Pittston Gazette

              vSI^x¥v™iD85i"'} Oldest Newspaper in the Wvoming Valley. PITTSTON, LUZERNE CO., PA., FRIDAY. DECEMBER 4, 1896. ft Weekly local and Family Journal. Jgl.OO PJECK TBAB 1 IK ADVASC* fight to the last, do matter what becomes of me." we bad them ull prisoners, we are not strong handed enough to sail the bark." oi Roberts and for that matter all the rest of us were terribly anxious as to what fate might be in store for him and tho doctor. It was hard to see how their deaths would advance the interests of the mutineers, and yet the wounded and the friends of the dead would demand vengeance ajtd probably sacrifice the two prisoners. What made the matter worse was in our realizing that we had nothing to offer in exchange for their liberty. impetus the planks must have given way before it his death, but we who were intently listening plainly heard the splash when he struck the water. Ten minutes later there was a great flame forward and shouts and cries from the mutineers, but we judged that it was only a bluff, and so it turned out women nrea tnrougn tne loopnoies. Perhaps they bad extraoted some of the shot from their legs, bat enoagh was left to cause them to corse and groan as they limped about the decks. The barricade was almost disposed of in loading the boat, and half an hour after the last trip we had a dear deck, and the women and children were out for an airing. The passengers were for having the oaptain trip' the anchor and sail at onoe, but he gathered them around him and said: were three fearful shrieks, a chorus Of shouts and a great splathing, and all was over before any one from the oabbi oouia get on deok. Ihe eutvlving mutineers stood ou the beech end earned and hurled showtC.s of stooee aboard, but a shot or two flrtd above their beads dispersed them. Taree of them bad met an awtal fate, bat no one had any pity to waete on them. Oi the eontrary, we eerneetiy hoped that one of them might tun out to have been Ben Johnson, the leader and the most desperate man of all. Of that gang of mon 13 lay dead on the decks, and in addition there were three wounded mon whom we let drag themselves away. Two of tho dead had axes, and two more had carried muskets. We wanted to get these, and bo we removed the barricade from the door, and I was about to slip out, when Mary Williams dodged past me and was back in a minute with guns and axes. She would have returned for some of the wicked looking knives whioh had dropped from the hands of the sailors as they fell, but I seised her arm and pulled her into the cabin. It was high time, too, for a convict armed with a musket had hoisted himself out of the forehatoh and fired "And the same with mel" shouted Roberts. It was Miss White who reported what was goiug on, and I was sent to investigate. I found that the spar was oovered by two loopholes. In one of these I arranged a double barreled fowling piece, heavily charged with swan shot, and when Mary had practiced with an empty gun until she understood the mechanism of it a musket was loaded for her and she was placed at the other loophole. Mrs. Roberts was to discharge the fowling piece, and Miss White was to have a gun in reserve. The doctor was about to speak again when the ropes by which the pair were held were viciously jerked by the mutineers, and they were palled down and dragged forward. They would have been killed at onoe but for Johnson and York, who had sense enough to realise that this was but the beginning and that they might be made useful later on. They received many a hearty kick and blow, however, before they were bundled down the forehatoh to be looked up in one of the iron cages. As I have told you, there was but little wind, which was a fortunate thing for everybody, as the man at the wheel deserted his post when the outbreak ooourred and left the craft to sail herself. As noon as they had disposed of their prisoners, the mutineers took in every sail and made all snug aloft, and the wheel was then lashed so that the Hindu would drift off with her bead to the breeze. They had to do this for their own protection as well as ours, but we were greatly relieved when we saw them set about their work. Had it oome on to blow hard, our position would have been many times worse and perhaps untenable. The bark would have needed looking after, and we could neither have done it ourselves with that gang ready to pounce down on us, nor allowed them on our side of the barrioade for fear of results. It did seem as if the hand of providenoe was in it as we went drifting away before a breeze whioh hardly brought a whiteoaptothesea. That night passed quietly away, and still we drifted. Not a move was made on either side next day nor the next The mutineers slept, sang, danoed, ate and drank, and all quarreling was at an end, and in the cabin we watched and waited and grew more hopeful as the time passed on. Night came down as quiet and peaceful as any night you ever saw. No lights were placed in the rigging, nor was there a man on deck from end to end of the ship. There was a cheeping and chirping from blocks and yards aloft as the Hindu rose and fell on the heave of tho sea, but never the sound of a human voice nor the echo of a footfall outside the cabin. Like a specter ?hip she went drifting slowly to the north, and in the cabin we spoke in whispers and wondered what the night would bring forth. We had plenty to pat and drink, and tho lamps gave out a cheerful light, but no one could forget for an instant that nearly a hundred mutinous Bailors and hardened criminals were only a few yards away and wickedly plotting the destruction of evory one of us. When the sleepy children were put to bed, Mary Williams' old father said he would ask God to be merciful to us in our distress, and while we all knelt down he prayed with tears falling down his wrinkled cheeks. To be continued. "Here are bet three sailors of us. Not one of you men can go aloft or take a trick at the wheel. I don't say that we might not navigate the bark down to Adelaide; but, with the season just changing and bad weather coming on, we'd be taking strong risks. The Englishman who spoke us thoroughly understood our peril and oan be depended on to report us. If we hang right here toaiwiuight, we'll see a man-of-war in the offlng. We can't recapture the convicts, but we can remain here aa a guard and belp hunt 'em down later on. Besides, if we were to sail away, who oan tell but that some oraft may be driven here by stress of weather or coifie In answer to a signal, and she'd certainly fall into the hands of the gang? We have a dear ship now and oan afford to wait" HEROISM IN MINL3. We were ready before the mutineers were. It was nearly 4 o'olook when without shout or signal or warning of any kind they came leaping over the barricade, armed with the same weapons as before. Ben Johnson and others of the more desperate oonviots took the lead, and almost before we knew it they were chopping and smashing at the cabin. Some of the men carried small bales and boxes to heave on the skylight, none of them knowing of the iron shield bolted underneath The gang felt how desperate its situation was, and though we began pouring in our fire at once, it seemed as if all were pledged to die rather than retreat Those on deck were