Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-01-02
SHOW, boys, for your lives. Seth, yo,

"Now, boys, Tor your lives. Seth, you
clap your knife across the fore,hroat and
peak halyard<, an you, John cut the main.
BE quick, now, an the moment you've
done it. jump aboard the pirate. Andrew
and Sam, ,yoE cast olflhe pirates grapling<,
an then you jnmp-then we'll walk into
them three chaps aboard the clipper
.Now for i!'
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 gaiTs came Iattling down,
our five heroes Ieaped on boardthe pirate.
The moment the clipper felt her liberty,
her head swung off, and before the fisher
man, their own vessel was half cables
length to leeward, sweeping gracefully
away before the wind, while the three
men who had been lef, in charge were
easily secured.
"Halloa, there!" shouted captain Spin
net, as the luckless pirates crowded
around the lee gangway Of their prize !;
''when you find them ere silver dollars,
jus, let us know, will you?'
Half dozen pistol shots was all the
answer the old man got, but they did him
10 harm; and, crowding on all sail, he
made for The vessel he had discovered,
which lay dead TO leeward Of him, and
which he now made out 10 be large ship.
The clipper cut through the water like a
dolphin, and in a renar ksbIy short space
of time Spinnet lnffed up under the ships
stern, and explained all tina, had happened.
The ship proved to be an East lndiaman
bound for Charleston, having, all told
thirty men on board, twenty of whom a,
once jumped into the clipper and offered
their services in helping to take the pi'
rates.
Before dark, Captain Spinnet was once
more within hailing distance of his owr
vessel, and raising a trumpet TO his mouth
he shouted:
"Schooner ahoy! Will you quietly
surrender yourselves prisoners if ".
. come on board:'
Come and try itm returned the pirate
captain, as he hrandi>hed his cutlass abov,
his head in a very threatening manner
which seemed TO indicate that he woul,
fight to the last.
But that was his last moment, ior Se,l
was crouched below the hulwarks, takin.
deliberate aim along the barrel Of heav,
rifle and as the bloody villain was in tn
I act oil turning TO his men, the sharp crac
r OF Seth Spinnet's weapon rang lis ta,s
, death peal, and the next moment the pi
/ rate captain fell back into the arms Of hi
men, with brace OF bullets through hi
: heart.
"Now,' shouted the old man, as h
/ levelrd The long pivot gun, and seized
lighted match, "l'Il give you just fs
minn'es TO make up your minds in, and
=. YOU don't surrender, I'll blow every or
j.. OF Won into the other world"
The death Of their captain, and, witha
n the sight of the pointed pivot gun-,he r,
G culiar properties Of which they knew flu
4 well-br"ught the pirates to their sense
O and they threw down their weapons, al
if agreed 10 give themselves up.
$ In two days from that time Captaj
y Spinne, delivered his cargo safely in Fl;
r vana, gave the pirates into the hands I
: the civil authorities, and delivered Il
d clipper up to the government in retur
i ior which he received sum Of none
O suflci-n, for an independence during Il
: remainder of lis life, as well as a vef
!, handsome medal from the. governor.