Show e SF R C BEN 8 BEN AMES w. w N u. u service ti G TER TERn Continued Continued l t is 18 n 11 she ended Mat Forbes t I Il i Maam Im I'm not saying f right fight or wrong but weve we've wever t r 1 g to go on Weve Veve got to toI tot t it straight he pointed out s ifan fran ask Mr Corr to go back I l he wont won't why hes he's the Cap Cap- We cant can't maKe him unless jw w for sure to compel him in any for ir even to disobey his comYS corns com com- I YS s was an action tainted with airy and Mat as the whispered 4 I ti i proceeded repeatedly id a this out says Corr was killed hogged logged 1 it that way and he go back on that if it its it's s true truet t. t Hes He's got to stick to it and of f handling him theres there's noth- noth e re e can do ii 4 t I know hes he's lying Mary MaryI I I P. P d. d I know Corr's She She felt Corkran's Corkran s eyes upon and and nd she appealed to him Corkran 1 1 If kran an was a long moment in hi reo re- re o and before he spoke his swung from her to George rence he asked gravely you say Are you for go- go ack es QuId you be thinking to satisfy oung oung ung lady so shell she'll know hes he's i Ills Is that maybe it I S 5 No Im I'm sure hes he's alive hurt maybe If he weren't have nave come to the boats But Buthe's hes he's surely alive ten len its it's knowing hes he's alive that want to go back and get getIs II I Is I's Is s s certainly Klan Cran stood up and turning to tolate tolate tolate late said simply r. r Forbes if himself here says k then I say go If he said It'd rd Id say no but well we'll do what T f fn Forbes Forbes nodded Yes cerIS ts IS JId Id I'd say go back if wed we'd any- any d Ito to go on But its it's hard to say Io ger that hes he's got to go back backer e er ut knowing something for eres ere's res re's know Corky Cork- Cork a way to y y IY old ld him quickly Gee was with 11 1 sr ashore Whatever happened on Gees Gee's hated Corr 1 talked killing ever since the thea thet a t had him flogged Maybe he hema ma marl nari ue m this maybe not but what- what he jie knows about it s. s s was clearly true If Peter d about Richards Richard's movements wore ore at Hoakes Bay Gee must stO sc fit it Mary whispered earnestly S yes Dont Don't you see Mr s Gee must know m CHAPTER alf all hour later Corkran reported bee Gee after some persuading g given iven ven him enough information st Y turning back it t then led the way into theon the theion on ion room aft and he moved i certain heedlessness careless I noise he might make There L ted one of the hanging lamps rm j lighted another and andt t turned toward the door of the thein's 3 g a Joins Join's ins in's cabin where Peter was tt bJ irp tP before he could touch the Uk G it opened and Peter faced izie e He stared from one to the rc There were six men and Mach Ma- Ma ch cb u him alone S J r must have ave read their faces for a moment flickered in hOU ho rat p plainly y every man there could rs r. It He leaped backward and ed the door shut but before fish j Auld bolt it Corkran's weight who wo t it forced it open and threw cor l headlong against the cabin 11 true and Corkran after a moments moment's gle le pinned him helpless there tn n Peter his voice cracking Hn in a sharp panic What is r What's the matter S 'S 5 Forbes said Bring him out Mr Corkran hats the matter Peter dei de- de i ed d. d What is this mutiny ll watching him almost almo t with r thY th thought again g th that t hi his y like a mask behind which t yes yes flickered Peter cried it you get out of here back you belong Forbes spoke almost gently Corr were we're going back to tos s Bay to find Corr I d d him Peter wetted his dry Hes gone all 11 have a try anyway u u cant can't find him I told you happened to him I said Were going back to toBa toa toa a look and Gee tells a differ- differ Ba tory ee e This was Peter es es He says you told him to ton lion n killed Corr but h hE he f l Corr never came out of L lt E t tussocks u on the way up the theU U H L p f tes te's s 's a liar e cs t Gee He wasn't lying He rc rk 01 of it wasn't safe to s is b en you scared him A scared r c. c r will say anything you want wantI Jo o. o I tell you hes he's lying J tell ll go back and see for sure d almost pleadingly Will wm Willo t FO o along sir Or do we have to adre ter seeming to consider moved r f e tb l itly toward the desk He stood y lr ne hand on top of it looking 1 al alf PA at it itt his side toward them 11 eri lan an had left the upper drawer a at flUy t Pulled out and suddenly Peye Peye Pe- Pe ye 0 hand md dropped into that e hand drawer 1 before he could fetch the nr e Ion on clear Corkran with a lea leap P ore i i. i I. I a bore him sidewise and down The heavy revolver re clattered against the edge of the drawer was jerked by his fall from Peters Peter's hand Mat Forbes picked it up Corkran held Peter fiat flat twisted him on his stomach stomach stomach ach dragged him to his feet Peter was stony silent now Mat Forbes turned to Mary You and Mr McAusland move in here into these cabins he said briefly Ill iron him to the mizzenmast Later Mat came to speak to her He was white with strain but his voice was calm and steady Hes secured he said Ive left Mr Corkran with him and the thedoor's thedoor's thedoor's doors door's bolted between You'll be safe here Ill I'll go call the watch and wear ship make back for tor Hoakes Bay Well We'll be there with luck soon after day Mr McAusland can take the cabin You have yours It was upon Mat Forbes that the responsibility for the and those aboard her now fell Half persuaded persuaded persuaded per per- by Mary and then convinced by Gees Gee's enforced confession he had accepted the necessity of leading what was technically a mutiny He had not read that treason never prospers since if it succeed then none dare call it treason but he understood quite clearly the implications implications implications im im- im- im of his own position If Richard were found dead or alive Mats Mat's action would be justified If Richard were not found then he and andI t I t. t I t P 1 y tIll t. t I Ill Til shoot you if you do George retorted I those who had supported him in making Peter captive were simply mutineers damned not only by the laws but by all the tradition of the sea So for their salvation Richard must be found Mat on the way back to Hoakes Bay questioned Gee The Negro repeated that he and I Richard and Peter started through the tall tussock grass up toward the pond where the geese had lighted that they entered the grass abreast and became