Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1941-04-10

man stayed aboard the Venturer.
After the anchor was down, since
the wind was freshening, Mat or
dered the sails all furled. This
meant sending the men aloft. Hurd,
the little Cockney, descending after
ward, in some way fell the last few
feet to the deck. He landed on
his feet; but he hoWled with pain,
and when he tried to stand he could
not. Apparently he had broken a
bone in his ankle, or suffered a
severe sprain; certainly he would be
OF no use ashore.
So when the boats put off, twelve
men went in them; or rather, eleven
men and Tommy Hanline. Corkran
commanded one boat, Big Pip the
other. Seven men and Mary were
left aboard. Hurd was in the fore
castle, Gee and Peter in irons be-
low, George in his bunk in the Cap
tain's cabin, Willie Leeper in his
galley, and Mat and Rannels and
Mary on deck to watch the boats
depart.
Rannels, like the other harpoon-
ers, was by the etiquette of the ship
restricted in his movements, forbid
den to come to the after house ex-
cept on business. So while the boats
moved away from the vessels side,
he stood alone in the waist. Mary
and Mat were together by the rail
just forward of the after house. They
saw the boats land and saw the men
haul them high and dry.
1t occurred to Mat to inspect Pc
ter's irons. He called to the har-
pooner: 'Take look at Gee, Ran
nels." The other man went obedi-
emily toward the fore hatch, and
Mat descended into the cabin with
Mary. He slid back the bolt on
the door between the common room
and the main cabin. Peter sat there
at the table, his hands in front of
him, the irons on his wrists passed
through the loop of chain around
the mizzen; and he met Mats eyes,
but he did not speak. Mat closed
the door and bolted it again. When
he turned, Mary stood in the door
way of the Captains cabin; and
George was on his feet inside the
cabin, facing her, and coughing
little.
Mat Forbes felt rather than saw
a shadow pass along the skylight
over his head. He looked up sharp
ly at the skylight, too late to see
anything; and then he took the re-
volver out of his belt and cooked it
and stepped quickly toward the
companionway.
He started to ascend. Mary came
to the foot of the companionway;
and his feet were level with her
shoulders, his head just emerging
from the companion, when she heard
the crack of the smashing blow that
felled him.
The revolver, without being dis
charged, dropped out of his hand
and clattered down to her feet. Mat
slumped forward Imply on his face,
his body sprawling on the deck, his
legs hanging down the companion
way. Rannels shouted something;
and she looked up and saw the har-
pooner, his face red with excite
ment, grab Mat by the collar. Mary
snatched the revolver from the floor;
but Rannels hauled Mat out of sight
before she could shoot. On deck
someone came running aft. George
crossed to her side, took the weapon
from her. Looking up, he whispered:
"What happened?"
She was strangely not excited.
"Rannels killed Natl" she told him
simply. Through the companion
above them they could see the sky,
the rain-flled clouds, the after rail.
They heard Rannels speaking.
watch the companion" he pant
ed, his voice thick. CPL go get him
loose, and Gee. You stay here, and
if anybody shows head, bust 'em."
Mary did not know Hurd was
aboard. She looked at George and
saw, with quickening respect and
admiration, that he was calm; that
strength had run into him to meet
this emergency. He said:
go get the guns out of the rack
and load them. I'll watch here, in
case they try to come down."
She said from across the cabin by
the arms rack: cts locked. The
guns are locked in"
"Can you break it open?'
mo! I don't see how"
Then find the bomb gum"
She turned to look for that huge
and awkward weapon. Someone
tried the bolted door between; and
Peter called to them sharply:
Mary, let me in"
George said strongly: mo, Pc
ter"
"You sick fool, I'll break down the
door" Peters voice cracked as it
was likely to in moments of emo
ton.
'I'll shoot you if you dol" George
retorted. He made a sign to Mary
to hurry; his lips shaped the words:
"Bomb gun!"
Peter was whispering to Rannels
in the main cabin. George and Mary
could hear the murmur, but no
words. Mary found the bomb gun,
as heavy as small cannon. Luckily
it was loaded. The voices in the