A FALL FROM GRACE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10871, 22 January 1901, Page 6

A FALL FROM GRACE.

Bt _o_ga\ -obe-tsox. Yank Tate was a single-nlindcd jack-of-ali-trades, short. square-bearded, open-eyed, and as honest as a human being may" be. ; Ia spite of his versatility he was a in__er- | seaman and mechanic, and. helped by his i singlc-niindedness, a faithful devotee of an \ ideal which had come to him in childhood J and clung to him through the years. It j had taken him in early manhood from car- ' penter and joiner's work to a shipyard at less par. It had impelled him to go to sea in the first carpenter's berth that offered. , It had dominated all Influences that shaped j his wanderings, and. finally, after years of experience as a foot bail of Fate, it had brought him to Eastern waters—the nursery of pirates —and left him stranded "on tiio beach" at Manila, from which he had been rescued by the Rev. Mr Todd, missionary, who recognised good material. Mr Todd had laboured and wrestled with his soul, vainly, until Yank learned that he needed a unite in hi- little missionary brig, whereat, botli made concessions: Yank got a berth, and acknowledged himself saved, provided that Mr Todd would consider the agitation closed, and not expect him to pray iii Ills 'watch below. And the missionary agreed. Ho knew nothing of the secret, unsullied ambition bidden in Yank's honest heart to become a roaring, bloody-minded, walk-the-plank, skull-and-crossbones buccaneer; so the watch below was given up to sleep and secular thought, and Yank'schances for backsliding were a hundred per cent, better. Hat thus far. he had met no pirates, unless the nondescript craft coming out of the west propelled by sweeps was of that nature. Mr Todd was palpably anxious. Sweltering through six days of dead calm with tiir oozing from ropes and pitch from deckseams, while the barometer dropped steadily to 28.56 —sure sign of a typhoon—was troubling enough without this additional menace. Below in his desk was the accumulation of seven years' innocent trading with the..innocent islanders—about ten thousand dollars' worth of little iridescent globules much valued in jewellery manufacture —which he had taken in exchange for Bibles, knives, trinkets, et cetera, from different converts on tiic islands of his route. And hero he was in piratical seas with a .small crew of non-combative Kanakas in his forecastle, and only one white man to help him. He was ns good a seaman as Yank, and a better navigator; yet he could not classify iha approaching vessel. She had the hull cf :>, Chinese junk, the mainsail and grtfi'topsu 11 of a schooner, ar.d a lateen foresail slung to a heavy yard, while cut over the bows was a cocky stump bow:sprit and oldfashioned spritsail-yard, with sail attached —clearly a hybrid of thc high seas, a makeshift, ofhtird'times; and as she s-lopped ber v.-ay along, her sails flapped ludicrously with tho draft of her motion. "Perhaps.'' said Yank, handing the glass to his superior, his brown eyes glistening, "sh.s a pirate. Ten sweeps and two potts to a's-hii*. Big crew.'' '•Let's hop. not,' answered Mr Todd, gravely. "But if so, let us hop. that the other "one is a war-vessel." Half v. mile to the south, ar.d extending east and west about four mil- cat'-i wuy, was the northern fac. of an atoll, or coi;:! reef, enclosing a. lagoon. Within this lagoon was anchou-d the other craft infciitioneJ, a large, black ar.d rakish brig, whose •ijKiikliii* guns and generally stylish appearaiiiiti suggested government owner-hip. Thou . i th'ev had ii.v.n their own flag that i morning, as a slow current drifted them aiotind°the atoll, the tign.-.l w«„ not answered, and none of her crew was visible. Close study with the glass had shown them a thickening of the reef on the smith-"Slide, where the debris of ths „.:•, hud formed hi-«!, and here were a few stunted palms .and what l'jok.d like tents. The same scrutiny had disclosed an opining in tha reel on the east, and another on the north side. Had there been wind. Mr Todd would have, entered for further „._i-;-intanee. As it was, with a typhoon coining, the atoll was a pace of clani*—*, and ha wondered why the brig did not warp out. Early in the morning he had sent down upper sp.'