separated in its maze and that when he emerged at the upper border of the grass he was first and Peter presently appeared but Captain Corr did not Beyond that he swore in beseeching terror he knew only what the mate had told him Believed what he told you did you ou Mat demanded Yas suh Mat said evenly Youre a liar There wasn't any beach in the tussocks tussocks tussocks socks nor any sea lions You knew well enough nothing like that happened happened happened hap hap- to the in there With one strong motion he ripped Gees Gee's shirt off his back Get a boat spade he directed Cut Cuta a hole through his small cut the truth out of him said with a relish Take my knife Its It's nicked and dull and a d as c. c a saw c. c b hut ut unit ou can n h hack r 7 gge 1 Y Ya a couple of rib chops out of him with it At the fearful picture words evoked Gee surrendered altogether altogether altogether alto alto- gether and damned Peter beyond denial He said the mate had given him a pearl and promised him a arich arich rich reward later if he would tell the tale and stick to it Gee appeared to have no more to tell but Mat had no remaining doubt of Peters Peter's guilt Yet even so it was necessary that Richard be found alive or dead for lor final proof Mat had no intention of evading the is is- is sue If Richard were not found he must release Peter and return him to command and himself submit to the arrest that would follow when the reached Stanley But if Richard were found then the situation would be in Richards Richard's hands So he must be found Mat decided that when they came to anchor anchor anchor an an- chor again in Hoakes Bay he would send Corkran to command and direct direct direct di di- the search ashore Corkran was wise and strong Mat himself clearly had better stay on board the Someone must keep an eye on Peter and on Gee for lor forthe forthe the two prisoners and the ship herself herself herself her her- self were the key to the situation So Mat would stay aboard He meant to send ashore as many men menas menas menas as possible to prosecute the search for Richard with the best chance of success George clearly could not go His strength would not permit it Mary would wish to stay with her husband As matters developed one other man stayed aboard the After the anchor was down since the wind was freshening Mat ordered ordered ordered or or- dered the sails all furled This meant sending the men aloft Hurd the little Cockney descending afterward afterward afterward after 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 abone abone abone bone in his ankle or suffered a severe sprain certainly he would be beof beof 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 forecastle forecastle forecastle fore fore- castle Gee and Peter in irons below below be be- low George in his bunk in the Captains Captain's Captains Captain's Captains Captain's Cap Cap- tain's cabin Willie Leeper in his galley and Mat and and Mary on deck to watch the boats depart like the other harpooners harpoon- harpoon ers was by the etiquette of the ship restricted in his movements forbidden forbidden forbidden forbid forbid- den to come to the after house except except except ex ex- ex- ex on business So while the boats moved away from the vessels vessel's 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 It occurred to Mat to inspect Peters Peter's Peters Peter's Peters Peter's Pe Pe- ter's irons He called to the harpooner harpooner harpooner har- har I Take a took look ook at Gee Ran Ran- nels The other man went obediently obediently obediently obedi obedi- 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 thereat 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 Mat's eyes but he did not speak Mat closed the door and bolted it again When he turned Mary stood in the doorway doorway doorway door door- way of the Captains Captain's cabin and George was on his feet inside the cabin facing her and coughing a al little l Mat Forbes felt rather than saw sawa a shadow pass along the skylight over his head He looked up sharply sharp sharp- ly at the skylight too late to see anything and then he took the revolver revolver revolver re re- re- re volver out of his belt and cocked it and stepped quickly toward the companionway He started to ascend Mary came cameto cameto cameto 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 discharged discharged discharged dis dis- dis- dis charged dropped out of his hand and clattered down to her feet Mat slumped forward limply on his face his body sprawling on the deck his legs hanging down the companion- companion way flannels shouted something and she looked up and saw the harpooner har- har harpooner harpooner his face red with excitement excitement excitement excite excite- ment grab Mat by the collar Mary snatched the revolver from the floor but flannels hauled Mat lIat 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 killed Mat Mati she told him simply Through the companion above them they could see the sky the rain-filled rain clouds the after rail They heard speaking Watch the companion he panted panted pant pant- ed his voice thick Ill IU go get him loose and Gee You stay here and if anybody shows a head bust em Mary did not know Hurd was aboard She looked at George and saw with a 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 Ill I'll watch here incase in incase incase case they try to come down She said from across the cabin by bythe bythe bythe the arms rack Its locked The guns are locked in Can you break it open No I dont don't see how Then find the bomb gun 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 I George said strongly No Pe Pe- ter You sick fool Ill I'll break down the door Peters Peter's voice cracked as it was likely to in moments of emo emo- tion Ill shoot you OU if you do dol George retorted He made a sign to Mary to hurry his lips shaped the words Bomb gun Peter was whispering to in the main cabin George and Mary could hear the murmur but no words Mary found the bomb gun as heavy as a small cannon Luckily it was loaded The voices in the main cabin abin could no longer be heard and there was no sound on the deck above their heads She asked George Will that bomb explode if iv Ii hits anything I dont don't know he admitted I dont don't know how they work He grinned doubtfully Richard said the back end of a gun like this does as much damage as the front but its it's better than nothing and if that bomb hits anyone even if it doesn't explode they'll know it TO BE DE CONTINUED |