also bargaining for time for those below to get to work at the bnlkhead, probably figuring that we were not prepared in that direction. I don't like to tell you of the results. None of the mutineers below may have been killed, but so many were peppered with the shot that all ran away from the spar, and it was only after a messenger came on deck to report the failure below that a retreat was ordered. When the fight was over, we oounted 16 dead men on the decks, of whom 12 were oonviots and of whom York was one. There were no wounded, and I tell you plainly we meant there should be none. Not one of us in the cabin had received the slightest injury. Instances Where Brave Men Have Risked Their lives to Save Others. sight before you conld count 20. Ten seconds later a sound came aft which I can only oompare to the confnsion in a menagerie when the animals become excited. It was the convicts making their rush from cage No. 1 as the doctor opened the door to pass in. Most of the sailors rushed forward to the hatch, the guards called out and aimed their muskets, and then men in convicts' uniform began to appear on deck. We saw Roberts knocked down, heard cheers from the other cages, and then we made a dash for the oabin just as sailors and convicts were preparing to rush aft The mutiny was on. Never was there a mining disaster of any magnitude without several instances of individual gallantry in saving boys alone, says a writer in Ohuxnfc As a colliery manager said the othefr day, "There may be a score of cases of that kind after a single accident and nobody be any the wiser." GHAFTEB XL THE MUTINY. The captain's decision was carried forward to convicts and crew, and I looked for an outbreak within an hour. Perhaps the reason it did not take plaoe was because they feared the whaler might show up again. I felt that it would not long be delayed, however, and Oaptain Clark, Haskell, Williams and Roberts agreed with me. Saunders, Smith and the two single women stuok to the doctor, and thus we were divided into two factions. "A boy told me onoe," he prooeeded, "thatDfter an explosion one of the men who was with him brought him along a considerable distance in the workings. At last they met the afterdamp. The lad was so terrified, so anxious to get out, that he wanted to rush through and make bis way to the shaft. If he had gone on, he certainly would have dropped, but the man would not let him. He stopped him by force, and though the lad bit and fought like a little demon he stuok to and held him near to the ground, so that they could breathe. How do you think he oalmed the boy at last? Sang oamio songs 4o him. Well, they had to keep where they were for about five boon, and then, when the air had got better, the man started off and brought the youngster out safely, though onoe he was nearly suffocated by the afterdamp. Now, there's a case that nobody would have heard at probably if the lad hadn't happened to have told me about it" CHAPTER XIV. wk reach an island. "The Great Australian Bight," asitia called, is an indentation in the south ooaat of Australia off what is known as Nuyt'a Land. Fifty miles off the ooaat is an island of about 860 acres in extent oalled Victoria island. The fact that we had been spoken by only one vessel since the mutineere took possession, and that no others had even been sighted as far as we knew, satisfied us in the cabin that the ship was drifting into the bight There was not a settlement on that coast at the time, while the natives were extremely hostile, and little was known of them. Being, as we figured, out of the traok of all sailing craft and the breeze still holding from the south, it seemed certain that the end of our drifting must be a wreck on a reef or the beach. As was to be expected, York and Johnson lost all oontrol of the men before the mutiny was an hour old. There were singing, shouting, laughing and dancing, and of course thev must hoist up water and provisions with reckless hand. Everybody had a plan for getting at us in the cabin, and everybody wanted to be boss, and long enough before noon there had been hard fighting among them and no little blood spilled. The ship was never more quiet than during the remainder of that day and all through the night. The sailors were prompt to respond to every call, but moved quietly and spoke in Jow tones. This might have been attributed to their fears of the pestilence, but I realised that there was something back of that I had the watoh on deck from 8 to IS, and I noticed many little things which satisfied me that if the whaler nor other sail was in sight when morning broke the olimax would oome. When sailors and oonvicts saw us disappear in the cabin, they realized that we were prepared for the revolt and could not be surprised and overpowexed at a dash. They therefore returned forward to assist the rest of the prisoners on deck and oonsult on what was best to be done. On our side we baired the oabin doors, put the iron shutters over the skylight and informed the pussled men and frightened women just what had occurred and what we proposed to da The women murmured somewhat, bat the men cheerfully acquieaoed in the oonolnsion, and when things were once more shipshape aboard no one oonld have suspected what we had passed through. Not one of the mutineers had addressed a word to us or given anybody a black look daring the transfer, and as fast as they landed on the beach they disappeared into the thick forest, presumably to look for a site an which to make a camp. The passengers thought we had done with them for good, but the rest of as had a different feeling. As night was coming on Captain Clark came to me on the bows at the bark, where I was overhauling things a bit, and said: She was back In a minute with (juris and axes. CHAPTER Xm. THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS. at her, and the ball struck the casing of the door beside her head. Whatever our position in the cabin, that of the mutineers was infinitely worse. They had captured the ship anC\ made oh prisoners, and yet we actually controlled the craft and they were prisoners to us. No man oould take the wheel or touch a rope without being a fair target for our weapons. That the fellows realized the situation was evident from the quarreling among them. CHAPTER XIL THE INCIDENTS OF AN AFTERNOON. The position now was a curious ona We held the cabih and by means of the portholes oould sweep the decks olean to the eyes of the ship, and yet we were prisoners. If we had been a few men stronger, we could have overcome them while tbey were still in their panio, but even to have stood guard over that gang of villains running loose between decks would have demanded the services of a dozen men. It was no doubt the wiser policy to be content with our advantage, though no man oould predict how the affair would termiupte. For an hour everything was quiet a7d not a mutineer showed his head. Then a white flag was hoisted above the forohatch, and York hesitatingly came aft to deliver a message. We had hoped that some of our bullets had found him or Johnson or both, but it seemed that they were untouched. It was noticeable that York had lost bis jaunty air and looked very much worried as ho approached us, and bis voice had lost all its impudenoe as he