Evening star., 1936-02-16
February 10. 1886

cents.
The run south was swift one A stiff
breeze sent them booming past Hatteras
South of the Virginia Capes the wind in
creased to gale proportions The little schooner
heavily laden as she was, ploughed into the
seas shaking spume from her catheads, the
spindrift rafting against her straining sails.
She was running before the gale, leapng the
crested seas to keep from being overtaken by
them, her deck awash from stem to stern.
She logged fourteen knots crossing the Ber-
muda steamer lane, and crossed the Tropic of
Cancer at fifteen. full. Toward dusk of the
fourth day she left two southwark bound
tramps so far behind that their smoke was but
trail on the horizon. The gale howled
through her straining rigging as Captain
McTurk came on deck and relieved the helms
man to let him go to supper McGurk was in
the galley, putting things away for the night,
so the skipper was alone on deck.
The sky was overcast, punctuated by fugi-
tive stars. The schooner's wake was long
glowing lane of phosphorus, stretching away
to the northwest
Lee sheets!" he sang out along the silent
deck.
He saw McGurk poke his head out of the
galley and look aloft at the pounding canvas.
He also saw four dark figures emerge from the
forecastle in answer to his command two on
each side of the galley.
Fore and main Sheets" McGurk roared
from the galley door. Take in the slack"
He cr,rar ~l;,,s>S.J <>ff h,, o., 1,&L IT,
four men had converged upon him. From his
post at the helm. McTurk witnessed brief
struggle amidships, in which he could take no
part, since he had the ship by the tail The
scuffie was brief. Five men came marching aft
= four men her1ng McGurk at the point of
four pistols automatics of recent and popular
makes.
What did tell you!" McGurk howled,
his large, hairy hands tanning the trade wind
Jonson, the ringleader, poked him from be-
hind. ''Stow it," he snapped, land get down
the oompanionway. You, too. skipper! Fritz
- take the wheel!'
This is mutiny on the high seas" McTurk
stormed.
High or low." said Jonson, down you
co."
The two men tumbled down the stairs
with Jonson, Slavinsky and Callahan at their
heels. Jonson smashed the small-ar cabinet
with the butt of his automatic. Carried the
two antiquated pistols to an open port hole
and dropped them disdainfully to the bottom
of the Atlantic Ocean. Two of the pairs of
handouts he jerked from their hooks With
one pair he handcuffed the skipper to the iron
stanchion on the starboard side of the mess
room table. With the second pair he manacled
McGurk to the port stanchion
II don't know what you mean to do"
McTurk demonstrated mildly. But whatever
it is you can't get away with it. Stealing ships
is not like stealing automobiles. You have to
have more than plates and an operators
license"
Jonson laughed unpleasantly. you didn't
think we'd be fools enough to go cruising in
hot hooker?" he demanded.
Look here" said McTurk. there are no
keys to these handouts ="
TOO bad" Jonson replied. We'll have to
strike 'em off when we get where we're going"
And where is that?" McTurk asked.
Jonson smiled. Ever hear of an island by
the name of Acusta1 One of the Southern Lee
wards? :. All, see you have The boss
used it in the old days as storage place for -
merchandise. Since repeal, nobody's been
living there Nice little quiet place with one
horse harbor and water around it five hundred