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"cm A Pomancc 6r PANDA 1 *-<AUTMOR o/"W LADY oil 1 - ' CHAPTER XVII Held a Prisoner. These words, und the lai Which they were greeted, to my mind the whole tr prising. It was not so tnu tlnation of the ship, or th? our cargo, which account) Widespread spirit of mutl as It was the McCann moti other things had been use once the men, to convince they had a right to seize and refuse to continue the \ h was the glitter of the M< which had won converts to 1 One thing was certain?n< of mine, no threat of p would have any present efl 'fellows. While there mlghl them some who would list en, this hlg Irish brute o jfcad control, and he could oc come by physical force. The one and only hope AflPQ no I n me oalalnw ? > ??uoiu? au sufficient time to warn 1 danger. He was a fighting armed; one cry would put >guard, and his position on would enuble him to put u defense. These thought through my mind as I st staring into Dugan's face. ] glance about, or seem to 1 plan of escape, yet I knew tl clear between me and the I lending to the deck, and thi ing door was not hooked. '1 were gathered closely aboi half-circle, I>ugan alone be reach of my arm. The on I saw was a sen boot best to the right. The fellow felt some vague glimmer c pose, for he gripped my sh iron fingers pinching the fie: "None o' that now," hoars can't fight the whole?" I struck him with all tl could throw Into the swift he went staggering back Inl of men, his hands clawing But for their bodies the fel have measured his length oi The force of his fall, the i suddenness of It, for U tunned the others, mid gull portunlty. With one leap heavy boot In my hand, ant crashing against the face < low between me and the l He went over like a strlck? A hand gripped for me, but hold; there was a roar of an ?< bodies, and above all otl Dugan's voice howling mad "Stop him. yer tarrlers! on ther head." I stumbled over the bo< lower step, yet had reaehet before the first man grippe 1 broae loose from his Huge Instant of delay blocked esoi were on me, their faces bar In the dim light, and I froi fighting for life, striking fie the great sea boot, Its Iron terrible weapon. Twice ini How Long I Remained Unc Never Knew. there were too many of them I protect my rear. They s' either side, and clambered me; the low beams of the i permitting no swing to my fellow gripped my feet, an leaped at my throat. I was t Jiang headlong, the full w< man's body crashing down me. Then cume oblivion. How lcng I remained unc never knew, but It must 1 some hours, for when I strui r to a vague sense of life on was alone, lying on a mat bunk. My heud throbbed and I managed to lift one hi Ing myself that my hair w with blood. Wher? was I? with some accident? It was ually that the vision began ff>oa my mind?the attack ., 1 . - rsx IT2AMND" I > ofihe IHorth AHanfic '?? ? JL . Rot to wit LL PAPPI5A u.'gaaK. i "7*"18 'AenORTH.- rWO yVA, FOREST," LTC. deik'^tiU 1 ' P procuutlon 11 M m I Till ntli tne struggle In he forecastle; and then j advise y< Vera Carrlngton. It was her face, her tance. I'll memory which aroused life, and gave attempts t< me hack the strength to struggle. The niURt ighter with fate of the ship was of small Impor- WOrds, , made clear tance to me, but the girl left alone j|qUor },y tl uth of the and helpless among these rufllans, was ^ oa|j," ^r ch the des- a thought so filled with horror as to ?You trie ? nature of draw me back from the very gates of to ?d for the death. 