said: When I was relieved by the second mate at midnight, I had a bit of a talk with him. His name, as I don't remember to have told yon before, was Cortrite. He was a middle aged man, well up in his duties, and I have laid nothing of him simply beoanse I had not taken him into my confidence. I don't mean that I mistrusted him, but that I thought it wise to oonfine my suspicions to as few persons as possible aa long aa they were only suspicions. The meeting in the cabin had of oourae brought him a knowledge of the situation, and there was no doubt that he could be thoroughly depended on. The bo'sun might or might not bo with usi When I asked Oortrite his opinion of things, be replied:At high noon some sort of a decision seemed to have boen reached, as York came aft with a flag of truoe and asked to speak to the captain. When told to go ahead, he said: There were only seven men of us in the oabin—the captain, both mates, Haakell, Williams, Saunders and Smith. Mr. Williams was an old man and counted for nothing. Both cooks, the steward and the bo'sum joined with the mutineers. Not a single man among the Bailors came aft to oast his lot with as, though we bad looked upon some of them as steady, honest fellows. At 10 o'clock on the morning of the fourth day after being spoken by the Englishman we heard the mutineers cheering and congratulating, and we were satisfied that either tbe coast or an island was in sight. In tbe oourse of half an hour a white flag was raised over the barricade, and Ben Johnson appeared in sight to say: "Captain, we have given you plenty of time to consider our offer, and I have come for your answer. You can have the boats all fitted out, and the doctor and Roberts shall go with you. We are bound to have this ship and carry her where we will, and if yon refuse our offer the results be upon your own head." But if there was rejoicing over our victory something else occurred to give us tbe greatest pleasure. During tbe fight and consequent confusion Roberts managed to escape from the oage where be was confined and get on deok and leap overboard. As we were shaking hands and congratulating each other we beard his voice through the open windows and found him hanging to tbe rudder. As soon as be bad been drawn in he told us that Dr. Haxton had been unable to escape with him because of the maltreatment be had reoeived from Ben Johnson. The wretched villain, who owed more to the doctor than any other convict, bad demanded bis life, and when outvoted on that bad struck him with an iron bar and broken his right arm. The doctor was ill and suffering, and the escape of his companion might make the situation still worse for him. In reasoning thus we were not out of the way. Just before sundown a white flag was lifted over the barricade and a minute later Ben Johnson hailed us with: As an instance of heroism in this direction that is known, however, X recall a story I heard near ti4M»nkaf the Hyde pit after the explosion in 1889. You know that the slightest delay in flying for the shaft may mean death. In the neighborhood of Bolton soma few years ago one man oat of a party of oolliers stopped behind iar a minute or so to look for his son,Da boy of 14, who was working close by. The two met, bat, alas, they perished then together and were found olasped in each other's arms. And paternal devotion as thus manifested has oost many a brave fellow his life. We looked for them to make some move during the night, and about midnight wo discovered that they were erecting a barricade across the deck between the fore and tbe main mast They were using casks and bales to do this, and, though we could have opened fire and driven them off. Captain Clark decided that a barricade would be no menace to us. They had no ammunition for tho muskets and were probably erecting it to cover themselves while getting a breath of fresh air on deck "Ralph, I don't like the way Johnson talked, nor 1 don't like the soft, silky way the mutineers acted as Ctaey went ashore. The ohange was too great and too sudden not to have some trick baok of it What do yon think?" You may think there was great excitement among the women and children when they came to know the worst, but I can tellfou that they were very quiet over it. Eftlplees people are always that way in the face of great periL They were white faoed and trembling, but there were no wailing and wringing of hands. The cabin lamps were lighted, and the women and children sat about on the chairs and lockers, while the men made final preparations for defense and spoke in hushed voices. "Harkee, you bloody traitor and villain!" abcwted the captain in reply, "We not only refuse your offer, but are ready far what may cornel" "Captain Clark, there is an island in sight to tbe north. We can make out an opening in the reef, but unless there is a band at tbe wheel to steer her througb the bark must strike and be wrecked." "Well, sir, I agree with you as to there being something baok of it. Those fellows have not given up the fight yet Ton don't hear them shooting and laughing ashore, and if one of us was to creep through the woods I'm thinking be'd find them gathered in a circle about Johnson and new plans being discussed. Rest assured, sir, they'll make some move to get possession of the bark, and it won't be long delayed either." "Then you won't go?" "Not a step. Begin the attack as soon as yon please. " "Well, what do you want to do?" asked the captain. "Mr. Tompkins, if I hadn't known that you were watching the ran of things I should have posted yoa a bit It's my opinion that the two women have been won over and that tbey have also made a tool of the doctor. If there's nothing in sight when the sun comes up, then God help us!" "I'll tell you what, Ralph," said the captain to mo as we stood alone on watch after midnight while the othera slept, "I've got hopes of not only getting the Hindu back into our own hands, but I believe we shall oarry our cargo to Botany Bay. They can't sail the ship nor take to the boats, and what are they to do?'' "There's a bay inside the reef. If you'll come out and take charge, we'll obey orders and bring her to anchor in the bay. Then we'll go ashore and give you full possession. It's either that or all hands will go to the devil when she strikes tbe reef, and we are not ready to give up yet" I stood behind the captain while he spoke. As he finished, I felt a soft hand on my arm, and I turned to find Majy Williams at my side. She was very pale, as was the case with all the other women and perhaps some of the men, but I oonld not fail to notioe that she was also calm and oollected. Well, on the occasion referred to a man named Haslam brought from the workings, or met as he was scurrying along to the pit month, a youth aboat 16, and throughout the terrible Journey he stuck to the lad with the most heroin "Captain Clark, I am sent to ask for a truce of balf an hour, that we may clear the decks of tbe dead. At the end of that time we shall have something further to say to you." The exception was in the oase of the two single women. Tbey had oertainly been very foolish to strike up a romantic attachment with such villains, but it was plain that they had never contemplated a mutiny and the horrors that might follow. When they realized what had