Show 34 as av g L I 1 ky fy j g arthue 25 a P eov gaiden acu smaill 0 0 0 copyright 2023 H anthur D eldith g service r I 1 CHAPTER XIII 22 doubt the badger was sinking to the booming of the centurions centurione minute guns sinking neth the sun that had dialed ill aped a crimson curtain amiss across the of the west test aft under the break ol of the lie poop it a carro tiarle was made fast to square build ships and on top of it was lashed the bundle of sailcloth that held calif sh chaes aes hody budy the englishman rested where lie he had died and from the stump of the mizzen still heated floated the flag lie he hall had ordered nailed there one bornet torn by a round shot the eliop dfwar reared up dp sling gling to keep tier her bow aboe water but presently she sagged forward and this ills lime fline she tailed failed to recover her self her commenced to 0 slant masses of 0 green water surged t brough the fori ird ports and sha started to sli lle ile under as it she was cons coasting drig down a hill that grew steeper and steeper waves licked at the hundle bundle on tle curio nade submerged it slapped the poop illing ri and her a canted high in ill air the white ensign at the mizzen standing out straight in the breeze as it was en gutted the last gun boomed an and d fellowes launched a crisp stream of orders almost beffie the lie echoes had died away bione tione none but himself aware that he must have hake something to ill dl vert his mind or ilse else go niad mud cara Ing lepin ignored the resumption of disciplines tier her gaze remained fixed on the lie swirl of wreckage that marked the lie spot where the he badger had disappeared but pres antly as the tha brig abrl forged ahead the lie litter of spars nail and deck fil faltings tings awin died to arid and slie she became aware of the lie orderly hum of nl ties around her and of her father do you suppose I 1 might speak to captain fellowes wes Is it wise caral cara her father asked 1 I 1 am bound to admit fellowes has been civil but I 1 think we do well to avoid liim him as much as pos sible and ill not have love him film suspecting us of pleading for mercy she laid a caressing palm ou on pen ben Ing lepins pans fice face chih vas nas neither so plump nor so BU rubicund as it had been after a n days toil in a stuffy cockpit ehat presented one endless succession of horrors 1 I ove one him an apology father she explained exila ined simply and I 1 must thank him thank him for 1 or tits his generosity it wits was noble lies iene generous rutis and noble enough to see that we ate aie by way of being hanged ben Ing cpin lepin retorted disagreeably i youre unfair father tier her its some figure straightened if we merit to be hanged sit shall all we complain 01 ol him xe ve knew lie risks we must encounter arid and if a stake such as ours Is worth plu ving for worth winning worth losing a life for there was flo nothing thIng circuitous or in direct in the expression with which lien ilen Ingle pia plo regarded his daughter all ali lass you shame me C egad ad you yon do ile he stooped and kissed her speak to fellowes Fellow cs lies hes a gentleman ill own and a bulldog if there ever was one chater and well say nothing of chater fa ther she interrupted 11 atwould Tw have been better for us had we not soiled our case b by v contact iab nith him ob my deirl dearl pout dout be hard on saul sad lie he choice ill grant you but in tits his way he helped ali ah no he ruined us but tor for him captain fellowes Fol lowes would not have been pressed and it if hut but this Is to no pui pose puse go below and see if you can help bell poor tat fat marla maria ill be with you soon stay on deck and win some color to your ben counseled the senors and I 1 can manage fellowes was staring out over the stern at a t the same distant spot which so recently had bad monopolized monopolize caras attention tent lon when the lie gill approached oh miss we we are in dr bated to yon to you and your fa ther and your ali ah fl duenna uenna very helpful doctor teli me we should have been beca badly off without you yoo the badgers wounded and everything we were glad to do it sir sho she returned but I 1 came to thank you knightly of you to bury him so sly will tits his ing flog flying and I 1 am sorry tor for what I 1 sald U this Is afternoon 11 lie flushed brich red the he be muttered mattered 1 have much to answer bior lor lie ile told me Coill shawe to old me iwas chater chafer persuaded him to press me not yon I 1 owe you an apology I 1 quite 41 but bow could bioc or have beell been Y you ou were dreadfully wronged and none the less because all a tt sue of 0 rn mischance se lance an eill