The Island Bride — page 86: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

$0 CAST AWAY. So saying, the captain turned to Miss Trun lle and the par son, and requested them to follow him. As soon as they were ijn the state-room, he ordered the steward to procure them re- freshments. A few minutes after, he was again on deck, and, the boat having been hoisted by this time, he gave Dumps a couple ot revolvers, retaining a third for his own use. The four harpooners were then summoned, and ordered to ‘ rm themselves with lances and hatchets. They obeyed, after which the whole party, the skippe: taking the lead, moved fi rward in single file. -“ They’re down in the forecastle,” whispered Dumps, to his superior ; “ we can muzzle ’em all, one by one, as they come ap through the scuttle-way.” “Ay, ay,” said the captain; “ but the best way to do is to go into the forecastle afler’em, and muzzle ’em all at once. That we can easily do, seeing as we are the stronger party. There’s seven of us, with the steward, to say nothing of the assistance we can have from the watch, if we require it.” “ All right ; I'll take the lead!” cried the mate, and, spring- ing forward, he quickly descended the forecastle steps. Before he could turn round, however, a knife was driven to the hilt in the back of his neck, and he fell upon his side with a low groan. “ Ay, ay,” roared the voice of the giant, Clark ; “ we heard ye plottin’ there on the quarter-deck, and we are ready for ye all ; we'll sell our lives dear if ye attack us !” “Come on! come on, every man of you!” yelled the infuri- | ated captain ; “ they haven't any fire-arms—nothing but sheath- knives! We'll soon capture ’em !” He discharged one barrel of his revolver, in order to keep the convicts away from the steps, and then plunged through the scuttle, closely followed by his men. All were soon in the furecastle; pistols and lances were pointed at the hearts of the convicts, who, finding themselves kemmed in by an armed party, were obliged to surrender. They were handcuffed aud thrust into the run. The unfor- ‘tunate mate breathed his last a few hours after. His body was sewed up in canvas on the next morning, and was launch: adj overboard into its watery grave <— connicloooks.comnn