occurred and witnessed our grim preparations for defense, they became oonscienoe stricken and hysterical. Miss Foster admitted that her sympathies had been worked on until she had oome to regard Ben Johnson as a martyr and had filched the bottle of croton oil from the dispensary at his request. She did not know the use he meant to make of it, however. Miss White confessed that she thought the doctor had been unjustly treated, and she had encouraged him to stand on his dignity and at the same time had fallen in love with the villain York and become carried away with his tales of romance. Now that revolt and mutiny had come they realized the evil they had done and the position of all of u& "Just my idea, and we must make ready for them!" The cabin was left just as we had defended it, but we battened down the hatches and souttles so that there was no getting below. When we came to inspect the conviot's cages, we found nothing of them left They had been completely torn away aud the material flung overboard. Had we suooeeded in putting down the mutiny we should have had no place in whioh to safely hold our prisoners. The fellows had made a fearful waste of such provisions and stuff as they oould get at and as we looked about we wondered that they had not fired or scuttled the ship in their desperation. "You tbink there'll be an outbreak— a mutiny?" determination. Twioe the boy stumbled and fell, bat the noble collier dragged him to his feet and urged him to posh on with all speed. Other mishaps befell them, yet both, I rejoioe to say, gained the surface alive and comparatively well. As we wanted tbe bodies disposed of as badly as tbey did, no hesitation was made in agreeing to a truce. Three sailors and seven convicts came up, and with many a foul word and bitter curse tbey prooeeded with their work. Perhaps it would have been expecting too much to suppose they would give the bodies burial in the regular way, but we were terribly shocked to behold them lift up corpse after oorpse and heave them over the rail until the last was gone. When this work was completed, one of them went aloft to search tbe sea for sight of sail, while tho remainder, with the exception of York, dived below. When tbe man came down and reported and disappeared, York came aft to say: "But if it oomes on to blow a gale?" I queried. The proposition was taken under advisement and discussed. There might be a trick in it, but we had more confidence in ourselves than before. By leaving the women to watch at the loopholes below there would be a respectable force of us together on deck in front of the oabin to meet any rush with a volley. If the bark struck the jagged coral reef, even with that small sea on, she would grind to pieoes in an hour, and there must be a frightful loss of life. It was decided to work the craft into the bay. Tbe cabin doors were opened, and every man of us stepped out on deck prepared for what might happen. Then the oaptain said to Johnson: "I'm as sure of it as that I stand here. I understand that we have arms aboard. If I might be bold enough, I'd advise you to make ready for what is to oome." "Mr. Tompkins," she said, pulling me a step or two aside, "there are bat few of Us and many of them. Will yon show me how to load one of these weapons, that I may be of some assistance when the attack comes?" "Let us hope it won't In that event we may all go down together." "I say, what's going to be done with the dead men over there?" At 2 o'clock in tbe morning a breeze sprang up. but it was nothing to cause anxiety. Tho mutineers were pretty quiet during the lost hours of the night, but when day fairly broke tbe whole gang of them were suddenly astir and betraying great excitement After puzzling over it for a bit wodeoided that a sail must be in sight to the eastward. How far off or how near she would pass us wo had no means of knowing, as the bark's head was to the south. Over the top of the barricade we could see tbe beads of the mutineers and make out that the object of intereat was on the port bow. It wasn't ten minutes before there was a furious quarrel among them, and from such words as we oould catch wo knew they wore divided on the course of action to be taken. They had no signal of distress to set, even though they wanted to bring the strange vessel down to us, but it was more than probable that she would alter her oourse to ascertain why we were drifting away with all sail carefully stowed instead of having everything spread to the breeze. In the course of half an hour a flag of truce was displayed above the barrioade, and a few seconds later York revealed himself and shouted: When I went into the cabin, I found Captain Clark up and dressed and waiting for ma I told him what Mi. Cartrite had said, and he replied: "You oan have them if you want them," replied Captain Clark. "Lor bless you for your brave heart!" ■ays I in reply. "But maybe it will be better if you look after the women and children a bit I see yoa are the only woman who a spark of ooarage left, though this is only the beginning of it" "If you won't fire on ua, we'll heave 'em overboard." Among the habits of the partridge one is that when a covey Is roosting on the ground, with their tails bunched together in a cirole, the bunoh is surmounted by a line of watohfnl heads, like sentinels on duty. Another is that they ran the instant the ground is touched after a "flash," the dogs often trailing them in rabbit hunting fashion. Their sense of smell is evidently very acute, for during the nesting season, if the eggs, whioh number from l&to 80, are disturbed in any way or a ha4ra even inserted in the nest, it will be immediately deserted and a new one built A short time previous to the nesting the males are often involved in desperate oombats for the ohoioe of mates, who stand by and quietly watch the encounter, seeming not to care whioh one bocomes the victor. The incubation is performed entirely by the female, the male, when not feeding, often being perched on some slight elevation, enoooraging her by his mellow toned call of "bobwhita" Two and sometimes three broods of young are reared during a season, the nesting beginning as early as May 1. Later in the fall the broods of young occasionally join forces, bat whether from a want of oompany or for protection is not known. When feeding, the birds are sometimes scattered several yards apart, bat at the first sign of danger an alarm is given, and they immediately "bunch," with their heads placed olose together. Something About Futrldfn. "We can't begin too soon. Yoa quietly fasten on the iron shutters while I overhaul the firearms." "Go ahead " You feel a thrill of horror. Well, the only way to get rid of those them overboard. It was a quiet night with only enough wind to give the craft steerage way, and fortunately for us the dolt of a man Haw ley was at the wheel from midnight to 8 o'clock. The provisions for convicts and sailors were stowed forward of the cages, as was also a number of the water casks. Those for oabin use were stowed in the lazarette, and there were other water casks ballasted between the bulkheads of the passengers' cabins and the one hiding the after iron cage from view. You will remember that this bulkhead or partition was pieroed for musketry. "And what do you think of