'There w ny aboard, I forced my eyes open, finding at jjns who t ley. These first the light blinding, and for an In- ^jow j an d to Influ- stant stared up through a red mist. ^ nj* them that Gradually normal sight came back, and ^ ^ n the vessel, I realized that I rested In a bunk, gjizvoyage, but lug upward at the white-painted bot- 08 K eCaun gold toni of another. There was a splash Tol!r. s "" ? this theory, of sunshine on the side wall, and I 8 o argument slowly turned my head toward the ? unishment, open port through which it streamed. f. *>_ ?ect on the Then I knew where I was lying?In McCann g : be among the captain's stateroom. Why had I "Let up 01 en to rea- been brought there? What object could h'8 vole f a Dugan those villains have for giving me these mand In It, ily be over- quarters if they were really In control didn't come of the ship? Perhaps they were not; to lay In my perhaps Leayord and Olson had been game." alarm In warned of danger In time to overcome The othei ,eayord of them. and still retained command, mutter behli ; man. and That would account for my presence? glistened In him on hla hut, If this was true, why was I left fear of the i the poop alone, uncared for? Why had they stool to the p a strong brought me here? Gradually the con- "Tell me s flashed ception of their purpose dawned?a brief about ood there, navigator; the need of a navigator. McCann's 1 dared not Without me they were helpless; with- jn thein unc tarbor any out my knowledge and skill not one quite sure t hat all was on hoard could tell where they were, how far I three steps or how to shape the course of the ves- my opposltl it the slid- sel. I was a necessity to them; In a for a momei 'he fellows way I held the villains still In my him quite s it us In a power; they dare not let me die?not he had foun ing within yet ! I cannot explain the new life sorr, ly weapon this thought brought to me. I seemed (ho wuy t|?" de a chest to feel the strength of it Injected into |cu|jy# ?Th must have my veins, and 1 rose up on one elbow. set ? >f my pur- and then, encouraged by this effort. "Don't wa oulder, his swung my feet over the edge of the j interruptei sh. hunk and rested them on the deck. wltJi jm QUt <ely. "You The hands of my watch told me It was rpSp{,ct hjIU after eleven. I got to my feet, cling- R,,n(jera (lls le force I ing to the herth, nnil swaying weakly JoHt ^etweei blow, and at first, but gaining strength with every ?(nte your f to the ring movement. The chart still lay on the 0|Jf jvjng? at the air. desk, our course pricked on It up until ^ j low would the day before, anil the telltale com- j.jj y f i the deck, pass told me the ship's bow was still patlsfv i unexpected pointed northward. I clawed my way . >t j t 'jjv" le Instant across to the door, and tugged at the e . , , . are more vt led me op- latch. It was locked. . . . . , . . _ . , , , hated some 1 I had the This discovery vanished the lenst cur j 1 swung It doubt. The men had won, and were ? if the fel- in full possession. Fergus McCnnn , " ? ower step. Was in control by virtue of his money, ?nn 8> ?n bullock, and his chosen lieutenants were Liver- or^( ' missed Its ,M)0l Red nnd Jim White. What their ,! ,7 . m?r ger. a rush object might prove to be remained to debts, hl8 1 ler sounds |?, learned?but they must seek some n,5" Pret< ly: obscure port, or some safe spot for * advise you Prork htm -?- -? - Minpwrec-K. sacrincmg evcrytning else j"ur n <i to their own snfety?and, to accom- mnnd of thl ly on the pllsh this they must use me. Lord? I smiled a 1 the door I gripped thnt lden strongly enough, sitting down >d my leg. my brain clearing as I realized the certain yet rs, yet the important part I must still assume In determined t ipe. They this odd sea tragedy. Perhaps I "So you f( ely visible could not suve the Indian Thief, but you come tr ited them, there was hope yet that I might be of propositlc rcely with instrumental In preserving the lives "We need -shod heel 0f those whom my carelessness had duys; one w ?n fell, but Imperiled. we decide o I There was water In the chocks of "And I an the Iron washstand. and I bathed my , "You are face, scrubbing as best I could the tent." he cc congealed blood from my hair. The no| think ft wound on my head had bled freely, but without you. was not serious, and the