.rs and slowed ail canvas except a ttcirm .-.panki" and fo'retopmaststaysuil, and now, with nothing to do but watch the approach ol the suspect to the westward, he improved the time by hiding his treasure and other valuables and destroyiv.'f his aceouirt-bnok; but to no avail, for tho first remark of a villainous-looking swashbuckler who climbed over his rail an hour later was: "Been a-looldn' fer you. Hand ober them peaiis." He was a- giant mulatto, with bloodshot eyes, fang-lik- teeth, and a settled grin mi a* face further distorted by every evil thought and passion. He was followed by a crew of about thirty—cut-throats ail—as nondescript as the craft bumping alongside. They were of every breed of men, black, white, and yellow; they were dressed fantastically, each to suit himself, but were armed alike, with short cutlass and heavy pistols. They crowded the wondering Kanakas forward, while their leader interviewed Mr Todd and his mate. "Pearls, Mr Todd," he repeated. "Hand ober dem pearls." "What pearls';" "Nd time to hear you lie," he said. "Hear all about you and your pile. Come aft, here, four hands," he called to his men. "Four came. They seemed to know what was wanted. Quickly and silently they seized Mr Todd, throttled his angry protest, bore him to the deck and bound him : then fastening the end of tbe mainstaysail halyards to his ankles, they hauled on the other part, and swayed him up, feet first, until his lingers cleared ths deck. He writhed and struggled to lift his head— successfully; but they fastened his wrists to the life-rail, bowsed him higher, and belayed. Yank Tate watched in fascinated horror, and the pirate lighted a cheroot. "When you're ready to tell, I'll lower you," he said, quietly. Tho unfortunate missionary* groaned, and cried unto heaven for help; then he appealed to Yank, then to his crew, huddled near the windlass, lastly to the pirate captain. "Mercy," he gurgled. "Yes, yes, take them." _ , Fiesh and blood coidd have stood it no longer. He was black in the face when they stretched him out on the deck, and for "five minutes was unconscious; then he opened his eyes. "Where?" "asked the pirate, bending over him. Mr Todd did not answer. "Up wid him again," ordered the mu- [ latto. and they manned the rope; but Mr ' Todd lifted his hand. "Under the cabin,'' he whispered, hoarsely —"starboard side —near the deadwood— loose plank." "Good." The captain descended tbe main hatch, and returned in a few minutes with a canvas ditty-bag that bulged with its contents. Hia mocd had ciianged; he laughed, and waved the bag over the head of the still prostrate missionary. "All in the sabing o' souls." he chuckled. "Ai. fo' de glerv o' God. Now. I tell yon," he added, more seriously, "you go right 'long a*.*' git some. more. I wait for 'em. I let you keep this little ratten ol' brig—good 'nough to sabe de heathen wid—no goed to me—too small. But—how much money you got down in y<»* desk'/" Mr Toild rose unsteadily to his feet and answered brokenly: "I have a very little—not a week's pay for my crew. I have provisions—yam, cereals, salt meat, canned goods, coffee. Take what you please. Kill us if you like. But, I enjoin you. in the name of an outraged God, not to torture us." The pirate's face sobered to its sneering grin. He pointed to his craft alongside. "See d_ vessel? What you call her rig? Once she %vas a mandarin junk—sixty men. Dey all walk de plank. See dat mainsail? Dat belong to a down-east Yankee trader. Cappen an' six men—all yo' countrymen. I hang 'em all up to dat gaff 'fore I cut de mast out fo' myself. See dat fo'sail? Arab dhow. Dey nil roast. Who-' you whinin' 'bout? Y'ou's de goose dat_ lays de egg. Dats why I let you go. You keep yo' money. YV keep yo' brig an' yo' men. an' yo' »i_b. Sometime I ketch you agin and gir mo' pearls." "M-istcr. ' said M_ Tudd. "Aud do ycu think that I shall be a party to such a coinpi'.t? Fool. Kill mc at once and your chance of continuing yc-ur infamous career is much better." ,