the situation?"When night came down, a doable watch was set on board. Haskell and Miss Foster took the bow and Mary and I the stern, and the men who lay down in the cabin had their weapons handy for a sudden call. It was a quiet starlight night, and the beach was so near that had any of the mutineers appeared we should have made them oat "It's a bad one, Miss Williams, as I'm in honor bound to say, but we are not at such a disadvantage aa you may suppose. Those fellows know nothing of these iron shutters or of the number of gnns at hand." "If there is any triok in this, we are prepared for you. Let a sailor come aft and take the wheel. Now put two or three others at work to overhaul the ground tackle." "Captain Clark, the blood of every man killed here today is on your head. If you figure that one defeat will turn us from our plana, you are mistaken. We will have full possession of this oraft if we have to fight you for a month, and sooner than be defeated in our object we will set her on fire and all perish together. I now renew you the offer to let you go off in the boats. It is the last time. It is for you to say whether you will save your people or let them stay to be killed. I will return in 16 minutes for your answer." The mutineers gave as about half an hour in which to prepare for them. During this interval they got their breakfasts, passed about bottles of rum, which must have been smuggled aboard at the Gape, and sailors and convicts fraternised in a way to prove that they were not strangers to eaoh other. Roberts we ooold plainly see from the portholes in the front of the cabin. He had been knocked down and bound hand and foot, and his protests and entreaties were laughed to scorn. The half hour was nearly up before the doctor was aoisted into view from below. As he was the direct canse of the mutiny and oad been overly kind to the convicts, be might have looked for decent treatment toast. To our surprise his bands were bound behind his back, most of his clothing torn off, and the blood on his (ace and neck proved that he had been brutally used. "Yoa—you heard Ben Johnson say that yoa and I were not to go in the boats with the others?" she queried, with a break or two in her voice. He then gave the necessary orders for making sail and wearing the bark around until her nose pointed at the opening in the reef. The island loomed np right before us, and bad there been a delay of 16 minutes we should have been on the reef. The mutineers obeyed all orders with alacrity, and such of them as came aft of the barricade were respectful in look and demeanor. The opening in the reef was not above 40 feet wide, and had we not been exactly opposite it we should never have got in. As it was, we had to go it blind, as the saying is, no one knowing what depth of water we shonld find. What seemed to be a river, but what was really a long and narrow bay, ran into the center of the island for a distance of half a mile. From 8 o'clock to midnight I was alone with Mary for the first time since I came to know her name. There was no donbt of my love for her, and she had as good as told me that she returned it, and yet I must tell yoa that I was more upset for the first hoar than when the mutineers rushed us. As a matter of faot, we were no company for each •ther, and if the dear girl hadn't oorreotly judged my feelings and felt sorry for me I doubt if I should have opened my mouth during the four hours' watch. I never yet heard of a man who was content with simply knowing that a woman loved him. He wants to assure her of his love and exact a promise of marriage. That's exactly what I wanted to do—to tell Mary that I thought she was the dearest, nicest girl in all this world and ask her to make me the proudest, happiest man by giving me her hand in marriage. She oould read my mind, the witcb, and she kept me on the ragged edge for an hour or more before she suddenly asked: * "Aye, that I did, but there will be no taking to the boats by any of us. The man means murder for both of us, but we won't let that bother us yet awhile." We could come at water and provisions without leaving the cabin or exposing ourselves, and when we had the shutters up and the firearms ready far service Captain Clark looked about aad ■aid: "I want you to promise me something," she persisted, drawing me still farther from the porthole. ' 'If you are still alive when tbey break into the cabin, I want you to shoot ma " "Ralph, we cannot only make a good fight for it if attacked, but I think the advantage will be on our side. Our greatest care now will be to guard against any sudden rush aft" He bad scarcely turned his back when Smith, his wife, the two single women and Mary's mother all cried out in ohorua that we should aooept the offer. I must admit that on the faoe it looked reasonable enough, and at first thought it appeared to be the easiest way to escape oar peril But those who had cried out had given no thought as to what might happen. After a bit the oaptain spoke to us. In the first place, he declared, the mutineers were not Bincero in their offer. It was against common sense to suppose they would let us get away to fall in with some craft or reach some ooast, to put a man-of-war on their track. If they did not seek to overpower us by a sudden rush while we wore busy at the boats, they would afterward run the boats down with the Hindu, and that without risk to themselves. As to setting the craft on fire, their lives were as precious to them as ours were to us, and the throat was simply bluster. When he had finished, all saw the sense of his remarks so plainly that no one had a protest or argument. I had missed Mary while he was speaking. Just as he had finished, she came into the main oabin to say: "Lor save you, miss!" I whispered, taken all aback by her look of appeal and strange words. "It will surely never come to that" "Captain Clark, will you give us the boats and allow us to leave the bark?" "Well, captain, you know that rm in command novo." "Aye, that I won'tI" replied the oaptain, whoso quick wit divined what was in the wind. "The first one of you on this side of that barricade gets a bullet into him." If there had been one loyal man among them, we should have felt sorry to see him handled like a dead dog, but never a man lay there who wouldn't have laughed as he cut the throat of one of the children. Johnson did not cross the barricade himself, but sent four of his gang over to do the work When the last body had gone over the rail, he stood up in full view, making a great display of the flag, and shouted : Neither of us turned in that night, and both of us were on deck at daylight At sunrise a man was sent aloft with a glass, but be swept the sea in vain for sight of sail. The fellow could not hide the exultant look in his eyes as be came down and repotted, and we felt that the hour of peril was oloas at band. The demeanor of the men as they washed down the decks was defiant, and bad the convict gangs oome up as usual the outbreak would have occurred with tbe advent of the first The captafa ordered that tbey remain below an til after tbe doctor's morning inspection. In view of tbe supposed pestilence this order did not seem to excite any great surprise. "Mary," says I, never knowing that I had spoken her given