Show 0 WOLVES XV LVE S OF LF THE SEA IF 0 1 it RANDALL Rv PARRISH f by say wb CHAPTER 13 laying tho the trap our first job was executed much more ell easily atly than I 1 had anticipated we caught manuel sound asleep and levere had sinewy hands it at his 1118 throat before he fellow could grasp a weapon the narrowness ot of the stateroom prevented iny my taking much part in the affair but the mulatto needed no help nd as be he dragged the cursing spaniard from lila ills bunk to the deck and nd throttled him blin savagely indeed he would have killed the fellow had I 1 not interfered and twisted his hands louse lovse leaving estevan barely con clous A blanket ripped into strips served to bind him securely enough for the present but I 1 thought it best to lock the door and keep the key in my own pocket levere would have knifed him even em as he lay there helpless but for my threat and insistence oce oace back in the cabin ray my eyes dis tho the frightened face of the steward peering forth at tit us from out the dark of the passage leading forward come here gunsaules I 1 C aid sternly step lively lad IIA theres nothing for you to fear senor estada has been bee killed during din leg the night and we have just captured his mutt lerer I 1 explained there Is reason to believe thie this net act was vas part of a conspiracy to seize the ship in connection with mith those fel fellows loNis amidships does that passage lead to their quarter it did once senor but now there Is 14 n closed door of oak studded with iron not only locked but barred on this side there are but iwo imo keys one for the captain and the other for him who commands the buccaneers bucca I 1 tood there a moment considering tills this information the only way the mutineers could reach the cabin then would be from the deck descending through the companion so be long ns as they remained unaware of the capture of manuel there was ins little danger of their taking such soch action very all steward I 1 said you go on about your work nork as though noth ing had happened it if any borr t f this affair gets to the crew or to I 1 tio wo e follows fellows forba forward rd hold vou t const ponil ble you are not to leave this cabin without my permission nor speak to anyone levere the mulatto faced me respectfully enough and I 1 had a feeling he would obey orders largely because he lie dare not rebel they will be wondering why you are not on deck it will be better for you to take charge of the watch at once and keep the men busy relieve wat k ins at the wheel heel and send sen d tho the man mail down to me lie ile can choose the fellows who will etick stick better than yol toi could and then can circulate among them u arousing suspicion soon shuffled down doin the saps ile whipped oft his ills cap and stood waiting I 1 put my hand on bis his shoulder eh tom I 1 said sold soberly we ne are in the same boat and understand each other the chance has come for both of us if it we se play the cards right listen while I 1 tell you the situation and what I 1 plan doing I 1 told it briefly wasting no words yet relating every fait falt he ile listened eagerly but without interruption iou until the end nhat hat do you make male of it I 1 asked ablaut what hat you do to sir air I 1 knew there was uns something of the kind golca on some of the men forward are in on it youve got the ring leader A manuel lanuel you mean abo ho did he count on for help in tie me forecastle Coc hosp md a handful of othere othero biggers and spaniards mostly they meant to pull the affair off oft either today or tonight your plin trivet us a fair cha chance tire sir air A dozen good men on fleck might do the business but are there a dozen aboard to be trusted A well yea yes sir air I 1 rather think there ere I 1 eay say that in both watches therea theres maybe a fourteen to be rei reeled led on iu my watch theres jones liar ilar wood and simms either Irn ienglish glish or belah all right then theres a digger rigger named sam schmitt a dutchman with his partner whore name I 1 dont know and two Fren chles ilaya and pleam that makes snakes eight nine mating talf elf then in the starboard watch rd id pick out jim carter and joe cole two swedes sweden carlion carlson sad art ote ole Hil hillian liln and ad another nig ter tho then there are a couple of finns who to be with six but I 1 cant talk their ungo lingo that would give us sixteen out of thirty and ita its quite likely borne some of the others would take a liand land with tie us if they thought it wao was wife fafe I 1 any use though lir for Fran francola cols levere there aint a worse scamp aboard 1 I know that I 1 admitted but he be I 1 lad ad to be isrl and what Is 1 my port bowl abts Is to my watch below and it will abts b be bet t me to keep off the deck antu al all I 1 Is you bound sound these those men and an set them together wake up the ones in the starboard watch you feel cure sure are all richt right and have them slav 1 on deck then well get pt by 41 4 L Ut Lurg 0 these there arms in the rack here and antl be ready for business the rest will be done lu III a hurry ill III wait here for your report at the very best walking watkins could scarcely perform the task assigned him in less than an hour the success or failure of our effort depended entirely upon taking these fellows by complete surprise it if it edme to an open fight our cause was hopeless for that would mean fourteen or fifteen men unarmed pitted against over a hundred thoroughly equipped and find trained only by confining them below with hatches battened down ona 1 a trained upon them would wo we be safe I 1 sat where here I 1 could watch the stairs and the entire forward part of the cabin gunsauley lowered the table and began preparing the morning meal binally he lie announced break fast suppose Suppo seyon yon rap on the ladys door yonder and ask it ehe she will join me say your message Is from senor oates she came at once ard fated anted herzell opposite me and wo poke of the weather meather ahil gunsaules Oun saules served lie was mas still hovering about but my anxiety to have a word mord with her alone caused me to send him film to attend captain Ranc tut we waited until he be dis appeared within the after stateroom bearing a tray troy then her ees sudden ly lifted to calne mine filled with question ing tell me what lias has happened I 1 she breathed eagerly 1 1 I l heard the noise of a struggle out liwe and voices conversing INi hy yare are you ou alone I 1 I 1 leaned over to speak in as low a tone as possible and I 1 told her the