"Wba* vo' do?" '•Do you think," went on the enraged missionary ."now in command of his voice and vocabulary, "that you have robbed a weaKlinir. a man who wili rest content? You have taken my all. It is mine, gained by honest barter." There are men-of-war in these se;is. I ba've influence. I will see you hanged." For a moment or two the pirate chief seemed to be thinking deeply; then he said to his men: "Put it roun' his neck, run him up to de masthead and slack him down." Mr Todd was net bound—he was simply held tightly in tho clutches of three, while the fourth knotted a hangman's noose in tho end of the halyards, and adjusted the knot under his ear." He struggled and fought, crying out inarticulately, until the men forwanf lifted him clear cf the deck; then, up he went, wriggling and twisting, his long coat-tails and longer legs thrashing out at right angles to his line of asrent, and his hands grippiii-. the rope over his head. This saved him. Had he been bound he would have strangled. As he went up to tha block aloft, Yank Tate, wonder and doubt, shock and horror intermingled in his open co_. teuance. stepped up to the captain. "H-tdn't oughter to do this, Cap'n," he said, i'.r-'ii!iientatively, and almost pleadingly. "There's a man-o'-war in yonder. She"can see; she'll know, and she'll follow you." "Wba—who " yelled the pirate, hilariously. "Bill Swarth—a man-o'-war. Yahvah, he'll see: he'll know—but he won't toiler. Hey, dere," he called forward, for Mr Todd was chock-a-block, "slack him downslack down de golden goose."

Yank drew back, and Mr Todd came down. He lay on the deck for a time, as before, then assisted by Yank, arose to his feet, and clung to the* life-rail, his breath coming and going in wheezing groans, while his dark eyes sparkled luridly.