eil passion this hate fellowes Fell owea insisted vexation and sor row and ald deah it il has brought to all wa who 10 cr crossell cros seil my path you exaggerate sir she answered ube ily surely awas not evil ell to blay captain clinter chafer who would have slain you and joules was wag your en emy in nar 11 lie he must have bave died hed rattier rather have died so are you become my advocate he cried exasperated the alie other oilier officers glanced at him nA askance lince well then lien give me an argument in justification of dell delivering ering you to joshua Ing lepins hatred P unnecessary I 1 should argue bilth you yon to do your duty slie she replied as soberly as before becore you set get your hand to this task will you draw back from rum it cod knows 1 I 1 ue lie was on UK the point of saying 1 I love youl 1 ilow can I 1 send you to a cell in the bride well a gibbet on the hie southwest bat tery when lie he realized all bare fact he loved love tier her must mike make him tin im in ID honor he could not fa i or her and if lie he possessed any tin wring gering of pride lie adjured himself in a hot hurst burst ot of fury hed remember she had accepted Colli shawe after plighting alighting plight ing troth with him 1 I 1 have got nl ISIt into fill this coll he concluded strangling his emotion ris for me to work myself free cut but id liae hae you know maani maam I 1 gain no satisfaction from froin it illow how could you who alio are not cruel she answered tranquilly come cut too fee you can aid me shift the wounded men for their ease 0 0 0 0 Vurde burdened ned with prisoners and run aln nang short of water and food after a six months cruise fellowes was re govrd when a wet edster sent the V P r C but joshua stopped him by a gesture blo block childers aders scurry scurrying ing oil off shore and the centurion could venture a landfall they stood out from rom the Rock awaya following the bent the file badger had pa trolled strolled troll ed and on the verge of darkness sighted the spot of sandy look hook and came to anchor tor for the night under the guns of the lie forts they wore were safe fafel I 1 A tat fat cruise everyone agreed the prizes should yield at the lowest computation and al allowing lowling tor for the loss of one ot of the three senat sent in what with the gold in the cen cantu I 1 u rions strong box bos and the choicer hits bits of cargo stowed in the hold and that meant some 30 in prize money for or every se seaman neanian anian of all the crew fellowes alone was moody and received indifferently th the congratulations of visitors cy by his to in nothing was said ol of the capture ol of the true county bounty and the Ing lepins find and their attendant were confined in the after cabla cabin they were joshuaa Jos huas huaB personal share of 0 the spoil lie reflected rejected cynically they and the tidbit of treason that went with them and joshua should be the he first to gloat over their humiliation and shame hed have nothing to do with it after discharging his duty surrender them give his report and go where anywhere there was fighting ue abandoned his bis reflections when the came on deck the duenna in her funeral garments clinging to cara like a shadow both ben and his daughter looked like peo have shut the past from their minds who front the future unafraid ben nodded pleasantly to fellowes and cara en folded him in one of those compassionate glances which whick made him inwardly why should she pity him lie he wanted none of her pity and ana annoyed self conscious his expression became becard wooden and taciturn as he responded to their greetings no noie 1 ie bad the longboat hoisted out 1 la id addition d to the oarsman oarsmen oars men fellowes detailed an armed escort consisting of Son Sor lher her eaches doak cerfee aud tom and nhen they had taken their places lie asked the Ing lepIns to follow ollow them the duenna was lowered in a lubber sent seat vast bulk could never have accommodated itself to the jacobs bacols ladder and last he went himself precisely dressed in a fresh uniform sword and pistols nt at his helt belt the compromising petIt petition IOD cultee had found in the file true Boun tys anchor stock folded up in tits his breast pocket his hand crept toward the pocket rested on tits his coat lapel US lie toyed with the thought of wrenching the document from its hiding place and casting it into the east river cut but caras cams eyes were on hloi him steady eyes pitying eyes eres and head and hand band dropped together had she read hit bit purpose or was that but fancy too tool foster faster men he urged the rowers hoarsely it was as only six months since the rrue