situation in detail ana my plans she cat pat silently gazing at me across the table her parted lips trembling to efm rl I 1 t M 0 4 tell me what has happened 11 nn unasked lon before ote could frame this in n words the door to the companion opened and watkins descended the stairs at eight sight of ber her be he whipped off orf his cap tou may speak freely 1 I 1 aid this Is 1 l the you vou s g lady i I 1 told you and of course she Is with us only talk low yen sir air f P hoarse whisper and fastening his lite gaze on me its all right sir air CHAP CHAPTER TEFt the deck Is our ours I 1 had the nest next step carefully outlined in my own mind sod yet Y hest a moment glancing into the two faces before me with a sudden realization of what the contemplated a tion would mean to all of ue us if it by an chance it should fall of success I 1 managed to speak cheerfully putting a ring of confidence into my voice then the sooner we ue act the better order the tile men inen aft let lot bira him say that senor estada wishes them to break out some stores in the lazaret lai arct they need be here only long enough for in us to distribute these arms among them and for roe me to speak a word of instruction to them bilut tuve I 1 no part Is there no way in which I 1 can helal asked the girl you have your pistol then remain hera I 1 shall hall have to go on deck with the men end will not dare leave them a moment until the ship Is absolutely sol secure manuel Is locked in tatt stateroom but must not be te communicated munica ted with by anyone it will be your part to see that aun gunsauley saules neither enters that inis passage sage leading amidships wr vior approaches this door keep hini film in maht loa jou will s ave save is vis a ann man walt here now until I 1 tee see how sem rely this passage forward ie Is closed 11 it was as as described to mca mc mo a oaken oaten door nail studded not only locked but held firmly in place by a stout I 1 iron bar there WU not the faintest possibility of 0 any ent entrance ranco aft except through a from this side aide As I 1 returned lo 10 the cabin gunsaules Oun saules came out of 0 the captains capt alna room and cro chosed crossed sed lie the deck at eight sight of me he stopped instantly gunsaules I 1 paid said I 1 ou are to remain in this cabin until I 1 giro give the word nord the lady hirr haa has a it pistol and orders to shoot it you attempt to cither either enter this lassige or spi roach the door of Ata manuela nuels stateroom how flow did ou oil find sitting up in his ills lunk bunk senor and able to eat docs does he know m what hat Is occurring on board no senor he lie questioned ine me but I 1 only told him everything was mas all right eo so far in my heart I 1 believed the fellow deliberately lied lut but there was as no opportunity port unity to qu tation him further for at that moment the tile door of 0 the companion opened and a miscellaneous group of 0 wa mon thronged down the stairs they were a rough hairy lot here and there a sturdy I 1 countenance meeting my lay but the faces wire largely foreign with alth those of two wo negroes conglis bous twelve here sir air I 1 get do down it from the foretop aid said walking watkins and there are others below who aho will join us I 1 yes sir air six 1 more I 1 count on which means lads that with liar ilar wood senor levere and myself iny spit bell ell total t twenty enty one in this now III 1 II 11 tel tell you what hat la sup up walking Watkin gave agave you sotie some of it no dovi doubt tit but a word from we ine will nill make it clearer I 1 m no pirate im an english sailor bhang cicil estada named me nie first because I 1 understand navigation I 1 stopped speaking caking ep staring at one of the faces before me all fill at once it appeared familiar what ie in your name my danl roan jim carter air you were on the sintie three yeara years agol ago 11 I 1 was that mister blister carlyle he be answered grinning 1 I know d you the tle minute I 1 cum down yere then that 13 1 all I 1 rif need ed say on that line pieree one of your mutes lads who ho will vouch fop for me now as ive been told you an art all of you in the same boat you ire prisoners on board I 1 uck has given us a chance to make a break and get away captain Is wounded mounded and helpless pedro estada N 1 dead and I 1 ve got manuel locked in that stateroom his ills cut throats are ell all below anil and now all uelva weve got 1 ilo do Is to clap on tin tile hatch batch and keep them there now what I 1 want mant to know Is are you fellows with mel watkins tip up prompts I 1 then carter the others joining in with will leia lens heartiness the different accents revealing their I 1 knew sailors well enough to fed feel assured they would follow their leaders once the game started et artel good enough now weve got t to 0 hit hard and quick lads there are six ix men on d k who nho am oro not with us walking watkins will take car cart of them with tho fellows I 1 dont assign to other work worl jones you and carter make for the forecastle and dont let anyone come up the scuttle one of ou had better drop down don below and prevent any tiny of those lads from unbarring the door leading amidships IN who ho Is 1 the lie best for hint that jobb let ilat carlson do it all right carlson it Is then you frenchmen farid nd the two negroes tie groes your part alil be to t ship the main hatch io do a quick job and clamp clump it down don tight 1 I HI it come down to you carlson as won foon as we ne have liae the deck it ought not to take tale mom morn than five minutes to handle hose those aads and slew around a Nat watkins kInq aou a and cartor hand out the cutlan es from the rack ou boys will III handle bandle hose those better than firearms rearms good now are you all ready I 1 there was A low murmur of voices the tile faces watching matching me tile showing their increasing excitement and e our little talk had ervid to brou if their confidence in my leadership and with mith gleaming weapons in their hands they became self reliant volunteers once turned loose m greatest difficulty might be to restrain rest them rather than urge them on revenge for past wrongs was in each heart and they mel welcomed coined a chance to strike I 1 a parting word ord of ad monition into the ear of dorothy receiving in return a glance from her eyes eyen which gave n new throb to ray mr h heart cart then straightened straighten ed up and pistol 1 in hand pushed my wy wat rb the throng of sailors to the fot of the follow ne me lade lad I 1 enid sald quietly TO 1113 WN CONTINUED |