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Show Arthur I. 1 How Writ SiullU 8 ITriht, 19:1 ARTUl'U IX UOWl'tN Fl ITU WNU tfrU- STORY I-ROM THE START C ( Won Kcllo we a' Am! U'iin iii vh.trtl Mi hi is i.ink ly tt 1!i H-n! H-n! i'fT I'oilunul In lh A .i l of 1 S 1 3 t'tid ire w But renders, ren-ders, but frYllowrs roai-hctt Mum eili.-tuMe.. lh life l havd hy an K n n 1 1 i h - ,h ti W 1 1 i E ' " 1 . who conoa 1 a hrr Idcmny tne i about to 81 out tor Lis ho it bVl-lowes bVl-lowes noes to Li hon vv her li meets an co.utuniuiuo, Oipl Chater of th Anirru-an ship True Bounty, who oft era hint a hei t h as a mule, but k now ins Chater la dlsloynl In irndinK with the enemy, he refuses tu meets the gnl who waved his life, Cm a InIt put, it:iut;lit rr of the owner of True Hunly She Is bound for home and liutue Fellowes to 1 1 as mute He is In low with i':ira The vessel Is stopped ly the Hntish frigate. H:iJi;f r. Captuin iVlllshawe L'e spite his claims to A merit" an eillsem-hip. Fellowes Is taken aboard the Hader a "pressed" man. Maddened at whnt he believes be-lieves Is Oura s and (.'hater' treachery he strikes Coil'Mm wr "V h- orders him a huttdied tastier with the Va I " Fellowes" haired of the t h ree becomes an obsession. obses-sion. Oft New York Fellowes escapes es-capes from the l':ukr He scent5 a plot tn a metMing to be held at Chiller' home and Bathers Bath-ers a companv of militia to circumvent cir-cumvent the plotters. CHAPTER VI Continued 10 Feet shuttled In t lie dust, and Kel lowes found himself, with I'ulTie und Tom and Nlnirod Sopher. lending the Kencibies west on the South Country rond From the rear of the little col umn echoed the monotonous Incantiv tlon of Sergeant Petri : "I layfooi. struwfootl llnyfoot. straw-foot I liny-foot" liny-foot" The ancient's reiterated refrain died away In the chatter of the (reloads There was only the "sliullle-shutne. slap slap" of feel In the dust, the rus tling of equipment, the leDse breathing of men laboring under euMtenienl held In leasb. It must he tery late. Kellnwcg reflected, well along toward dawn: but the ojlst. low-lying over tiie swampy lands bordering the bay. thickened the darkness. Colllshnwe should be on the point of departure the Englishman was no fool; In any case, would wish to keep his landing secret. They tramped around a curve In the road, and CufTee. at Fellowes' elbow stiffened with a Jerk. a& "Vha' datt" be whispered. Simultaneously, came hall from the shadows In front : "Ahoy, there I Lay to!" And a bosun's whistle trilled, sharp and clear. "Hack yer oars. Clinch." roared Tom Grogan. Pistols exploded amung the trees; the whistle trilled again, sharper, more piercing. "ut cutlasses," bellowed Clinch "Stanil by to receive boarders." Uehirid them Fellowes heard 1'elrt. quaveriuly authoritative: Form column by fours left Into line forard! Shift firelocks 1 Pre sent firelocks 1 Aim fire!" The crashing detonation ot thirty stand of arms dismayed the sailors notwithstanding the militiamen's bul lets (lew in every direction save the enemy's. Fellowes detected their flight by the crackling of tree brunches and Clinch s fervid onrhs. and sum moned the Fencihles to pursue. "After them, boys I Give 'em the cold steel 1" Tom was off already. Mrs. lihodis az brandished at the length ol Ills apelike arm. howling challenges to Clinch Cuffee leaped Into the woods screaming a weird slogan learned In the Jungles of Coromutnlel. S'.pher continued to emit twittering calls that ran the gamut from falsetto to bass, trotting next to Fellowes. The Fencl bles followed stoutly The pursuit receded from the road, traversing a belt of trees which hid the antagonists from each other, bewildering be-wildering both sides, and presently spilled out of the grove on to a range of cultivated fields. The light was growing. Fellowes perceived In the distance, 'hater's house was a while blur against a windbreak of