name and never knowing till long afterward that I took both her hands in mine, "if I had a dozen lives, I'd give them all to save yours, and so I don't like to think of taking the only life dear to me in all this world. I'd rather see you lying dead, however, than in the power of that villain, and if worst comes to worst, I may give you my last bullet" "But ii it does." It was likely a merchantman bearing down on us, and the fellows wanted the boats to go off and capture her. In another half hour we heard them shouting to somebody to keep off, as wo had pcstileace aboard. That was in revenge, you know. We knew, however, that the sight of the barricade and of so many men crowded together on the fo'- castle, even if they got no sight of the convict uniforms, would hold the stranger by us until she had solved the mystery. Whilo the mutineers were still shouting, she passed astern of us, and we signaled her from the oabin windows. She proved to bo the English brig Vixen, London, bound from Port Darwin. Tho two men in her rigging figured out tho situation pretty promptly, and the brig was thrown into the wind and her boat lowered, and presently her captain was pulled under the stern of the Hindu. While the rest of us kept watch on the mutineers and prepared for any move on their part. Captain Clark stated our situation, but did not ask for help. He found that we had driftod more to the north than what we had figured on and that wind and current were setting us in toward the west coast of Australia, but there was nothing to worry over as yet There were two turns or elbows in the bay, but once over the reef the bark glided along until 6he was at length brought up in 80 feet of water near the head of the bay. On the west of us were a steep shore and deep water. On the east there was a clear strip of beach, with the water gradually deepening. When the anchor was down, the bark would swing to the tide safely enough, but with no more than 50 feet to spare. In other words, the distance between The first move aft was made by York and Ben Johnson, one representing the tailors and guards and tbe other the xnrriots. Tbey could not have known how well prepared we were in the oabin, but York displayed a flag of truoe as tbe pair broke away from the crowd around the fo'mast When they had oome up to within ten feet of the oabin entrance, they halted, and the sailor hailed us with: as if in The first shot into a oovey will often cause them to break and fly in all directions, and if not disturbed again for several minutes "scatter calls" will be heard on every si da. These are made tooollect the remaining birds, who again bunch. Many of the market gunners seem to have no qualms of conscience and very often kill without hesitation an entire oovey, when at least one or two pairs of birds should be left for breeders.—Baltimore Sun. "Well, captain, you know that I'm in oommand now, and I want to ask what you propoee to do?" "Mr. Tompkins, do you think we shall get safe away?" "Remember, Ralph. I shall depend upon it" "I am hopeful of it now," I replied, "but a few days ago it was 'Ralph' instead of 'Mr. Tompkins.' " " We propose to remain right here in possession of the bark," answered the captain. "We can kill you off as fast as you come, and it's only a question of time when we shall have help to capture every one of you." I had called her Mary, and she had called me Ralph. It was a declaration of love, made under snch oircumHtanoes as were never known before. You smile at me, but as I told you in tbe beginning, I was but a plain sailor man and hardly knew the meaning of the word "romance." We were standing in the face of death, as it were, and yet I oould have lifted up my voice and shouted for joy. "And it's 'Ralph' now," she said as she gave me her hand to hold, but looked away in that coy, shy waywhioh we expect to find in a girl, and which we consider such a charm. When tbe passengers gathered far breakfast all were surprised to observe that tbe oabin had been put in a state of defense. I may add that Dr. Haxton and those who sided with him were also cynical and inclined to Joke about it As tbe iron shutters were fitted inside, no one forward oould know about them. We didn't want them to know, and I kept watch of the two single women as tbey went on deck after breakfast I "Hello, in the cabin I Captain Clark, I have a few words to say to you!" "You infernal pair of scouudrels! But I'm a mind to shoot you down in your tracks!" shouted the captain in reply. "We'll be shot down before we'll be A criminal lawyer of long experienot at the bar was heard to say the othei day: Question of Adipose. taken," growled the villain. "Howsuinever, perhaps we oan come to terms. Qive us the gal, and the mate, and the boats, and we'll give up the dootor and leave the ship." "I'll speak to the father tomorrow," I said as soon as I dared trust my voioe to say anything, and as she did not pull her hand away I knew that it was all right between us, and I felt that joyful that I wanted to stand up and shout "Go easy, captain!" called York, while Ben Johnson laughed his oontempt for the threat "You know what has happened for'ard, of course. We are in possession of tbe bark. As we are not a'orowdof lambs, we thought you might prefer to take the boats and go voyaging on your own account" "I have made juries in murder oases an especial study. There are a large number of men, larger than most people suppose, who have scruples about finding death as a punishment for a murderer. I used to make it my business to study jurymen's faoes and see if I oould read by the lines whether or not they had scruples about the death sentence. I gave this up, though, as being beyond my power of comprehension. Later continued study of the jury box led me to a discovery. That was that in nine oases out of ten a jury composed mostly of tall, lean men would, when the evidence was sufficient, never have the slightest hesitation about fixing extreme sentence. On the other band, a jury where short, fat men predominated in number would oocupy twice as much time in finding its verdict, and when brought in it would generally be a term of imprisonment for the murderer. Louisville Commercial. Tbe numbers of the mutineers gave them confidence. Tbey perhaps argued that a rush aft of all hands would carry ov- insition, with little or no damage to vfce r side. They gathered up whatever (v.ild be made to answer for weapons, ana the oool and lawless way in which tiny made ready for the attack made ui -vild with anger and impatience. W. oould have poured a volley into them it any moment during tbe forenoon, b t Captain Clark did not wish to be C he first to shed blood, though ho woi 'd have been fully justified in tbe decks. I believe he hoped, as I did, that something might oocur to stop the trouble before any one was laid low. When it became evident that they meant to rush, he turned to us and said: "The mutineers have made their way aft to the bulkheads and will try to come at us from that direction. I have been listening and oan hear them quite plainly." "No, sir!" "Well, give us the boats and we'll pass you over the doctor." As to how people make love on land I have no knowledge, but I'm telling you in my plain, sailorlike way how we made love on shipboard in that