20 avoid the body
prone on deck. The shadows oh
acured Il. but Peter Strawn told the
Old man who II was.
Tho issue was not in doubt after
that. The word spread among the
Anne Dudiey's crew that tho niggcrr
had shot the skipper. They would
have dealt out punishment In kind,
with no restraint from Wesley
Amaxeen. but the mutincers had no
moro battle In them and were
scampcrlng for the forccastie TO dive
below and offer unconditional sur
render Four OF them had been
stretched scnscleSs and another
crawied on hands and knees.
There was to be no surrender for
Gus, tie instigaior OF II all. He had
cmpti.d his revolver and was run
ming for the forccastie In blind terror
OF Peter strawn. lie was the last
man OF the lot. however. and the
door had been pulled shut by thoss
ALREADY below. Into tho bow he fled.
tho rcmorsclcss mate pursuing him.
Here Gus was cornercd like cat
and Their. was only tho massive tim
Der OF the bowsrrit as n frecarsous
refuge. lie crcpt out, high over the
water. and Peter strawn crcpt after
him. Beyond them SCARED the lib
boom. n smooth round spar with
foot.ropes on either side.
The negro looked back. hesi,aied.
and then resumed his iaborious Jour
ney. lmpellcd BY the fear % death.
Silently the mate worked hts way
nearer. They were almost out n,
the end OF the long spar. 20 feet be
You'd the schooner's bow. Gus shifted
hts position 40 that he faced the
mate himself. lie Eroancd and
slashed Wildly with his knife. but
missed his mark.
Again Gus swnycd forward 20
slash at the empty air. The blade
swished down and struck the tib-
boom. II SHARED thru a wrapping
Of the gaskst The rope suddenly
slackened In the negro's grasp and
he pitched headlong. vanishing.
blo,ted out.
A little puzzled by the abrupt De-
parture. Peter groped along the tib-
BOOM until his fingers closcd on an
end Of the gasket which was eleaniy
cut. Mechanically he tied the rope
and made the sail fast. muttering
this obituary:
Sawed yourself Off the limb. Gus.
Spared me a nasty Job"
Returning TO the deck. he found
that Captain Fenwick had been car
ried into the cabin and was said 70
he alive. The mates first duty was
to take care Of tho ship and he
ran TO the side TO get her clear OF
the Anne Dudley. which was stu
held BY the hawser. She had settled
much deeper and appeared to be In
sinking condition. Several Of her
men had jumped aboard and were
hastily saving what personal prop
eriy they could stow In bags and
boxes. Captain Wesley Amazeen
came out Of the Eilzabeth's cabin
and said TO Peter strawn:
You got the Niger. presume.
I really ought 10 ha' stopped you
from talin' the law into your own
hands"
Il didn't have 10. He fell over
board. cap'n Amazeen. l never
touched him"
Quite correct. Mr.. Strawn. III
sign and swear 90 IL. The news
would disappolnt him II he had
stayed aboard. lie plugged Dudley
Fenwick good and hard. but he
didn't XIII him. Bullets in him
sornewheres. but II missed his lungs
and vitais. In my opinion"
Glad 10 hear 1t. sir. What about
your own schooner I'm afraid you
croaked her"
II cal'lated to-" was the IN
troubled reply. at had TO be done
Where's Mr.. CosginT
"on the Anne Dudley. He won't
give her ~ until he has to-"
Tell him TO abandon the vessel
and turn her adrift. III figger out
your course for you. Mr.. srawn.
Let her rip for Guantanamo and the
navy 0OClCThs ~ ~ hNt AfA sFHet~s
Fenwick. That's where ! belong.
Thru the night the Elizabeth
wethereI drove on her rightful
course. When morning came the
decks were washed down. every rope
coiied in place. and the vigorous rou-
tine OF a disciplined ship restored.
To Peter strawn the tragic inter
ruptlon seemed like an evil dream.
The humiliation Of Gus disturbed
him not in the least. Dutifully ne
wrote a line in the log preceding the
quaint old phrase that Is stun IN use
20 that the entry read:
searnan Gus Henderson lost from
the Nb-boon. And 30 ends this
day
He made no mention OF the mu-
tiny and recapture OF the ship. This
was postponed for discussion and