application figure the 11 of cold water lessened the pain, and had to, and helped to restore my faculties. A fine Miss Carrlnp breeze swept In through the open port, edge of na and I sat down on a stool to gather nd^ht prefer together In my mind every detail which than having might prove of future value. I was etllclency." Mill sitting there, but by then alert "Where Is and ready, when a key turned In the ..jn Q, lock, and the door was cautiously 1 her 8tr opened. MeCann's face appeared In tju, 8hlp." the opening, but his eyes were upon "And the the bunk, and he failed to observe me where I sat beyond the desk. lie took "They're i a step within, still staring at the }) .Vxcep ^ noW' as matted "''" Brain the Flrat Man Who At- jrou held ini Had I met tempta to Lay Hand* on Me." cabin. The only grad- blankets, and I had a glimpse Wt to reflect ^ tbe inflamed countenance of Liver- , on deck.! - MU"n" ' >eyond his shoulder. .original pianr* ie!" he ejaculated In star- "Not open mutiny? "The fellow's not here; and I know what thai vay 1" ed In to inuke the < :hed, and pushed past, hut so they would force d the door with his great to un American port. money, but with no In ?y! Where could he have 'ng to force. Then y< h the door locked? He's nnd this other thing 1 ht." gone too far now tc ^ ^ don't mer.fl to get cnuj H> uuu inveu me TWO, me you to decide whether between us, but took the vemains ufloat, und i to grip the stool By one whether the old hookc taluly present," I said cold- ?' again." r reference Is to me; but nu '1 scuttle the s ?u hoth to keep your dls- "That's for you to brain the first niun who advice to you not to t 0 lay hand on me." ' could scarcely la bave felt the challenge of "'Is; the proposition and I could tell he was in "tely heartless, so le vivid flame of his fuce. hardly nssoclnt oke from his lips. Fergus McCann. Sur d that before; 'twill pay In ,^al,ty# tho ut'pr civil now." f?0,lJ Profe??*?l hlnise his face, and sought ere some of your ragamuf- WM lw| at ,ne |n , asted the weight of my ^ ^ Red? swered. 'and I only hope ,QWS ,rM(1 counc|ir your turn next, you dirty ..gonie oy UR hnye? lut nee^- "Jim Dugnn, Slmnis ai t no chance to ever hreak lt ovt>r wUh Mr ^ n me, d yer, he roared, agreed what wus be! revolver from his Jacket. the two ov us come , ?e that? Well, we've got "Unless I consent t showlne vnup rnsped his sleeve. Justified, you propose a that, Ited," he said short- dlnn Chief?" e having a tone of com- "You an* Ha scorn?b which surprised me. "We "And If we do signhere to beat Ilollls up, "You'll sail us wlthl with him. This Is my the nearest open port to the boats, and leave r did not resist, only to up." id his teeth. The gun still "You'd report our co his hand, but I felt no "Nothln' was said e fellow, and returned the drift would be south deck. soon bring yer In the whut you mean, and be besides there's enough It." the sails ter give the eyes met mine, and I read w,l.v* ^ w figured we'r ertalnty. He was not yet t,H>re wns n b,& storm hut he had my measure; " was certainly a co ould resist, or what form osltlon, but the fellov on would tuke. Perhups matter-of-fact I no Ion it money did not seem to tn bo their final declsk 0 Important a weapon as c"r,h" d It elsewhere. hpre. Iled " 7 the crew beat vou up ^ro,n the drawer of the y did." he began apologet- foll,OWS ro",,7'e tho val icy are a rather rough tbp '"arK? below li I "We don't give a dai ste your time over that." ? y?" bl,tt"r' , 1 in disgust. "I can deal tt,H 8Um' N<7' ' -and-out fighter, and still . 