tufted elms. Clinch launched a vigorous cut lass charge as soon as the Increased W visibility revealed the scanty numbers and character of the attackers. "Corne on. Badgers," the bosun en couraged his men. "Carry II to em lads! Slice the lights out o' em' They're only milishy!" The sailors responded gallant!. coming forward in a compact group sure-footed and agile; and rite mi I i t hi men. caught of! balance, out of breath most of Iheto with theit guns empty were disposed to run. despite Sergeant l'eirt's angry appeals. Soplier. vocal at last, stooc stockstill. wheeling his saber and crying shrilly: "Follow your captain, men I Follow your cap tain'" It was Fellowes. with Tom and Cuffee supported by Peltt. who checked the Impact of the autlm-a, mid imt (he I-du ll. Ii i nn opportunity to rally. He riling lila empty plntol Into the churn lug group. annU'lit-d a rllllihcd rl lie from one ot the f n It ertiiK iullllliiincii. inwl ntiai kcd Clinch, hlinx lf - w tio ree I'KHl.'i'il I lie I oiig Inlander with a jell of Incrcitiilliy. "Sink inc. Indt 'Ow'd ye git eri'T' "Sin Ti'iidi'i , Hull I Vuu'rti nn ril." "Not me! Hull Clinch don I alrlku In colorn -" Hal In the midst ot his dcllunce Hit) knot ot j 1 1 i e. (lislnicgi hied ii a CnlT if smashed I lie licinl ol one II I id Tom hew cil a second from Hliouldci to waist. The Fcnellilea. w ho had been on the velge ot IIIkIh. weir llllollealeil with fetoilly by Hull first sight ol Mood, niid eagerly resumed the pur still. "Surrender. IMi." Fellowes urged iigiiln. "Not II I knows It." retorted the bosun dodging u blow with u clubbed rllle. lie puiiird tinnihei sw-lug. ttieii stooied ti ml grabbed a fold ot I'd lowes flilrt. Jerking It ovei the Long I si ii ii i U-r b bead llllmled and ham peied. Fellowes st u 1 1 1 lil 1-il to Ida kneea mid b Ihe lime be had ripped oft the tattered garment and (icminlilfd up half naked Clinch was safely out of reach. The sailors recovered rapidly from their panic, anil made for Ihe creek bank, hulling at Intervals to lire Ihelt pistols and gain a breathing spell liiyllghl. Fellowes realised would In crease the timidity of Ids raw men and he called anxiously to Sopher: "We must finish this while we have the darkness foi cover One more 's "Him Lll flitty Man, bul Plenty Brave." He Murmured charge! Fire a volley, and drive tberu Into Ihe creek." Peirt cried valiantly: "That's the way we took em al Saratogy I Keep achargln'l The Itrltlsh'll run fast as any fellers If they see bay'nlts to tliar gizzards. Hearts up, naow. boys I With powder 'n' ball load I Present firelocks! Aim fire!" The greasy powder smoke billowed across the field, and the Fenclbles trotted with It, making no pretense at order, unable for the moment to see what the enemy was doing, and there fore persuaded they ere beaten. Fellowes. Fel-lowes. In advance of the line and not yet blanketed by the smoke, saw the sailors fall prostrate as the Amerl can's muzzles Jetted flame. Then Clinch's whistle piped distinct in the racket of musketry and haphazard cheering, a cannon boomed on the creek, and a host of sinister voices whined through the dank air. Grape shot I Fellowes knew what that meant : lie longboat's three-pouuder had been broughr to bear on them. And he knew. too. by their frightened yells, that the Fenclbles were Id headlong retreat. "Peirt," he shouted. "Sergeant I Can't you bold your men? Sopher I Nimrod !" Bui his only answer came from Tom Grogan. who bobbed up out of the smoke beside hltn. "The old feller took a whlf o' grape twixt wind-and-wuter. messmate," Tom reported. "And that air milishy cap o s oft on t'other tack under full sail, along o' the rest o' his squadron." "Where's CufTee?" The negro towered erect at mention of his name. "Cuffee wld yo', mars'r," be answered an-swered simply. "Tlirro of na left." grouned tint-lowes. tint-lowes. "Hut we can't full Ilka tbla. We must take CollMiuwu." They