"Now," said the mulatto, in a quiet voice, "wnen you sec mc hanged you'll know how it feels." and 'joy it much better. I'm goin' now. I won't "report you to any 'Merican consuls roun' here, 'cause you might be called home to tell why you s-.vind'.e natives in yo' m.hsionary brig." 'So, you jess go 'long an' git mo' nearls fo' mc. An' say " he pointed to the atoll—'"don't make no complaints to dat mun-o'-war in dar, or you'll lose de money I lef you, and yo' brig. An' yo-.i need 'em in *"o' business."

Mr Todd, his' solemn face working convulsively and his long frame swaying as he rested his weight first on one foot, then on tlie. other, gave voire to short speech, which, in his honest anger, was a prayer—a. supplication —:•. calling down of the wrath of Omnipotence on tho head of the despoiler, but ouiwn.rdlv, v,-ith regard to its terseness, explosivene. , and co—monplacenrs.. of expression, it was an oath, nothing else; a plain imprecation, and it moved the pirate to tears—of laughter. "Yah-vaii." the mulatto yelled, while he danced buk :md forth, swinging the bag of pr.-ils. "Yrili—hc-ho—l better go sabe km. :•;. toi. I crs?; most as good as dat vny- -■''')"." Th •■•ii it? sob.--, id. stidder.lv, ;:r.d or-d.-'i-in-.-'his <.r.w b-:..-.- to their craft, followed them, thi-.ring lmidly with meek cani-st-r.r-ss: "Dere i.- wcil: for all in de vineyard of de _~_■_ " He .-••.• u_ t-.iily tliis nm;:h. Mr Todd, with ill:;.:'.is ii- h ; .> e-:r*. had turned his buck and w;-V. ir.'ovii!-.; ;r.ft. which gave Y'tmk Tate the cppjr'unity uf his lifer He followed the pi;-,;*.-.; "hief snd caught him at the rail, inurruptlng these.-::_. "Col-, ell h:i:id>:. C-inpsn?" he said, ouickly. "Want a •.'■\><:d li-.mil—a carpenter?" For iinswer lie was knocked prone upon hi'j baik by ;-. blow of the Inure mu'atr.o's ibrl : •" "id while king there, too daned to rise, nnd with his pulpy nose spouting streams oi bhicd. listened to this: "No. you no-account hypocrite —you robber of natives and übtabi'ef of money under i.-tlsa pretence-- —I don't want you in my shin. I'm p'ticub.r who I 'sociute wit." The pirate climbrd over the rail, ordering fastenings cic-xt; of" and iweeps manned. \\ lien ten yards separated the two craft, Yank aros-:. d:.--L : giii-til. chagrined, and as angry as it was possible for him to be with ;•- iVlkiw-eie'ttr.rc. "You enme b;*..l* here", yon hal.-conj-jd -liir.ke.-'" he veiled, slinking his fist. "Comeback here an* figiii iVo*rt, I kin-lick you, 'big as you arc. Gome back, you nigger-— you nisrser—vou damn nigger!" .""'--;'>' A derisive laugh rung out. and the strange craft swung around the brig's bow, making back to the west. Yank drew a bucket of water, swabbed his swollen features, and went aft, where Mr Todd was leaning moodily against the rail. "What happened?" asked the missionary. "Why did he"strike you?" '"Wei!, jnsr this." answered Yank, in some confusion, not knowing how to explain —then deciding that an out-and-out lie was best, he said: "I went up to him an' told him that he was wrong, an' wicked, an' —an' such like— an' told him we'd pray.fur him. But he didn't agree to it. an' plugged mc." "You were wrong yourself, if not wicked. No prayer will avail with him. He is a type. lam an instrument of the vengeance cf the Lord. I feel that I have been chosen, perhaps you also. I feel that the Lord will decree, having sorely tried us, that we are to meet that man again." "Mebbe. I kin lick the stuffin' out o' any damn Ethiopian, stand up an' knock down, that ever stole a chicken if he'll only " "Hush. When will you reform your voc.ibu'ary? Go forward; send three hands aft to the spanker, and stand by the fore-topi—i«t-staysail sheets. There is wind coming. While you are waiting, get all the small chain on deck, and overhaul as much forward of the windlass as you can.' We may have to use it—though I doubt that we can clubhaul against a reef rising out of the deep sea." Yank answered and obeyed. And the events of the next twenty-four hours followed in such ouick succession that he was spared the further pain of chagrin and disappointment. The typhoon came down upon them with a preliminary darkness to the north followed by a deluge of rain. Then came wind, gentle at first, which enabled them to cast the brig cm the port tack with small steerage-way; then a succession .f furious blasts, the" second of which ripped the storm-spanker to ribbons ; then a steady, screaming pressure which bore men aarainst tha lee rail and flattened the ground-swell of the sea to a milk-white froth. Even with the helm k_d-do_h. the brig would not steer, but paid off. toward tlie atoll. Mr Todd knew that with the staysail furled to balance the loss of the spanker, the brig would only drift bediry toward the jagged reef to leeward. As there wa-s not a sail on board half as strong as'the lost spanker, aid as the staysail might go at any moment, he decided that there was but one thing t*> do. scud on the only track whicli might be open—through the northern inlet- of the reef to a dubious anchorage, or to a journey through the eastern inlet to sea-room and safety. He took the wheel himself—with, tne Kanaka helmsman to leeward to help him and pat it up. roaring orders to Ya_k regarding ground-tackle."" The brig paid off, straightened to an even keel. and. rolli-ig slitrhtly. more from uneven wind-pressure than from the action of the sea, charged, down toward tli-e nest of coral. A auarier-mile away on all sides, sea and sky were merged in the cloud of spindrift that, ros? from the frothy sea; and beyond this was the reef. But he was a wise man, this Mr '.'odd. and he had taken the bearings of the inlet while there was still time. He steered a compass course, and soon distinguished the shadowy, loftier outlines of the"reef to starboard and pert on the flat froth ahead of him. and knew that he was ri'*ht. With a moment's time now to look around he saw, off on the starboard quarter, the pirate ship, dismasted, broadside to the wind, and surely doomed. Then the smudge shut her out, and Mr Todd steered on, with a <*rim smile on his face; for, he was but human, and human beings lately triced up by the heels, hanged by the neck, and despoiled, are apt to forget the Golden Piule and its corollaries. The little brig whizzed through the intet into the water no calmer than the flat turmoil without, but lacking, in a measure, the overlying cloud of spume; and Mr Todd saw, in a" hurried look to starboard, the nig brig close up to the reef, with cables, taut as Iron bars, made fast to projections cf coral. The sight decided him. The brig's commander would never have moored to the reef liad he. not distrusted tbe holding-s-round beneath, and with a shout to Yank Tate to come aft. he shifted the wheel and staered roughly fcr the eastern inlet. Yank appeared.