7"? * l **" , but your kind only en- if" y , Cb??8? gust. There is no love ! Ch^f# at Hl i us, Fergus McCunn, so ? ,)Hy . . iUri?ose plainly, and with- ,ng e OWOer' W,th,D 1 T 111 M v . ,, , "An* If we get sna I will, he snapped, "and E ?sh op Fpench cru itrnlght enough this time ,A a . Vfv?t nil nr u C?CI gt"l mu. The only reason I Thnt ?ort,.r plnn doa erpool kill yoo Is that you w-ith n)e nor n,y mate? iluable to me alive. I've lt njj over n my time, but there never McCann *truck the d despised worse than I do lmpntlent at the disc "Your price Is too lc I said quietly, *T am hon- jH no piker's game. 1 worth more than flft7 e than that, I pay my emper now entirely ruined ~ ?nse of Indifference. "So to keep a civil tongue In W&T A 4r jfa you're no longer In com- xTT/pfT *mlj t the two of them, calmly i on the stool. I was not what hand I held, but 0 play the cards coolly. fllows are In control; and Nvfjk '^3r\ ? me now with some sort V* ^fll| to >n. All right; what Is It?" 1 a navigator for a few ho will luy out the course t i the only one on board." /(AvWH by far the most coinpe- 11 fSf >nfessed. "But you need rom that we are helpless - -asS I have no doubt I could tatter out fairly well If I 1 am perfectly uwure that :ton possesses some knowl- _lt? vlgatlon. I Imagine you doing this yourself, rather II her compelled to show her i Miss Carrlngton?" M'n stateroom; I have not ~ ice we took possession of "Your Price Is Too others?Rnseom, and the to R**t hack to New Yoi you help us quietly, o all right," broke In Liver- t? you?" t for some sore heads. We "What Is It you desl owner and the second mate "That you work ou1 .euyord and the engineer once a day, and set t trouble, and had to be as we direct; then tell got 'em ull quiet enough tain point has been ! they can't make any "What point?" "Fifty miles northea re they confined?" "And then what h J at me In a luiif-drunken "We will take to leave you und your of! ? none o' yer business? you please with the si Cann?" "Are all the crew v ident manner of the fel- mutinous deal?" to fully awaken me to a The eyes of the twi of the helpless position I Liverpool blurted out: [ held back the first hot "They'll all do whHt y Hps, and forced a smile, none ov 'em yer kin < Idea," I said, pretending a fight on your side; bt I was far from feeling, a couple we won't huv' lerely work under orders, we take to the hunts ther do that than let you "Who are they?" ship, and perhaps drown "Thar's no need o* company. What Is your that." s affair? You surely don't "Well, even with th< tpose of this vessel and only give us six nble-b la not enough with wt n't," and MeCann took a Indian Chief Into p<y 1, his hand resting on the "It will be all you'll he frank with you, Hollls, said MeCann grimly, has gone further than I mighty lucky at that, got the start of me while he southwurd, and will e prisoner aft here In the ly Into the steamer' re's nothing for ma to do need do Is keep steernt irk out of the fix as best until you are picked Imagine we want you then, was not part of your harbor at St, Johns ' 1 . =? we get there, do you? Come on now; t? -no. rm no fool, this talk, and give us an answer." t uieaus. I start- For a long moment I stood motionfrew dissatisfied, ,rss- staring out through the open port you to put back j nt the sunlit waters. It seemed to me I offered them J m.v hest course was to at least pretend tentlon of resort- to yield to their wishes. To acquiesce i ou locked me up, would Insure me a measure of fret' inmiened We've ,loln ?? bourd, tin opportunity to learn i back out We exact conditions, and might enable 5ht So It's up to 1 >?c to save the ship from destruction, the Indian Chief As to McCann. he had some object in 10 lives lost; or nI1 t,l,s fur mort' Important than ap- , ! peered ra the surface. He was never j >r iw uever heuro i assuming this risk, or investing all this money In an Illegal cuuse, without hip?" a more serious purpose than an Idle deride; It's m> desire to return to New York. He nke the chnnce." wUS taking u tremendous chunce, drtv lleve he meant en py some Impulse I could not comi was so ahso- prt<hend. What was the secret?hate, cold-blooded. I revenge, greed. love? 1 would And :e It even with out sometime; hut now I could only ely lie was not grope In the