bounty and centurion had railed finite and the waterfront remembered the gossip that linked the two vessels arid and lure here was pen ben Ing lepin returning in joshua Ing lepins brig will an escort in cara her hand on tier fathers arm waved to an occasional acquaintance smiling frari francy blY the duenna was a shapeless mass wa waddling diling after them nimrod sopher very important Import aut strode to in front doak dealt and maclies marched behind hill him and turn tom and cultee cuffee immediately I behind the Ingle pitis and the duenna fellowes brought up the roar rear denying the requests for or information which were showered upon him as the word spread along the docks 1 I ley the centurions centurione lot they got ron pen Ing lepin na n his gal merchants and shopkeepers hucksters and peddlers sailors and militia men bois and girls market women housewives maid servants eddied to ward front street far in the rear a brace of tat fat watchmen hobbled anxiously inquiring of everyone they met what hall happened in front street they liar had an answer lien ben in Joshu ays office Josl mays I 1 tell ye no no DO not aint nobody no ye cant git in Joshu ays privateers wont let ye se but the watt watchmen hinen persisted and forced their way to the doorstep at that moment fellowes emerged from the lie doorway 0 of joshua office and the krlin grini set expression of tits his features the competent poise of his lean body caught the attention atten llon of the nearer bystanders men bien craned on tiptoe to catch the few words he be spoke you two are watchmen then one of 0 you Is to go to government house and inform governor Govern nr tompkins with mr air joshua Ingler Ing lepins lins compliments that the centurion privateer Is in and mr Ing lepin will be obliged it if tits his excellency cel lency will attend here to examine certain matters mailers of importance A dozen voices balled fellowes chals Wb als toward sir are the british coming in will they engage the forts 1 I have no information of that character gentlemen fellowes ans answered As a matter of fact the blockading squadron was bilsen dilsen dill en offshore by the recent storm did ye se have a good cruise called a different group and one deep voice roared what happened to yer tore fore topmast we lost it in action with the cadger badger sloop of war 1 fellowes returned and sensing the abrupt tension produced by the statement went on it may interest you to know that we sunk her we have bare the survivors of her it er crew aboard and among other pilings I 1 must consult the governor as to their disposition A cheer that was almost hysterical acclaimed the news CHAPTER XIV joshuaa Jos huas decision joshua ing lepin stood in the entrance of his private office ns as fellowes ushered the file prisoners la in from the tha street uis eyes gleamed like blue agates his jaw was clamped rigidly but there was less color than usual in his face and his neck bock cloth was damp alth sweat ben was debon nair self possessed ile eie regarded joshua half humorously gave him a curt nod and a moi morning fling jos while joshua eyed him almost slyly and appeared to be tumbling fumbling tor for words cara after a single level eyed stare at her uncle looked idly out a window at the crowd besieging besle jg the warehouse the duenna stood listlessly clicking her beads in black hands bumph Ilum pla exploded joshua clearing its his throat D d if you yoo do it eh fellowes but wheres chater chafer de dead and at the word a little cool wave seemed to roll across the room chilling the hearts likaits of all who heard beard it joshuaa Jos huas mouth worked tor for a moment before he spoke again dead eh and the true bounty we burned her I 1 spare the men to fetch her home hall had reason I 1 suppose alve we found what we sought fellowes au answered and thrust a band into the pocket which contained the petition but joshua stopped him by a gesture not out here too public people can see through those windows come inside ele be stood back while they filed filea into the private office then shut the door after them this Is better he said tn in no hurry to accept file paper fellowes had produced by the see anything of Colli showe lies ites dead fellowes replied wincing we sank the cadger badger joshua beamed this Is what I 1 call a thorough job he be exclaimed what comes of hating enough 11 the bellow of the crowd had bad risen louder and fellowes made an excuse of it to change the subject we should get rid of those people sir he said they may be dangerous and here Is the paper important ni por tant it if if anything Is to be dove done the governor should see it immediately TO BE CONTINUED |