The Devil's Admiral

ed by the three who had gone up the companionway after him. But when I heard no cry, or shot, or sounds of a struggle, I began to for

rolled, I must admit that I would have presented a sorry spectacle to any one who could have

Sang and murder all on board. I told myself that it was not my fault that I had been stripped of my arms and made a prisoner, and blamed Captain Riggs for allowing

the vessel alive. It was no time to go over past mistakes, no time to moan over what had happened. I longed for action, but, with both Captain Riggs and Thir

had dropped one as he fell into the forecastle, I examined his pockets. I got no pistol, but did find a box of matches, and, standing with my back to the scuttle t

om the upper deck. If Harris had had pistols his murderers must have taken them. I did find a dozen or more cartridges of

nd I dressed myself in light-blue nankeen frock and trousers which had belonged to a Chinese sailo

oke that bit the throat and eyes. The deck was strewn with panniers and cups, that clattered to and fro with the motion of the ship. The water

search through the chests for a weapon; but I did not want to remain too long below, alth

The knife-blade was broken within a couple of inches of the handle, but diagonally f

gh in my nervous haste it seemed an hour, and I stopped frequently to liste

side toward the foot of the companion, determined to get out of the stinking hole and try my chances in the open. My plan was to find Riggs, if I could, and, i

ms. Unless I could outmanoeuvre them before daylight and join forces with Riggs I knew we had small c

I would give them shot for shot, and cautioning my imaginary force to hold fire until the enemy was close at hand. I imagined that a bold manner, and the surprise they would

d that I had lingered long enough to give the enemy time to return. But I determined that I might as well fight there as anywhere else, and, bra

each succeeding board I knew that he was barefooted. He was feeling his way along, as if in strang

his queer swishing sound belonged to Rajah, the dumb Malay mess-boy. I knew it must be Rajah, probably seeking for Riggs; but I also knew that he would

oped that I might win the boy to my side. I could have struck him down with the heavy iron pin as he groped his way out of the companion; but there would

was not his enemy, for he could not make any reply to my plea

as soon as he stumbled upon me. But that way had its dangers, for he would undou

y with a lurch of the vessel. He was nearer to me than I imagined, and as he threw up his k

ing his arm, I made him drop the kris; and then, as I flung him backward over a chest, went with him, an

ttempted to squirm out of my grasp. "Number Fou

he had to convey that he understood an order, but I held him as gently as I could for a minute and tried to demons

ris. I found it, and then patted his head as he still lay upon the deck, and he patted

ign-language tried to make him understand that we sho

ey I heard a noise at the scuttle, and

e all the more convinced that I was against him, or make some startled exclamation which would betray his presence to Thirkle, and al

and as Captain Riggs reached the foot of the companion I struc

d the companion, holding up his hands in ter

y to fight with you. I'm not with that murdering crew. I didn't

. "I know you didn't kill Trego, but

ld you that I paid him for killing Trego so that Meeker, or Thirkle, would get me out of the

the deck?" he asked. "

Thirkle and Buck

Thirkle aboard here.

Rev. Luther Meeker. He is t

itting down upon it. "Harris was right." I could hear despair in h

l beat them yet," I said

"Light the slush-lamp,-

them a fight," I said. "It won't

d, and we listened. I stooped a

he slammed the scuttle-board shut, and we heard a

st with rail-chains. All hands lost, and the Lord have merc

aid about the rail-chains, although I was dismayed by the ominous soun

Riggs. "They hold the ship now, and t

and the multitude of smells which made the forecastle a hole of torture. But the light was comforting, and

ing at the body of the mate. "I told him not to come down, but he would h

ard Rajah coming down. It is lucky I didn't kill the boy-or that he didn't kill me. But that's all

s head, and it was then that I realized his age

o keep the crews from broaching cargo, and, even if we should cut through it, we would come against cargo in the hold, and would be no better off. I admire your pluck,

red it with straw and some of the clothing of the Chine

his, even if we are trapped. You certainly do not intend to surrender no

u don't know what it all means, of course. I tell you they'll loot her an

ing to have him tell me of the mysterious cargo than to take

They got Mr. Trego before he could warn us. And it's not my fault if I die for it. Me, J. Riggs, master of sail an

hey don't say something worse when the truth comes out. 'Riggs gone, and his ship gone,' they'll say, and then othe

"You say there

en or more! That's what they're after, and that's what they'll ge

his troubles and rouse his fighting spirit than for the

fear it, and I'm no weakling if I am an old man. But a master should know what's in his ship and what's before him, and not be caught in a me

y thought they were slick; but there were others just as slick, laying lines to beat 'em; and here I am, without

t there were to be no passengers this trip; but the owners saw a chance to make a few dollars extra, and the charter party says all right. I heard that much, a

spect you of a murder; and you bring one of his very men aboard-and m

uld they ship so much

for the Baltic fleet. At first they were going to make their headquarters in Manila and do the business there; but the most of the tramps-colliers-are British, an

d night. The masters of the colliers and the blockade-runners into Port Arthur won't take checks or other mo

to sneak it through like this, and with all their hiding and lying and sneaking there wa

ighting, cap

of the Devil's Admi

. Who is the

ver was heard from until her chronometer turned up in Swatow or somewhere. A Portuguese Jew had them in a pawnshop, and he said he bought them from

om. Some said she went out to run the blockade before Port Arthur, and the Japs sunk her, but the others said the Devil's Admiral go

is he,

tale. Some say he's a big chink, some say he's a big black man from the Africa

e poor chap told a crazy story that they couldn't make head or tail of, and he died before

ter sailing-ships; and now they say he went after steamers and go

t w

t a bulkhead, and the shriek of a

he gold, and the next move will be to get away with it in the boats after

k we have this Devil's A

to be the name of t

Thirk

eeker, Mr. Trenhol