"Never mind the anchors," shouted Mr Todd, in his ear. "Rig a tarpaulin in the port main*rigging to help steer. I'm making fcr the east inlet."

Yank attended to this, and Mr Todd soon picked up the opening to the south-east. To allow for leeway he steered a Ml point higher than the "inlet's direction, and tha staysail gave the little brig good headway, with tho square of canvas aft to balance it. All might "have gone well had not a gun boomed out aboard the large armed brig hanging to the reef, and a solid shot plunged into the mainmast six feet below the hounds. There was no sail on the mast except the tarpaulin in tlie rigging: but in that furioiis pressure of wind no mast weakened in this manner could stand. The topgallant—_t was on deck, but the topmast and upper part of the lower mast sagged forward, slowly and steadily; lanyards stretched like rubber strings, then "snapped, and down came the fabric amid the roars of Mr Tcdd and Yank to "Lay aft. for your lives." It crashed on the lee rail, balanced a moment, and rolled overboard, then, held by the still intact mainstay, it drifted to the quarter —an embarrassing drag, which pulled the brig' 3 head off before the wind. The crew, though frightened, were unhurt. With axes and knives they slashed nt rigging until the wreck was astern; then, they set a, doubtful fore-spencer—an alleged storm-sail forward, corresponding to the spanker aft. But in spite of its age and weakness, it held together, and the brig sped toward the inlet, rushed through at ten knots, and squared away dead before the wind for at least a ten-hour scud : for there was no heaving-to with all after-sail gone. Mr Todd plotted his track, and when the wind moderated, rigged a jury mainmast and sail of his maintopgallant-gear, then witit short head-sail, beat back to tlie atoll with two dominating speculations in his mind— as to whether his pearls were above water or below, and as to why he had been fired at—arriving three days later, by which time Yank's sore nose was healed and his spirits recovered. They noted the white tent on the southern edge of the atoll as they skirted it. and well over to the eastward—as far as where the reef broke up into the maze of fragments through which ran the dee}), east channel— were moving specks, men undoubtedly, who seemed to he waving caps. High and dry near the north inlet, unkempt and forlorn, was the junk-like hull of ths pirate ship; but there was no sign of the large brig, within or without. They sailed around until abreast of the wreck; then, with mainyards backed, the bri-r drifted. Leavinir Yank in charge, Mr Todd lowered a boat and visited the wreck, confident that it was deserted. He was right; it was net only empty of li-v-intr creatures, but stripped and gutted of everything —animate that was movable. There wtis not even ballast in the hold; tiie cabin and forecast-- were void of furniture and clothing. The sails and gear had. of course, gone with the masts, but guns and curri-.ges. deck-blocks, pumpbrakes, hand-spikes, belaying-pins, and all ropes, lines, and running-gair had b'en r?.m.'-v_l by the men. Til's dingy brown hull was a shall, ar.d though he searched high and low. Mr Todd found no trace of his pearls. He returned to his little brig with fflonmy f ;'._•. "Jio.hercd 'bout somf.f.hhi' in yonder," said Yank, as he climbed thc rail. "Makin' ;• hi? snuikv." He pointed south, toward e.he- thickened part o. the atoil, where black i-niiik": soared skyward. "We'll go in." answered the chief, determinedly, after a look through the glass. '*! am not yet sura of my duty, or of v. iir-.t is required of mc; but they tire evi-cl-.Btly in trouble, pr-rhups hungry, and possibly open to r-si-ms " They swung the yards and sailed in u'.-ross th. lagoon to within a hundred yards of th;- bench, where, after first satisfying himself tli!>t the shouting men on the strip of coral had no boats, Mr Todd dropped anchor and sculkd iv with his dinghy, stopping at a safe distance. "Co-ma in," yelled a. toll, black-eyed, sunburnt man with a big moustache, who sce-med to bo the lender. "Come in. We're all right—only damned hungry and thirsty." Then the rest —hollow-eyed aud -Taunt —voiced ths invitation in unmis-i'ak-.blv sincerity. They were armed to the l:i-.-fc man with" long knives, aud we're- ;- dressed- in red shirts and cups; but they were not th- men who had boarded the brig. "Who are you?" asked Mr Todd. "Why are you here? You are armed; lam not, and have lately suffered from it. Explain who you are." "Come in. We're all right. We're harmless. Here—look." The'leader tossed his long knife toward Mr Todd. It K.onk in two fathoms. "Disarm—every man jack of you," he shouted, and a shower of knives fell around ihe boat. "Now. come in. We're marooned to starve —that's all that ails us. We belong to the brig that shot away your mainnvist. Damned sorry —thought it was Chink. Had an old war with him, and never thought he'd let anyone get away from him. So we let go at you." "iou mean," queried Mr Todd, "that you fired on what you supposed to be a pirate crew who had first disposed of myself and men?" "Yes. That's it. We knew his old tub. Wo knew Chink. And he never spared anyone before. Thought he'd taken .your brig for himself." "And why are you here?" "We came in to* mend our rudder and had to stay through the blow. We got boats out, took Chink and his gang off the reef, just in time to save 'em alive, and afterward found his mainmast and towed ifc in here—over yonder, with the guns and dunnage " the leader pointed up tbe beach. "We were going to help him refit, and stripped his craft to launch her; but he put up a iob on us when our rudder was fixed-— got all hands a.shore here but my mate, then rushed for the boats, the lot of them, put off to the biig, killed the mate as wo watched 'em, and went to sea- We're supposed to starve, while he gets away with niy brig and your pearls. He told mc about his haul,"and I saw the bag." Mr Todd turned and hailed Y'auk, ordering him to strike out a, barrel of bread and a cask of water. Then he sculled out to receive them, and when Yank had lowered tbem into the dinghy he invited him to come ashore. "We have nothing to fear from these men," ho said. "They are pirates beyond doubt —but pirates with a grievance equal to ours. Like us, they are instruments. We can aid each other." Which partly explains Mr Todd's later acquiescence to a questionable scheme propounded by Captain Swai-th at a conference in one of the tents, the dominant reason being tho enthusi—stic approval of tlie single-minded Yank Tate. Tlie scheme was, to temporarily change the missionary brig to a pirate, brigantine by substituting Chink's mainmast with its still intact mainsail and gaff-topsail for the jury rig; and thus disguised, to sail in pursuit of Chink, whom Captain Swarth vowed he could find, and to recover by law of might the brig and the pearls. Yank stipulated ghoulishly that, in return for his services as carpenter in masting the brig, he be allowed the privilege of prodding Cliink along tlie plank when he walked it, and Mr Todd stipulated that he bo not involved in conflict or con%act with either side, receiving his pearls ' rherelv for the loan o-f his brig. Captain Swlj— i promised. and Mr Todd c-hided \"i—Jk on his bloodthirstiness. "You are ever a backslider." he said, sternly. "What will be your future when you no longer have mc to guide and advise you?" "Don't know," answered Yank, calmly, as he bit off a chew of forbidden tobacco. '"It's tlie least of my troubles; and this good-for-evil business don't always work. I gave him good—promised to pray for him, and he gave mc evil—plugged mc in the nose. An' then, you know, I'm an instrument." Mr Todd sighed and turned away, realising that Yanks independence came only of a prospective berth with Captain Swarth. who had taken a stron_- fancy to liim He was certainly a valuable man to any skipper. He dressed down and shortened the junk's mainmast to suitable dimensions for use in the brig, and, finding a Fplit in the lower end, ha constructed a for-'e. and shrank an iron band or two around it; ha invented a coral paint to whiten the black brig, of coral powder and boiled oil from Mr Todd's paint-locker, fashioning the mill for pulverising coral with two grind-ton— and a couple of pi_rp-brakes. He was cheery, industrious and enthusiastic, loving wort a_id his fel-low-——i —and limited only ?*v his unseemly ambition to burn, sink, and destroy.

