M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-02-18
How could yon seel asked Ira.

Make 'eml wish to the Lord l
couldp
Make 'em out Of Shocks pursued
Phipps.
The captain gazod upon speaker,
but said nothing. lie was thinking
the matter over.
Make your men, and then let me
and Bill play the drum and fife.'
Phipps and Bill Sawyer had form.
erly been musicians for military
company and when they engaged with
Capt. Barnard, they took their drum
and fife with them, and when the
mood was upon them, they used to
play for their mates to dance.
The skipper soon comprehended the
whole scheme, and ere long made ar
rangements for putting in operation.
1t was very evident that the pirate
would overhaul them in q few hours
if they kept on thus, and unless some
stratagem could be successfully carried
ont they were doomed. 1t would be
daylight in less than an hour, so it
was necessary that they should work
smartly.
The matches were thrown off, and
forty shocks passed up from the hold,
and so arranged that the main sail
would hide them from the pursucr
while the brig stood on her present
course. AS soon as this was done the
men ransacked their chests, and every
conceivable article Of clothing the brig
could afford was brought forth. Some
OF the shocks were dressed in jackets,
some in irocks, while others had to
do with old tYowsers drawn down over
them. Hats and caps were fashioned
from strips oftarpaulin, and when this
article failed recourse was had to bits
of canvass.
When the wooden men ware thus rig
ged out, they were arrau % as to
make as much show as r e, and
yet conceal their true CHI; Some
were set up against the lee ,lwarks,
some against the long-boat, and some
propped up in the gangways by means
Of chocks and lashings. In fact, these
innocent bundles Of slaves made quite
a formidable appearance. Barnard
was well aware that they could not
stand the full light Of day, but ne
meant to have them perform their du-
ty in the duSky gray Of early dawn.
The arrangements were all made
just as the first streaks Of the coming
day were visible in the east. The
schooner could be now plainly seen,
and she was not more than a mile dis.
tant. The forms Of many men could
be dimly seen about her bows, and
their motions seemed to indicate that
they were eager for their prey.
The wind had hauled little to the
southwark during the night, SO that
the brig was now very near upon q
taut bowlne, with her starboard tacks
aboard.
Ready aboutr cried Barnard, as
the eastern sky grew red.
AYE, aye responded Ira, who had
the helm.
Helms a-lee!' continued the cap.
tain.
The tacks and sheets were raised
high enough to clear the wooden men,
and i'll a very few moments the brig
was upon the larboard tack, with the
pirate not over half a mile distant, the
main sail still hiding the grotesquely
attired shocks.
AT length the vessels were near
enough to answer the purpose, and
Phipps brought fourth his drum, while
Sawyer attended with his fife. A long
heavy roll was ratified out, the sharp
shrill notes Of the fife mingllng with
it, and while the startling sound went
piercing through the air, they struck
up the reyeille, and played it in righI
good earnest.
Thus far the brig had been standing
obliquely across the schooner's tore
foot, but as the reveille was sounded,
her helm was put up, and as she fel
off the mainsail was clewed up, thus
revealing the wooden men.
1t was very soon evident that the pi
rates were alarmed. The sound o
the drum and fife had startled them
for surely no vessel save a man-Of.wal
would have such accompaniments.- -
But when they saw the crowd Of seem
ing men, who appeared to have jus
come up at the sound of the call, they
fancied that they had come very neal
catching Tartar.
'Hi-yil' cried Ira, clapping hi
hands, they are of. These staye'
have scared ''em!'
And 50 it proved, for no sooner hat
the pirates heard the last of the music
and seen the staring crew of the brig
than they put their vessel before thu
wind and spread her sails 'wing.and
wing The brig at once gave chase
and kept it up for over four hours
but at the end of that time the pirat,