The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-11-21
An Adventure with a Pirate.

who with q schooner of some hundred tons
burthen, in which he, together with four
stout sons, was won't to go about once a
year to the Grand Bank for the purpose of
catching Goldfish. The old man had five
things about which he loved TO boaS-his
schooner "Betsey jenkins and his four
sons.
The four sons were all that their father
represented them to be, and no one ever
doubted his word when he said that their
like was not to be found for fifty miles
around. The oldest was twenty-five while
the youngest had reached his sixteenth
year. and they answered to the names of
Seth Andrew, John and Samuel.
One morning a stranger called upon Jeb-
ediah, to engage him to take to Havana
some iron machinery belonging to steam
engines for sugar plantations the terms
were soon agreed upon, and the old man
and his sons Immediately set about putting
the machinery on board ; that accomplished,
they set sail for Havana, with fair wind
and for some days proceeded on their course
without an adventure of any kind. One
morning, however, vessel was deserted off
the star-board quarter which with some
hesitation the old man pronounced to be a
pirate.-There was not much time allowed
them for doubling, for the vessel soon sa-
luted them with not very agreeable whiz-
zing of an eighteen pound shot just under
their stern
"That means for us to heave to-" re-
marked the old man.
"Then guess we had better do it,
hadn't we ?" said Seth.
"Of course"
Accordingly the Betsey jenkins" was
brought up into the wind, and her main
boom hauled over to the windward.
"Now, boys" said the old man, rs soon
as the schooner came to n stand, "all we
have to do is to keep cool and trust to
fortune. There is no way to escape that
can see now but perhaps if we are civil,
they will take such stuff as they want and
then let us go. AT any rate there is no
use crying about it, for it can't be helped
Now, get your pistols and see that they are
surely loaded, and have your knifes ready,
but be sure and hide them, so that the
pirates shall see no signs of resistance" !"
In a few moments all the arms which the
schooner afforded, with the exception of
one or two old muskets, were secured about
the person of our Down Casters, and they
quietly awaited the coming of the schooner.
cone word more,' boys said the old
man, just as the pirate came round under
the stern. "Now watch every motioH |
make, and be ready to jump the moment
that speak,
AS Captain Spinnet ceased speaking the
pirate luffed up under the fisherman's lee
quarter and in moment more the lattcr's
deck was graced by the presence of dozen
as savage-looking mortals as eyes ever look
ed upon.
care you captain of this vessel?" asked
the traders of the boarders, as he approach
ed the old mate.
ayes sir.''
What is your cargo ?"
machinery for steam ingins."
"Nothing else ?" asked the pirate, with
searching look.
At this moment Captain Spiunots eye
caught what looked like sail off to the
south'red and east'rd, but not sign be.
trayed the discovery, while brilliant idea
shot through his mind, he hesitatingly re.
piled
"Well there is a little something else"
"Ha, what is it?'
"Why, sir, p'raps | hadn't ought tC
tell,' said Captain Spinnet, counterfeiting
the most extreme perturbation " You see
it was given me as sort Of trust, and il
wouldn't be right for me to give it up
You can take anything else you please, fol
can't help myself
"You are an honest codgerat any rate. y
said the pirate, " but if you would live tel
minutes longer, just tell me what you'yC
got on board, and exactly the place where
lays"
The sight of a cooked pistol brought thu
oiu man W hiS Sehses, anu III uoPiSOau"s
tone he muttered-
"Don't kill me, sir, don't I'lltell you all
We've got forty-thousand silver dollar
nailed up in boxes just for'ard o. the cabil
bulkhead, but Mr.. before didn't suspec
anybody would have thought of looking
for it there
"Perhaps so chuckled the pirate, Will,
his eyes sparkled with delight. And theI
turningto his own vessel, he ordered al
h,,t 4Lrao ,e b;s NM, 90 hmm M, hoard A.