Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-12-30

there really was plot to gain command
of the vessel. a dozen of the prisoners
had hatched IT before they came aboard.
PrcndcrSast was the leader, and ms
money was the motive power
lid n partner" said he, "a rare |
good man, rs true as a stock To n barrel /
He's got the dibbs, he has, and where I
do YOU think he is at this moment?
Why. he's the chaplain of this ship.
the chaplain, no lcss' lie came aboard
with black coat, and his papers, right
and money enough IN his box To buy the
thing right up from keel to main truck.
The crew are his, body and soul. lie
could buy EN- nj so much n gross with
cash discount, and hc did it before ever
they signed on. He's got two OF the
warders and Mercer, the second mate,
and he'd get the captain himself, If he
thought him worth II"
"'"What are we TO do, them ]
asked. ;.
What do YOU think" said he
We'll make the coats of some OF these
soldiers rcddcr than ever the tailor did.
&c But they are armed said !.
"'"And 50 shall we TIC. my boy.
There's brace of pistols for every
mothers son of us, and If We can I
carry this ship, with the crew ut our
back. its time we were all sent to a
Young misses hoarding-school. You
speak To your mate upon the left to-
night, and see If he is to bc trusted.
I'll did so,and found my other neigh
hor tO he n Young fellow IN much the
same position as myself, whose CRIME
had been forgery. HIS name was Evans,
hut n afterwards changed II. like my
self, and he is now n rich and prosperous
man m the south of England. He was
ready enough To JOIN the conspiracy, rs
the only means of saving ourselves,
and before we had crossed the Bay
there were only two of the prisoners
who were not IN the secret. One ot
| these was of weak mind. and We did
not dare to trust him, and the other
was suffering from Iaundlcc. and could
not he of any Use to us.
From the beginning There was
really nothing tO prevent us from taking
/ possession of the ship. The crew were
a set of uiianS. specially picked for
7 the Job The sham chaplain came INTO
/ oar cells to CNhort us, carving a black
, bag. supposed to I've full of tracts. and So
often did he come that 10y the third day
W. had each slowed away at the foot of
our beds file. q brace OF pistols, pound
ot powder. and twenty SlugS. Two
+ ot the wardCrS were agents of PrcndCr-
CAST and the second mate was his right
/ hand man The captain, the two mates.
two wardcrs. Lieutenant Martin, his
eighteen soldiers. apa the doctor were all
that Nc had against US Yes, safe ~ !.
WAS. W determined ~ neglect no pre-
caution. a. Il to make our attack sud-
. denly 10y night II came. however. morc
quickly than We expected, and IN tins
way.
d" One evening. about the third
week after our start. the doctor had
come down To see one of the prison
crs who was III, and putting his hand
down on the bottom of his bunk he felt
the outline Of the pistols. II he had
been silent he might have blown the
whole thing. but he was a nervous little
chap, 80 he gave a cry of surprise and
turned so pale that the man knew what
was up IN an instant and seized him. Tie
was gagged before he could give the
alarm. and tied down upon the bed
He had unlocked the door that led u
the deck. and We were through II IN q
rush The two scntrlcS were shot down
and 80 was a corporal who came running
Co see what was the matter There wCrt
two more SolC.crs az the door of the
stascroOm. and the. muskcts seemed not
20 lc loaded. Tor they never fired upon Us
and they were shot while irving 10 tiN
their havonctS. Then we rushed on int
the captains cabin. hut n We pushed
opcn the door there was AN explosion
from within. and there hc lay with hl,
brains smcarcd over the chart ot III,
, Atlantic which was PINNED upon the
table. Nhilc the chaplain stood witt
smoking pistol IN ms hand at IN
elbow The two mates had both beer
-cizcd 10y the crew, and the whole bush
ness seemed 20 bc settled.
The statc-room was next the cabin
and wc.lockcd IN there and Topped duWI
on the ~cttccS, all speaking together
Tor We were Just mad with the feeling
that We were free once more. There wcr,
l"cker, all round. and Wilson, the shan
chaplain. Knocked one of them IN
and pulled oui q dozen Of brown sherry
We cracked of the nccks OF the bottles
poured the stuff out into tumbler> an,
we're Just tossing them OF, when IN al
instant without warning there came TIA
roar of muskcts IN our ears, and tn
saloon was 80 full OF smoke that we coul,
Rot scc across the table When j
cleared again the place was a shamblc,
, Wilson and eight Others were wrigglin
on the top Of each other on the floor
and the blood and the brown sherry o
j that table turn me sick now when thin
of H. We were 80 cowed 10y the sigh
p that ! think We should have gwen IN
b job up if II had not been for Prenderga,t
] lie beloved like q bull and rushc
Tor the door with all that were lei
? alive al his heels Out We ran. and ther
! on the poop were the lieutenant am
. ten OF his men. The swing skylight
shove the saloon table had been bi
open. and they had fired on H. throug
the slit We got on them before the
could load. and they stood TO IL like men
, bat We had the upper hand Of them, AM
m five minutes u was all over. Mu God