stepped out of (he smoke mi(o (lie creek bank as (ho louglioul wua backing Into inldnlrcaiu Thr gun In her hows no longer iiluied Ihelr way. tun several aallora disc hin ted pistols nt thi'tn. Colllsliiiwu. In the alern shei'ta. bending oer a wounded man. straightened in H word from Clinch, who held Ihe tiller Fellowes waded waist deep Into the creek. "Colllsliawe," he shouted. "D'you hear me, Colllsliawe?" The llailger'a captain rose slowly to his feet, motioning lo aevcrul of Ilia crew to put aside thell pistols. "1 hear you.' he answered clearly. "This Is Fellowes I. Ion Fellowes whom you Hogged Will you come ashore, and tight me, man to man?" "How did you come here, Fellowes?" Fel-lowes?" "Nevct ttil ml how I came here." Fel lowes waded further out, the bottom mint clinching til bis feet. "Will you coma ashore, and llghl uie, man to run n T Choose your weapons choose mine. You and all your men shall go off. unharmed, whatever happens to mo. "That Is Impossible," the ICngllsh man replied deliberately. "I an) an olllccr on duty. I cunnol Indulge Id personal quarrels." Gripped us he was by ( rage (hat wns vulcanic In lis force, Fellowes iifwr for I second doubted the lion esiy of his enemy's position. Suy whui tie might of Colllsliawe. he would believe be-lieve the FngllshuinD courageous morally courageous, as well aa physically. physi-cally. He choked down his wrath, and as Colllshnwe remained standing, with an effect of courteously allowing hlto the last word, be called again: "Very well. I'll come to jou." Colllsliawe bowed. "1 shall be reinly. Fellowes." lie resumed his seat, the longboat's oars feathered and dipped, and she pulled aw.i for the otolith of r lie creek, as the first pink of the sunrise stained (lie east. Fellowes waded ashore, less disgruntled than he bad been. For Colllshawe's parting words bad recognized tl.elr equality. They were no longer captain and common sailor, superior and Itillnliely Inferior; bin two enemies, who should encounter on a level plHln of enmity, honorable, however bitter (he hutred which knit their Interests as closely as though Ihey had been abiding friends. And somehow, hatred tasted cleaner In Fel lowes' mouth much, much cleaner (ban the haired he held for the three who remained In the farmhouse beyond the creek fields. CHAPTER VII A Nolle Prosequi The glow In the east was deepening. Objects that had been obscure assumed as-sumed their proper shape. Fellowes' whole being, now that Colllsliawe bad escaped, was concentrated upon the punishment of Uie three who remained In ("hater's house. Climbing the creek bank, be set his face In that direction and led the way across the trampled fields, pausing only when they came upoD a rusty brown sprawl of limbs In a furrow of beet tops. Pallid lips mumbled unhappily: "D n milishy! Takes Continentals stand cannon " "We can't leave Peirt ouf here," exclaimed ex-claimed Fellowes- "Ills wounds must be dressed." "Nothln' to do for them wounds," grunted Tom. "Looks like he'd stopped a roundshot." "You drove the Britishers, Peirt," Fellowes tried to comfort hltn. "We'd have been beaten without you." "Drove 'em hey?" The wrinkled face lightened. "Jest like Saratogy." Ills breath quickened. "Give 'em bay'nit- boys ses L Dul take Continentals" He sighed faintly, and the light Id his face went out "Poor old Peirt," Fellows said sadly "It we'd had a dozen like him Col-lishawe Col-lishawe couldn't have escaped. Pick him up, Cuffee. We'll carry blm with as." CufTee handed Mrs, Rhodes musket to Tom, and gathered the trull body In hl3 arms, cradling It with a gentle ness thai was almost maternal. "Ultu III bitty man, bul plenty brave." he murmured. Fellowes strode along, absorbed once more In contemplation of his ven geance. unconscious ol the ghastly figure he made, plustered with mud and water, his naked torso hideously scarred by the livid welts of the cat-fTO cat-fTO BE CONTINUED) |