The diamond drill., 1921-01-08

girl and her old father. Another man
was also there. alive. but insane. See
ing a pannIlkln OF fresh water, this
man grabbed IL. draining II and
dropped dead.
Grosvenor. l for my part In the res
cue was put In Irons.
This wreck incident, added to fur
ther needless abuse OF the men and
the further failure OF the captain TO
live up TO his promise Of putting In
yond endurance. They watched their
chance. rushed the poop In the night
and killed the captain. They then
KILLED Mr.. Duckllng. They might have
killed me. too. Notwithstanding that
had shown sympathy TO them, but
somebody had to navigate the ship
TO within fifty miles OF the Florida
coast which was where they intend
ed TO abandon her and row ashore.
Having the safety OF the young girl
and her father as well as my own life
10 think OF. agreed TO act as navl-
gator.
was having my supper in the cabin
under the new regime when | felt n
touch on my arm. / looked up. 1t
was Miss Robertson, the rescued girl
Before / could prevent her she took
my hand and kissed II. She told me
then of the wrecked ship. Her IA
ther, a wealthy Liverpool merchant
was the owner OF the ship. which had
been bound home from Cape Town.
After the storm, the officers and crew,
fearing the ship would sink under
them, had taken 10 the boats. she
and her father had spent terrible
three days on the wreck, and now her
father, already nervous wreck. was
shaken anew by the frightful threats
OF the mutneers here. She trusted to
me for the safety of her father and
herself.
Her trust inspired me with a new
energy. To save them I was now
ready TO play any game whatever with
Stevens, who was the leader OF the
mutineers. Our boatswhln. who had
not wished TO join them but TO save
his life had done so, was on my side.
It was he who told re that Stevens
was intending 10 sedttle the ship be-
fore taking 90 the boats, and so leave
me and the passengers TO our fate.
We planned 10 frustrate him. BY
this time we had taken Miss Robert
son into our confidence. One night
eur boatswaln apparently fell over
board and was drowned; but he had
not fallen overboard-lt was box OF
ten-penny pals. which I had thrown
over the side. This was the night be-
fore that day when Stevens went be-
low and bored the auger holes which
were TO do for the ship: but as fast as
Stevens bored a hole, the boatswaln,
who had been hiding below for that
very thing, followed and plugged IL up.
Thinking he had scuttled the ship,
Stevens came on deck and led the crew
10 the boats, grlnnIng evily at Miss
Robertson and myself as be did so.
They had not rowed far from the ship
when the boatswain showed himself
on deck. Stevens saw him. "We've
been trlckedr he cried, and headed
back for the ship. The wind was ris-
ing at the time, but there was not
enough way yet on the ship 10 outrun
the boats. They tried 60 board us by
the main chains. As they did, the
bOatswaIn with handspike and /
with revolver killed or hurled back
into the sea all but one of them. That
- a ..ti. .s,I
we saved him TO help work on the
ship. Throughout the fight Miss Rob
ertson. who had been gaining strength
every hour. held the wheel so that the
ship should not be caught aback ana
the spars come down on rs.
We had now 10 work the ship TO the
nearest land hut the increasing wind
made II dangerous with our meager
crew, TO keep sail on her. We worked
like dogs 10 reduce sail. but the wind
became too much for us. II came on
us like a solid wall; the seas rolled
to our tops Spars cracked and hung
I down over our decks Only after the
most exhaustlng toll did we manage
| TO clear away the most dangerous OF
! the broken spars. In the height OF IL
4 poor Mr.. Robertson died. ! read the
eleventh chapter OF ST. John over his
body.
In time the wind abated; but the
sea, continuing TO tumble and roar,
strained our ship so that she sprang q
! leak. There were not enough Of us to
! keep her pumped out. We pumped
TN our arms felr 10 our sides; but OF
no avail. When the water was TO our
main chains we took 20 the boats; |;
and II was then, when we believed we
were doomed 10 die. that Mary Robert
son and confessed our love for each
other she the daughter OF wealthy
man and n poor, penniless sailor.
The sun was setting; the sky, far to
the north and south. golden color |;
the sea was n purple glare. the heav-
ems a tender green ,and blue; and