Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 edition. Excerpt: ...at a time. If he refuses we'll throw him into the sea and save our lives. Murmurs of dissent. Has not a man a right to his own life? ALL Ay! ay! Santa Anna! a man has a right to his own life! ANTONIO Contemptuously. Bah! How glibly you say that! At his first words you'll forget it all! Let him but smile and you'll all cry again like magpies, " On and on!" ALL No! no! not this time! we've sailed far enough! Nod heads determinedly. ANTONIO Talk no more here! Wait!--Don't chatter about this! silence now!--Quick! back to our work! The Mate! ALL take up work--sing dolefully, " Farewell to home," etc. Enter MATE-. W atches them. MATE Wonderful industry! wonderful! Takes spliced rope from ANTONIO, jerks it apart. And this rope is as well spliced as before! /Ingrily whipping them with the ends of rope. Here! be off with you! OH this deck, all of you. SAILORS go off, behind sail. ANTONIO looks back with angry frown. MATE comes forward, hangs up lantern, sighs and leans over edge of boat. It grows darker. Looks around, sees JosE. What! you, Jose! What's been going on? They are growing ugly again. That Antonio Whispers. Come nearer. Gets up on knees, whispers in MATE'S ear A plot. They'll ask the Don, --tonight, --to turn back. Breathless. Antonio is at the root of it all--If Columbus refuses, they'll throw him overboard! MATE Grasps JOSi="S arm and shakes him. When is this to be? Where? Why don't you answer? Josie Now! at once! when he comes as usual to pace the deck. MATE Who else is in the plot? Looks around. Stay! we may be watched. Speak softly! Watches the exit conspirators took while apparently busying himself with ropes. Josis Getting down to...