bit of bay. with mayhap half a hundred desperate villains hidden in the bushes not a stone's throw away. There was no vowing that I was ready to die for her, and she didn't doclare that I was the bravest and noblest man on earth. I know I loved her with all my heart, and had she not loved me she would not have placed her future in my keeping. We just quietly accepted each other for better or for worso, and if I can't weave much of a romance into it you'll have to accept it without "You can't have the boats!" "That la, the most of you," added the oonvict leader. "I've got an old score to settle with Tompkins and Mary Williams, and they needn't pack up to go along." That was proof enough of their treachery in all things. Knowing that we were all in the oabin to discuss the offer of the boats, a number of them had begun work at the bulkheads in hopes to make an opening. But the brave and quiok witted Mary, without hint from any one, had given us warning in time. Haskell and I hurried along to the bulkheads, to find at least half a dozen men working on the other side with axes and chisels. We fired two shots apiece through the loopholes. There was a fall and a scream, followed by a rush of feet, and we felt sure they would not try that trick again for some time to oome. We returned to tho oabin just as York appeared on deck for his answer. In a voioe as cool and steady as I ever heard it before or afterward the oaptain said: "Harkee, captain!" said Johnson, while the gang behind him growled and cursed and shifted about "Wo are as ready to die as you are. If you won't make fair terms, then we'll all go to the bottom together. If you won't take the doctor and give us the boats, then overboard ho goes, and we'll set fire to the ship. Think it over for ten minutes and givo me an answer." "Yea, I know you have got possession of the craft" said Captain Clark as he choked back his anger, "but if there is any taking to the boats, yon'If be the one to go! If at the end of 1C minutes the convicts are not under lock and key and the sailors down on their knees and praying for my forgiveness, we'll open fire on you and sweep the decks of every living man." The English captain had a crew of 12 men, but not so much as a pistol aboard. He, however, offered to bring all his men aboard to help in an attack and was not a little put oat that Captain Clark did not think it the wisest plan. He was simply asked to report our situation to the first man-of-war he met, as also to the first Australian bound craft he should sight. In fact, a brief report was prepared by our captain to be handed to the proper officers. When he was ready to return to his vessel, the captain palled around to the bow of the Hindu and gave the mutineers a piece of his mind. They tried to shout him down, but it was plainly evident that his declaration that every man would swing at the end of a top utUjt. "And what do you want in return for that fine speecht" her stern and the shore was only a bisouit toes. When the anchor was down and everything aloft made snug, Johnson mounted the barricade and said: Cun you realize the position Captain Clark was placed in? That was no Idle threat of Johnson's, at least as far as the doctor whs concerned, and humapity demanded that his life be saved. But if they were permitted to oome aft to take the boats, who could tell what triok they would pluy on us to get possession of the oabin? It would be like them to set fire to the ship as they shoved off in the boats. They might disappear in the darkness to return and attack us. And, above all, what would the government say if wo turned loose a gang of oonvicts to capture the first ship they came across when we had all the advantages of the situation? After three or four minutes of discussion every man and woman saw matters in the same light as the captain did. lie-enforced by Roberts, we were better situated than before. Nothing was mere certain than that we oould bold that cabin. When Johnson showed himself again and demanded au answer, the captain replied: "You cannot have tho boats. If you murder the doctor, it will be a hanging matter for every mother's son of yon. If you want to fire the ship, go ahead." "Captain, we are going ashore. We gave you the best fight we oould, but were beaten. If you want to take the bark out, none of us will raise a hand in opposition. If you want to come ashore, no one shall molest you. In the end a man-of-war will come for us, but meanwhile we shall enjoy ourselves." We heard nothing whatever of the mutineers daring my watch or up to midnight. Wo had been relieved about half an hour, and tho ship was as quiet as a graveyard, when the tide began to oome in. This swung the head of the bark to the sea and her stern within about 15 yards of the bushes. If the mutineers had a plan for that night, it would soon unfold itself. The idea was that they would creep down through the bushes to tho edge of the water and quietly 6wim off to us, hoping to find our vigilanoe relaxed. A dozen strokes would bring a swimmer alongside. "I wank every one of yon to shoot to kilL Do not be satisfied with killing one man, bnt kill two ox three, if yon can. If we give them a good dose at the start, it will take the fight oat of them. Every one to his post'' "That's big talk, captain," sneered York, while the convict shrugged his shoulders and laughed loud aud long. For btMh*. They seemed to fee) that it was the captain 'sulti mat am, however, and tamed and walked forward. Fivo minutes later the doctor and Roberts were sent aft to talk to as They had their hands tied behind their backs, and to prevent them from making a dash into the oabin each had a rope attached to him and the free end held by two mutineers. Roberts was only a contif- »-man of limitod education, while yot#ill bo teady to believe that the doctor was a man in whom no one need look for the heroic. There was a surprise in store for us as they came aft. The doctor had been made spokesman. Brief as the time had been, he fully realized the situation and knew that be alone was to blame for it The following cure may be tried in oases of severe earaohe wheu ordinary remedies have failed: Qet a small quanJ tity of dried arnica flowers and put) them into two small bags. Pat half a pint of whisky into a small sanoepan on the stove, and when it is heated dip one of the bags into it and apply to the ear of the sufferer. As soon as one bag; begins to cool and the steam stops ooming from it change it for the other bag which is beating in the whisky. We saw Roberts knocked down. privately told Mr. and Mrs. Williams and Mary to remain below, and the other wwneoimmehow got warning and gave up their usual morning promenade, though the weather was beautifully fin& Thirty seconds later the fall gang of villains, York and Johnson leading, came rushing at us, and the yells they uttered would have done credit to a war party of savages. Eight of them carried a spare yard to be used as a battering ram, while the others had axes, capstan bars, iron belaying pins and what not A few had muskets, but no spare ammunition. As the first of the mob passed the mainmast, we opened on it and quickly exchanged our guns to fire again. I believe that some of our bullets hit two men, whioh was not at all unlikely in such a crowd. Some of them reached the cabin, and one burly, big ruffian lived long enough to strike one blow with his ax, but the rapid fixe so astonished them and the slaughter among them was so appalling that they broke back like a flock of frightened sheep. We kept peppering them until the last livincr man had disanneared below decks, and had we rushed out then we could have pulled the hatches on and made them prisoners. I was for doing so, but Captain Olark, who had perhaps considered the possibility before we fired a shot pushed me back and said; "Go back to the murderous scoundrels and say to them that we will neither take to the boats nor allow them to do sol As for gale or fire or wreck, we will take our chances with you. Don't oome aft with any more offers or messages. From this time on we will ■hoot at every man who comes within range." "And what do you want in return for that fine speech?" asked the captain, feeling assured that it prefaood a request of some sort from their enthusiasm There whs no change up to noon, e.