Mr Todd had a bold full of provisions intonded for distribution and sale at the islands on his rout.; so there was no lack of food for then-, forty men, though the water supply was low. A kit—ier; was_ setup on the shore, and the bewildered Kanakas impressed into the service of Swarth _ cook: but they were of little use. There being no carpenter in the pirate crew, Yank wus appointed foreman of construction; Mr Todd "and Captain Swarth became consulting engineers; and the crerw —rascals all, but white men and able seamen—were to carry on the work, which they did: first giving up their long knives. Sheers rose on the brig's deck and the reduced mainmast was stopped: rigging waa cut out ar.d set up: the topmast was sent up and equipped : then some sail-mak-ing w-<ts done, and the brig had became a brigantiue—square rigged forward aDd schooner ri-wed aft. Through it all Yank Tate looked for orders less and less to Mr Todd, and more and more to Captain Swarth, yet from no lack of respect for Mr Todd's seamanship, wliich was of a qua-lit*- that impressed even tho pirate chief —a skilled specialist—to the point of asking how he, a mere missionajry, had become so familiar with nautical technique. ''Observation," answered Mr Todd, "and a f_v voyages before tho Lord called mc."

"Um—humph. Sure you were called? Men like you are scarce aboard sliip. Sure you were" not called to the quarter-deck? I knew by the way you handled your craft in the typhoon that you wero one in a hundred—in fact, I thought you were Chink—and he's a whole seaman. And vet, Cliink got dismasted. Well. I want a, mate and a. quartermaster. Square it with -*ourseif, ar.d the berth's yours at any tinie." But Mr Todd sadly and firmly declined. "I feel," he said, ''that I am entitled to mv little worldly store against the chances of old age, but" not to begin a career of violence "and revenge—though the world has used mc badly, I admit." "Suppose we can't recover yo_r pearls?" But the mission— 7 sighed, aiid refused to dbxuss it. They took Chink's four carronades, even thou-jh the powder was wet, and cut ports in tha bulw:_ks, against Mr Todd's protest. It was done for its moral influence on tlio missionary, and Yank voted with Swarth. A few coats of white paint without, and bunks for forty men within, completed the little craft's' disguise, ana she put to sea with Swarth in command, Yank Tate-in his old berth—mate and carpenter —and her quondam commander, the earnest ;tnd forceful Mr Todd, a quiescent aud noncombative p_ss_ic_Gr. Swarth headed for Fauna Lo Island, for water and traces of Clunk, and obtained both. A -wild-eyed man came off in the boat and tojd of his being marooned by Chink for a —nail disagreement, and of Chink's announced intention to ravage the China seas with his fine, new, ten-gun brier—-"lit to thrash'a man-of-war." The man was shipped, and the brig sailed west, leaving behind six Kanaka deserters, who. no doubt, could live and die happily on this well-stocked, well-watered island. But Mr Todd, on hearing tliis, gently *-"inounct'd a sad suspicion that Captain Swarth and the recreant Yank had compounded the desertion—which may or'may not, have been true. Yank was too supremely happy to deny anything criminal and disgraceful. There -were sure signs of Chink here and there in the China Sea—wreckage, drifting boats holding dead men, and an occasional '■mouldering and derelict- hull; but they had cruised three months before early one morning, hove-to in a how-ling mile off the southern end of Formosa, they sighted

a emit,, hull-down in the west, which Swarth knew for his brig. She was on the starboard trick, under double-reefed topsail;;, spanker, and foretopmast-staysai], and the wind being out of the east, lay almost directly to leewtsrd.

"Our work is cut out." said Swarth to his men. when they had assembled a-t> his call. 'We'll run "down flying a distresssignal to fool him, and we'll keep out of sight -till wo get there. Then—there's no turning bad;; for tliis craft can't lay alongside in the sea. We'll board our own" brr'-g and take her back. We've nothing but. knives, but we know how to use them. No quarter, for you'll get none if you lose."

They yc-lled an approving response and flourished their > knives-. And Yank, having none, el-vated his broad-axe —a murderous tool with ten inches of razor-like edge —and veiled ths loudest.

Yards were squared, reefs taken out, and the little vessel" was headed toward the brig, while a British ensign, union down, was fastened in the port main-rigging; then all but Swarth and a couple of men —all three in yellow oil-skins—hid themselves behind tho rail, sharpening their knives ;is they waited. In two hours they coul! make out tbe huge figure of Chink on the brig's quarter, and shortly after were within hailing distance. "Brig ahoy," roared Swarth, through a trumpet. "Brig ahoy." "Wlui' you -want?" cams hade faintly, against the wind. "Keep off wi' dat craft in dis big sea." "Brig ahoy," again called Swarth, as though not understanding Chink's answer. ''I'm short o' grub and water. I'll heaveto to windward o' you and send a boat."

