Part 37 (1/2)

”Come to report, sir,” said the nearest wrecker ”We seed you was aground, young skipper, and we thought we'd help you ashore with the cargo”

Billy rested his left hand on the head of a powder keg, which stood on end on the counter beside hiht in his blue eyes--a glitter or a twinkle--which ht have warned the wreckers, had they known him better

”I order you ashore!” he said, slowly ”I order you _all_ ashore

You've no right aboard this shi+p If I had un----”

”Sure, you left it on deck”

”If I had ht t' shoot you down”

The manner of the speech--the fierce intensity of it--impressed the wreckers They perceived that the boy's face had turned pale, that his eyes were flashi+ng strangely They were unused to such a depth of passion It may be that they were reminded of a bear at bay

”I believe he'd do it,” said one

An uneasy quiet followed; and in that silence Billy heard the prow of another punt strike the shi+p More footfalls ca aft--other faces peered down the coroup and made as if to come down the ladder

”Stand back!” Billy cried

The threat in that shrill cry brought the man to a stop He turned; and that which he saw caused hieneral falling away from the cabin door Soone et ashore!”

Billy had whipped the stopper out of the hole in the head of the powder keg, had snatched the candle fro its fla up, with the butt of the candle through the hole in the keg and the fla above its depths

”Men,” said he, when they had gathered again at the door, ”if I let that candle slip through ers, you knohat'll happen” He paused; then he went on, speaking in a quivering voice: ”My friends left ht nappin'

If I'd been on deck, you wouldn't have got aboard But now you are aboard, and 'tis all because I didn't do my duty Do you think I care what becomes o' me now? Do you think I don't care whether I do o ashore I'll drop the candle in the keg If one o' you dares come down that ladder, I'll drop it If I hear you lift the hatches off the hold, I'll drop it If I hear you strike a blow at the shi+p, I'll drop it Hear o, I'll drop it!”

The candle treers It slipped, fell an inch or ain before he lost it The wreckers recoiled, now convinced that the lad uess you'd do it, b'y,” said the man who had attelance of aduess you would”

”'Tis not coht drop it by accident Make haste, b'ys! Let's get ashore”

”Good-night, skipper, sir!” said the first

”Good-night, sir!” said Billy, grimly

With that they went over the side Billy heard them leap into the punts, push off, and roay Then silence fell--broken only by the ripple of the water, the noise of the wind in the rigging, the swish of breakers drifting in The boy waited a long ti in wait for him at the head of the ladder He listened for a footfall, a noise in the hold, the shi+fting of the deck cargo; but he heard nothing

When the candle had burned low, he lighted another, put the butt through the hole, and ja on a pile of dress-goods; and the candle was burning unattended He akened by a hail from the deck

”Billy, b'y, where is you?”

It was Skipper Bill's hearty voice; and before Billy could tumble up the ladder, the skipper's bulky body closed the exit

”She's all safe, sir!” said the boy