dark, guessing at his mo villain he now ttves. Yet 1 knew this?his promises If. My eyes left were lies. He would mnke use of me; Liverpool, who he would Induce me to pilot the ship ^ + drunken gravity. to the spot he desired to attain on the + Have you fel- hroad bosom of the ocean, and then? what? The man would never be fool he said sullenly, enough to permit the Indian Chief to id me, we talked snn |nt? any harbor to nccuse him of + icvann. ihtc, air 8?rh a crime. Back of all Ills words, ?t. That's why j,ls explanations, his apparent falrter see you." m<SRi lurked treachery. I felt It. and o sign a report knew It. and the very suspicion led me ? in on of the ship to reach swift decision. My eyes met to sink the In- j,,R with a smile. "I ennnot conceive that I have much oth ov yer." choice." I said quietly. "It Is to either -what then?" this In freedom, or under compulin fifty miles or Rton. Naturally I prefer the former." , and we'll take "You mean you accept our offer?" you to be picked -Yes; I will figure out the proper course, and report to you when the vesnditlon ashore?" Rej |S at the place you designate. That ? ibout that. Yer |R fl|] that Is asked of me. In return ard, an' would i h?Ve your pledge that the ship will track o* ships; jpft in good condition, with all who left ter handle are loyal safe on board?" hooker steerage "Yes." 1 be safe unless "There Is one more condition, McCann." I j ild-blooded prop- "What?" I v's tone was so "That Miss Carrlngton be left abso- | ger doubted this lately unmolested by either you or your 1 >n. I played my TOen, until the time comes for you to take to the boats." I I drew a paper "Hah! So that Is really where the desk. "Do you shoe pinches!" ue of this ship, "We will not quarrel about it?either intches?" RI1y y,,R or no." ru." | "What do you mean by unmolested? for It's a tidy Am I prohibited from speaking to the here?I'll pledge i?dy?" I d dollars, to be "That Is to be left to her choice, If you will dock not ynurs. She Is to retain the key to amburg." her stateroom; to eat alone If she prefers, and to see such associates en days of land- aboard as she desires." | Liverpool laughed drunkenly. pped up by an "That ain't the argyment," he said Iser on the way paRny. "So far as I see, that don't wuuiu ne a jan. change things none. She's locked her-, t make no hit gpjf jn anyhow, an' won't answer noi. We've talked body.. ( McCann growled something which I esk with his fist, to be assent, and I was myself usslon. ^ anxjous t0 ascertain our exact posl>w, IIollls. This t|OQ aa to have no desire for further ted knows It is j argument. I could be of no possible thousand to me vnjue locked a prisoner In that stateroom; no protection to her. Indeed, If J I refused to navigate the vessel, leavJ J ing the ship to drift blindly through flii ! these unknown waters, exposed cen-' I MM, stantly to peril, I would be guilty of y-agSjk a failure to do my duty almost as jQyeyjtf&v great as the crime of these others. On deck, knowing where we were and the direction in which we were going, the ' opportunity might arise for the areompllshment of much. I grasped the nec<*ssnry Instruments from the swinging fHU shelf, and, with these in my hands, turned toward the door. ,.'^3% "Come on, then," I said, ignoring the amp ^ fact that I was any longer a prisoner. ; usn "ltrlng the chart, one of you, and I'll j|q \ point out where we are to you on gSS^jlaww?&L "Just hold on a minute," and Liver- uij 3 r pool, blocking the doorway, pushed ine [ -a back with his huge hand. "We're the stujd ggpffVy,vflafe' bosses, not you. Olt It out o' your head ..'shv right now, mister, that yer the captain aunil of this ship Indian Chief. Mast yer! ?|{ ye ain't nut bin'; an' if yer attempt to ' play us any dirty tricks, I'll smash 1 yer the same as I would a flv. Ain't Low, HoiH." are made good t( rk. 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