Chink sprang frantically to the top of the skylight, and waving to his helmsman to put the -wheel up, sang out thundering orders to his men, plainly distinguishable, for the brigtintine was nearly upon him. It was too late. Swarth (had gained the time he needed, and now putting hit? helm hard-down, rounded to alongside the brig —yards catching yards aloft, rigging .snapping, and Chink's cosmopolitan crew rivaling" their leader in blasphemous objurgation. Then the two vessels crashed together, and a dozen or so of Chink's men sprang over with their short cutlasses, ready to exterminate the lubberly visitors; but- they did not return. Forty redsiiirted men arose to receive tliem, and great -was their surprise while it lasted; it was not a fight—merely a killing. "Hurrah, lads," shouted Captain Swarth, as he sprang over the rail to his own craft. "Here are the men who left us to starve. Give it to 'cm." Yank among them with Ids broad-axe, they followed ; and Mr Todd, unarm ed and" dignified, brought up the rear. The little brigtintine, with yards square and canvas aback, bumped her way astern and drifted away—a future derelict. Mr Todd, near the main-rigging of the brig, saw her disappear, but hud neither heart nor power to stop her, so new, and horrid, and paralysing, was the eight before him —a hand-to-hand struggle with knives and cutlasses—the wickedest warfare tliat human beings ever indulged in. A few single-shot pistols exploded but were not reloaded. Tlie shouting now was done by the mixed crew under Chink. Swarth's men—trained in sheath-knife fencing— saved tihei-r breath. Where one could close with his opponent, he liad the advantage—a short preliminary wrestle, an opening, a sudden thrust, a man less. But they could not always close, and those of Swarth's men who had seized cutlasses from the over-supply in the racks at the gun-stations did not n-eed to ; so, there was a nerv-e-*—ckiiig jingle of steel added to the uproar, as the men fenced for their lives. Forward near the fore-rig-ging, a huge negro of Chink's crew lay witu a divided shoulder—a victim to Yank Tate's broad-axs; and as tlie fascinated missionary watched he saw the handle of this broad-axe rise and fall—coming down on heads and -blades as a club. But, ib becaime apparent to Mr Todd that in this furious melee, length of steel was telling; there were more red-—lirted men prone upon the deck than thea-e w_•_ of tho others. Yank had become the centre of an enclosing circle of flourishing steel, wliich he was keeping at a proper radius; and on the poop-deck Captain Swarth was engaged with Chink, and holding his own ; nevertliekss, it was plain that tha defenders of the brig avere winning. As the missionary looked, Sw-arth slipped and fell; b_fora he recovered himself Chink had sunk his blade into his shoulder, and sprung to the main-deck to join his men. Then it was that the Rev. Mr Todd took action. S_ecting a capstan-bar from the ra-ck near him. he whirled it over his head and walkod briskly into the fray, his long clerical coat-tails flipping with his motion. His eyes sparkled in his sombre face; his lips were parted and drawn tightly over his gleaming teeth; he growled incoherently; he was not pleasant to look upon nor was he pleasant to meet. A man faced him, and fell—with a crushed head ; then _lother and another. Tliere was no standing before t_-s tail, mu-scukir terror, who wliirled, and r.risted, and flourished that six-foot club with quicker motion than

