Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-11-21
BATH, MAINE THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 1850

what looked like sail off to the south I'D and
east'rd, but not sign betrayed the discovery,
and while brilliant idea shot through his mind
he hesitatingly replied:
We'll, there is leetle something else.'
Ha, and what is itl'
why, sir, p'raps hadn't ought to tell,
said Captain Spinnet, counterfeiting the most
extreme perturbation. 'You see, twas given
to me as sort of trust, and 'twoudnt be
right for me to give it up. You can take any
thing else you please, for s'pose can't help
myself
You are an honest codger at any rate, said
the pirate; but if you would live ten minutes
longer, just tell me what you've got on board,
and exactly the place where it lays
The sight of cooked pistol brought the old
man to his senses, and, in depreciating tone,
he muttered-
Don't kill me, sir, don't. I'll tell you ALL
We've got forty thousand silver dollars nailed
up in boxes, and slowed away under some Of
the boxes Just for ard O the cabin bulkhead, but
Mr.. Defoe didn't suspect that anybody would
have thought of looking for it there
Perhaps so,' chuckled the pirate, while his
eyes sparkled with delight. And then turning
to his own vessel, he ordered all but three of his
men to jump on board the Yankee.
In a few moments the pirate had taken of
the matches, and in their haste to get at the
silver dollars they forgot all else; but not
so with Spinnet he had his wits at work, and
no sooner had the last of the villains disappear
ed below the hatchway, than he turned to his
boys.
Now, boys, for your lives. Seth you clap
your knife across the forethroat and peak hal
yards, an you John, cut the main. Be quick
now, an the moment you've done it, jump on
board the pirate. Andrew and Sam, you cast
off the pirates grapplings, AN then you jump,
then We'll walk into them three chaps aboard
the clipper. Noc for hr
! No sooner were the last words out of the old
mans mouth, than his sons did exactly as they
had been directed. The fore and main halyards
were cut, and the two graplings cast off at the
same instant, and as the heavy gaffs came rat
Ting down, our five heroes leaped on board the
pirate. The moment the clipper felt her liber-
ty, her head swung off, and before the astonish-
ed buccaneers could gain the deck OF the fisher
man, their own vessel was half a cables length
to leward, sweeping gracefully away before the
1 I. Al, lrl L., l,,E
in charge were easily secured.
'Halloa, theren shouted Captain Spinnet,
as the luckless pirates crowded around the
lee gangway of their prize, when you find
youl'
| Half dozen pistol shots was all the answer
the old man got, but they did him no harm :
and, crowding on all sail, he made for the vessel
he had discovered, which lay dead to leward OF
him, and which he now made out to be large
ship. The clipper cut through the water like
dolphin, and in a remarkably short space o
time Spinnet luffed up under the ships stern,
and explained all that had happened. The ship
proved to be an East Indiaman, bound fol
Charleston, having, all told, thirty men on board
twenty of whom at once jumped into the clip
per and offered their services in elping to take
the pirates.
Before dark Capt. S. was once more within
hailing distance of his own vessel, and raising
trumpet to his mouth, he shouted:
Schooner ahoy Will you quietly sur
sender yourselves as prisoners if we come or
board'
Come and try it = returned the pirate cap
tain, as he brandished his cutlass above hi:
head in a very threatning manner, which
seemed to indicate that he would fight to the
last.
But that was his last moment, for Seth was
crouched below the bulwarks, taking deliberate
aim along the barrel of a heavy rifle, and as
the bloody villain was in the act of turning to
his men, the sharp crack of Seth Spinnet's wea
pom rang its fatal death peal, and the next mo-
ment the pirate captain fell back into the arms
of his men, with brace of bullets through his
heart.
Now shouted the old man, as he levelled
the long pivot gun, and seized alighted match
now I'll give you just five minutes to make W
your minds in-and if you don't surrender
Ill blow every single one of you into the 9th
er world
The death of their captain, and, withal, the
sight of the pointed pivot gun-the peculiar
properties of which they knew full we'll
brought the pirates to their senses, and they
threw down their weapons, and agreed to give
themselves up.
In two days from that time Captain Spinne
delivered his cargo safely in Havana, gave the
pirates into the hands of the civil authorities
and delivered the clipper up to the government
in return for which he received sum of money
sufficient for an independence during the re
mainder of his life, as well as a handsome med
al from the governor.
Dodging the Gambler.