\ cept that the breeze freshened a little. For three hours after dinner the niuti neers were so quiet that we became up prehensive and prepared for a rush. It was well that we did. I ihhv tell ynu that, aside from Mrs. Roberts, Mary Williams and Miss White, we had no assistance from the women. They wen frightened and nervous and could hard ly be induoed to move about. But foi Mary's cool, calm manner we should have had no help at all. She went about cheering up the children and speaking brave words to the women, and seeing that there were only enough men of us to fitly guard the cabin she proposed to keep wateli at the bulkhead. It was arranged that tho three spoken of should take turn and turn about at watching, and it was well they had their ears open. After dinner that day the fellows rigged up a battering ram between decks to burst open the bulkhead. It was a heavy spar slung to the deck hnamu and with 15 or 20 men to give it "Well, by your kind leave, we want a share of the provisions, as we shall get tired of fruit after awhilo. We also want two or three old sails for tents, an ax or two, matches and some cooking utensils. We'll have to have a boat to set the things and our wounded men hnt wb'II rpfcnm her " As Dr. Haxton went forward to pay his morning call Roberts aooompanied him. There were three children on the poopdeck. and I sent them below just as Haskell came aft bringing his musket with him and working away at the look as if It was in need of repairs. He gave me a look which signified that the time had oome. Forward, there were the sailors of the morning watch, the guard relief, the doctor and Roberts. Aft we bad the captain, seoond mate, Haskell, all other passengers and myself. There were four persons in the second watch, as there had been in the first, and while they kept eyes and oars open they suddenly discovered three monster sharks moving lazily aronnd the vessel. Thev were of the species known as the hammer head, and there is no tieroer nor more disgusting inhabitant of the sea unless it be the octopus. By and by the sharks remained stationary, as if on guard. I said the four people were watching and listening, and yet but for those sharks a terrible calamity might have happened. Some 15 or SO of the mutineers took to the water to board the bark over her bows, and whatever noise they might have made was drowned in tho grating of her chain cable in the iron hawse hole as she swung to the tide. But none of them reached her. The first one hud not yet laid hands on her chains when one of the sharks seized him, and three seconds later the other two had selected victims. There York walked off without a word and dropped down the forebatch. A minute later a great roar of yells and curses reached our ears. The news ho carried forward was not to their liking. Aside from tho shelter of a bullet proof cabin and a liberal supply of arms, we had other advantages in our favor. One person in the oabin and one at the bulkheads oould watch them. Our fire had a clean sweep of the decks. We were united, while there was much quarreling among them. The republic of Goast is the smallest in the world. Andorra is an empire in oompaiison. Goust is about a mild square, and it houses 180 persons. It has been independent these 860 years. A Unique Republic. The captain was so glad to have them out of the ship, eveu if they were to remain in sight on land, that he readily granted the request. Four of them were permitted to lower one of the quarter boats, and for the next three hours she was used to convey tho rascals and their dunnage across the strip of water. They were allowed to help themselves with liberal hand, but it was stuff which was of no account to us without our prisoners."Captain Clark," he said as the pair halted within Bpeaking distance, "the sailors have mutinied, and the convicts have been turned loose. I have been told to say to you that if you will consent to go away in the boats the two of us can go with you. If you refuse, we are to be put to death, and they further declare that not one of you will be spared." It stands on top of a mountain by the Spanish border, near the edge of France, and it gets along very comfortably without ever mixing itself in other people'! affairs, and without reading the evening papers, or, so far as we know, the morning ones. The deleotable 180 govern themselves by a council, one member of which is selected to see that the business agreed upon is, executed. Matters go along very smoothly, and Goustianai are all the happier because nobody knows much about them, and therefor® they are onenvied. —Kansas Oiijr Tirnaa, A scream of rage arose from the bow of the ship, and Johnson shook his fist at tho cabin before ho jumped down from his perch It is hard for me to tell you that they carried out their threats against Dr. Haxton, but within ten minute* they had him on deck and flung him overboard. You would have thought they would have spared him. as they had seven or eight wounded men to be looked after, but in their desperation they cared for nothing. The poor man made no cry as they sent him to As Dr. Hpxton descended to the cages Captain Olark ordered the two single women below, speaking so gruffly that they obeyed at once. Then he turned to Saunders and Smith, who were making and lounging, and said: From the time York disappeared up to nightfall not one of the mutineers appeared on deck, nor was there any change in the general situation, except that the breeze gradually died away and was wholly gone at sunset. Long enough before this the women and children in tho cabin had got the better of thair frisht. thoush to be sure the wife It was after 3 o'clock in the afternoon before the last man departed, and then the boat was given a push from the beach and sent back to us. Among the gang were eight wounded men, their injuries having been inflicted when the "Gentlemen, please step below for a minute, and don't stop to ask questions. Go now—at once!" "You see what you have brought us to," replied the captain, though his voice was more kind than reproachful. Something in his tones warned them sd saril at hand, and thar ware oat af "It is all my fault" continued the factor. " and I am here to tell vou to "Don't los«uxCw sensos*. Ralph, ij