they could givo to th—r cutlasses, __«, fell back and left him a path, but I turned upon tbem. The chele arour _ lank, melted away, and n__ . s pran„ ,' meet the now enemy—but only to* __ when they reached* him. Swarth's «_ took heart and fought harder whif Chink, whom Mr Todd wos plainly trv_o to find, called his followers around him J the forward door of the ca—in and hart them defend it. Then tha pirate entail the cabin and returned wi_. the „*,.; ditty-bag. ™" "Here," he called, as he held it an "Here, you humble follower of fa m__ an' lowly. Dis what you want? "fist, it an' call off your dogs." ** "Throw it to mc," yelled the fren? _„ missionary. "Throw it to mc." ' "Stop fightin', and make terms. \\y _, not beat vet." And Mr Todd fSi _ Vsd ~ to oblige him; but the furious men besi_ him, with their leader fallen, would &_ desist. They presed -order upon t_ little band at the cabin-door. Then tb bag was thrown—overboard. Mr Todd became a hemiedd- mtmisp He yelled a_d shrieked, struck aad p. 4 ded, killing three of ten imai stirronnd : r» Chink before he met the chieftain f.__ _ face. Then these two fought—ihe oce witih cutlass, the other with that terti. _ white-ash capstan bur. There were- fifteen of Siwarth's men beside him when th_due'l began, and of thes. five fell b.fo-. the last of Chink's followers stretched out in death. The survivors turned, ta c D _ the single combat raging along the dee_ •from mainmast to ""foremast-; but titcy found that in this fight there was no rotm for their short knives. Early in the fray Chink's cutlass had gone to pieces, and _I had fled to the mainmast, there to arm himself equally. And now, around the deck, forward and aft, to starboard import, the two men were contesting, wit!.' their ponderous weapons, in a fight? which in the nature of things could have but one survivor. Tho gi_it mulatto, silent rule impassive, whirled his club and retr^fed:the equally tall, but thinner, wirier and quicker-motioned missionary, yelling and exclaiming insanely, pressed him hardstriving to bring the'six-foot club down on the woolly head dodging before him. Th. red-shirt—l victors formed a circle sbolif them, but not one oared to enter withU the sn-eep of those capstan-bars, which, when they met, rebounded with greate force than is usually given to a blacksmith') sledge. The conibsitonts sipped .ova the dead and living bodies, and. up_i them; they stooped, endeavouring to lungithey sprung in the air, and to the rig&t' and to tho left; they fenced—and their fencing came of no skill acquired by tutelage but of instincts derived from the' .Ago of Stone, when clubs v.-er_ the only wesj---ons, and victory the only prize of combat —and at last Chink stumbled on the oatstretched arm of a dead man, and the can. cident sweep of his club lost its initial direo tion, just enough to admit the descending bludgeon of the missionary to strike a glancing blow on his head. He fell, but his head was not injured; it was his crushed shoulder which brought an agonised howl from his throat, tlie fight to an end. Ha dropped his weapon and sat upon the deck. "Bind him hand and foot." ordered Mr Todd, panting hard, but soif-containtd now. "Bind him tight. I made him a piomls. once." The men obeyed him. Chink's evil face, as they fastened his wrists and ankles, was a composite of a 1 unworthy emotions; yet he made no sound uutil Mr Todd ordered the mainstaysail halyards overhauled to the deck and a hangman's noose made iv the end of the fall. Then he protested, in a loud, waning tone. "You won't do dat: Oh, Mister Todd, you won't do dat. I gib you pearls. I gib you money to make up. Don't hang me.' ; "Hush," answered the missionary, sternly, ■ as they slipped the noose around his neck ':■• •md drew it tight. "You marked"'younfe-f-'----for the vengeance of God when "you let—red and robbsd a man who had not harmed you, but had the courage to follow you. I warned you. Up with him. men," he called; "hook the bight- in the stanchionsheave and bowse him up." The howling mulatto was lifted upright,..his cries troubling the air until the nooscv stilled them; then, amid the pitiless ter and shouting of his executioners, he went —oft to the halyard-block, to squiira and' strangle until death came to him. --A- he. left the deck Mr Todd bowed his head ar.d lowered his eyes, remaining in this attitude until the rope was belayed: but in this till* single-mlnde*d Ynnk Tate took no part. Mr Todd, hardly hearing the congratulations of the men left standing, climbed the poop-steps and looked for his brig;—tin-., iSiie was out of sight, behind the b'.-uik waWfl of spindrift raised by the storm. He lcokt-T vacantly at thc red-tdiii'tad man at (lie wheel, who, shouting jubilantly, was pushing-hi-predecessor 8 body out of his- wv.y with hifeet: he looked up to the heavens and groaned hoarsely, and raising hi:: unns high above", liis head, brought them slowly down with.a: sweeping motion that might, have meant rsnunciation of heaven or defiance of hell., His eyo fell upon Captain Swarth. who waa-' beckoning, and weakly living to make—*_:■;. self heard. Ha went to him. bound hi-. wound rough!v. placed a coil of rope.under his head, talked witli him for a moment, : then went forward. Yank Tate sat upon;, the deck beside his victim, thc big negro. He had placed his knee beneath the-woolly bead for a nillow; he was holding-, tin pot cf water to"the thick lips of the dying man,. and explaining, while tears welled .tt his honest, brown eyes. "Couldn't help it. old man," he washing, ns Mr Todd .topped before him. 'Aii I couldn't do it again, Lord in heaven! >o i —never again. I'can use, a club, but not an. 1 axe—never again. You're the oply one, old man. and I'm damned sorry." The glazing eyes brightened a mam?nt.: then dulled, and ihe huge, black head rolkd to one side. The negro was dead, \tnvi stood up, aud looked into the drawn face Ot Mr Tcdd through his It-is. . . "Yank Tate," said tlio missionary, in a .- strained voice. "You left my service ag»ip« ■my wishes and engaged with Gaota-ui Swnrth. refusing to tike- orders from mc. You will take, them now ; I am your superior officer. My life is wasted, my vessel is lost and mv wealth is in the sea. From the sea I will I recover it. Captain Swarth is Bsriowly, thouah not fatally, injured and I WW. engaged "with him as mute and quartermaster. May the Lord have mercy on our two souls, Yank, on yours in particular, ityott ever cross mc again. C.ear up the decks and throw these carrion overboard.' . j "Aye. aye, sir," answered the astounded, Ca _lr n Tcdd went aft, and Yank' wiped his

""And he called mc a backslider," lie -Uttered.