Year: 1870

This last ejaculation Dan made as he
seemed to pull something from the woman's
hair, which he threw upon the deck, with
the ''ugh!' above mentioned.
| Shortly after, the passenger went below,
and ere long Tucker came on deck
Commodore, said Carter, with re-
markable degree of earnestness in his
manner, sis the oman turned inP"


II rather think so. said Tucker, looking
at the compass Look out Carter. Why
mar alive, you're two points to the south
ward of the course"


"Bless me, so ann said the man, bring
ing the helm smartly aport. "But, say,
didn't YOU notice anything peculiar about
the old oman p


"Why. Dan, you seem to be greatly in
terested about her."


$50 am, Commodore, and SO Il am about
the coffin. too Wouldn't it be well for
you and l TO overhaul it ?'


'Pshaw you are as scared as n child in
graveyard


mo, not bit Just hark bit. The
oman aint oman"


The Commodore pronounced the name
of his Satanic Majesty in the most en-
phatic manner.


"lts the truth, Commodore-l can swear
to it. pretended there was spider on
her hair, and l rubbed my hand agin her
face. BY Sam Hyde. if it wasn't as rough
and bearded as holystone! You see, she
told me as how I'd let the boom jibe, if
didn't look out. knowed there wasn't no
oman there, and so l tried her. Call one
of m to the wheel, and let us 60 and look
at the coffin


The Commodore was thunderstruck by
what he heard. but with the cool presence
of mind that made him what he was, he
sat coolly thinking. In a few minutes he
called one of the men aft to relieve Carter,
and then he went down to look after his
passenger, who had turned in and seemed
to be sleeping Tucker returned and took
Carter to one side.


NO noise, now. Carter--follow mo as
though nothing had happened"


'Sartin."


The two approached the main hatch and
stopped to raise it, when Dams hand touch
ed small ball that seemed to have been
pinned up after being broken off at the
hatch.


''lts ball of twine,n said he.


Don't touch it. but run and get Ian
term" replied Tucker


Carter sprung to obey, and when he had
returned number OF the men had gath
cred round the spot.


The hatch was raised, and the Commo-
dore carefully picked up the ball of twine
and found that it was made fast to some
thing below. He descended to the hold,
and there he found the twine ran beneath
the lid of the coffin. He had no doubt in
his mind now that there was mischief boxed
below; and he sent Carter for something
that might answer as Il screw drive. The
man soon returned with stout knife, and
the Commodore set to work. He worked
very carefully, however, at the same time
keeping q bright lookout for the string,


At length the screws were out. and the
lid carefully raised from its place.
+ Great Heavens" burst from the lips Of
the Commodore.


Il know'd it," uttered Dan.
The two men stood for a moment and
gazed into the coffin. There was no dead
man there, but in place thereof there were
materials for the death of q score. The
coffin was filed with gnnpowder and pitch
wood Upon light framework in the
centre We're arranged four pistols, cooked,
and the string entering the coffin from
without communicated with the trigger of
each.


The first movement Of the Commodore
was TO call for water, and when it was
brought he dashed three or four bucketfuls
into the internal contrivance, and then he
brcathed more freely.


mo, mo- he uttered, as he leaped from
the hold. "No, no--my men. 10 nothing
rashly. Let me go into the cabin first
You may follow me-"


Commodore Tucker walked into the cab
in, and up to the bunk where his passen-
ger lay, and grasping hold of the female
dress, he dragged its wearer out upon the
floor. There was a sharp resistance. and
the passenger drew pistol, but 1t was
quickly knocked away.


The gown was torn of, and the man
came forth from the remnants of the calico
and linen.


The fellow was assured that his whole
plot had been discovered; and, at length,
he owned that it had been his plan to turn
out in the course of the night and get hold
of the ball of twine, which he had thus
left in convenient place; he then intend
ed to 90 aloft. carefully unwinding the
twine as he went along; then. come down,
get into the coat, cut the falls, and as the
boat tell into the water, he would pull
smartly upon the string.


And think you know" he continued,
with wicked look, "what would have
followed. | shouldn't have been noticed
in the fuss-rd have got out of the way
with the boat, and you'd have been in the
next world in short order. And all can
say, is, that I'm sorry didn't do it."
| 1t was with much difficulty that the
Commodore prevented his men from kill
ling the william on the spot, He proved
to be one of the enemys officers. and was
to have heavy reward il he succeeded in
destroying the Commodore and his crew.


The prisoner was carried on deck, and
dashed to the main rigging, where he was
told to remain until the vessel got into
port.


In the morning, when Tucker came on
deck. Seguin was in sight, upon the star
board bow but when he looked tonshe
prisoner, he was gone.


Garter, where's the villain lashed
here last night?n g


sim sure don't know where he is.
Commodore. Perhaps he has jumped
overboard"


The old Commodore looked sternly in