The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-07-02
CHAPTER IX-Continued

10
"'Tis true as gospel, Peter" 1
groaned 81 hoped to the last this
ridiculous plan of Murray's would fall
through in some manner, but the man
has a damnable determination"
ia" agreed Peter. 81 tink he
takes der treasure ship, Bob. Dots
easy"
Easy? / see not howw
"Ja, it is easy to take her. But
after comes his troubles Much treas
ure is bad for pirates. We hafe
troubles after. Suppose we get oudt
tonight. Suppose we get oudt and
back to der James. Ja?"
| looked around me skeptically at
the heavy planking and stout timbers
of the sides and for'ard bulkhead.
"It can't be done 'Twould take
week to break out Of this-and the
James will be sailing in five or six
hours"
"Neen," said Peter. "we get oudt
any time, we get oudt.'
"How?" / demanded.
He picked up the lanthorn and led
me for'ard to the bulkhead. The light
showed that one of the oaken planks
was slightly sprung. leaving an infini-
tesimal crack between its edge and the
uppermost of its fellows.
Are you planning to pry that off
with your finger-nails?" tainted him.
"Neen," he answered, and conducted
me TO a corner whence the rats scud-
ded as we approached.
He stirred his foot amongst some
rubbish and turned up several long,
wrought-iron spikes, such as are used
TO bolt together the heavier ship
timbers.
Dots plenty" he said.
l could hardly control the gush of
relief that welled up in me.
81 believe it is" 1 whispered. "But
oh, Peter, there is such little time!"
Enough" he grunted. Come! We
begin"
We listened at the bulkhead for
signs of life on the opposite side, but
not a sound came through to US, al
though the clamor on the upper deck
and in the poop cabin seeped into
our dungeon from overhead. Twas
stifingly hot, and Peters first care
was to strip off his buckskin shirt and
leggings.
"We got to SWIM" he said, cycling
them regretfully. "You don't need
clothes tonight, Bob"
So followed his example, and we
fell to work with our spikes upon the
sprung plank, the sweat pouring in
rills of moisture from our half-naked
bodies, our crude tools slipping in
our greasy fingers as we pried and
pushed and fought for every inch of
space betwixt the plank and the up
right it was nailed to. Peter did all
the work.
AS the last nail yielded to Peters
shoulder the thin dangor of the bell
of the Royal James stole down to us
out of the night. Four times it rang
two o'clock
Get oudt, Bob" whispered Peter.
l wriggled through the gap in the
after me. It's flame was burning low,
but I had sufficient light to determine
that l stood in a stores-hold crammed
with casks Of rum, salt meat and
ships biscuit. A door in its for'ard
Dulkhead led to another hold of the
orlop deck, where were a hatch and
ladder leading up to the gundeck. I
crept as far as the foot of the ladder
and listened to the shores of the
scores of men who slept in hammocks
slung between the great guns of the
battery. That way lay our only path
Of escape.
returned to Peter in a mood that
was none too cheerful but he was
already at work with his spike, hiss
ing like a kettle on the boil as he
prodded away with it's blunted point.
was able to be Of more assistance
to him this time, since from the far
Their side twas possible to exert a
greater leverage, once the plank was
sprung loose. Yet the James sounded
seven bells before we were success
full Peter grunted his satisfaction.
"We got time" he said. "Whoof
So much / sweat slide me trough
dot hole"
He was stripped to the buff, and his
pink, hairless body was all a-glisten
as he rolled into the opening. His
head and shoulders made it easily,
but l saw with dismay that his i'm
mense paunch was an insurmountable
obstacle. He heaved and showed and
twisted. Twas no manner Of use.
Peter backed out of his predica-
ment to an accompaniment of squeak
ing grunts, and / followed him, too
bitterly disappointed for words. Els
cape had seemed SO easy-and now
we were condemned to two months
aboard the Walrus, very likely to ex-
ceedingly uncomfortable deaths, for
fancied that Flint was the sort of
man 70 lose his queer mixture Of fear