The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-05-16
Bona FIde Circulation,
FooIing 4 Pirate.

There lived many years ago, on
the eastern shore of Mount Desert, 4
large island off the coast of Maine, Ia
now fashionable place OF summer re-
sortl an old fisherman by the name
of Jedediah Spinnet, who owned a
schooner of some hundred tons bur-
den, in which, together with four
stout sons, he was wont to go about
once a wear to the Grand Bank for
the purpose of catching Goldfish. The
old man had five things about which
he loved to boast-his schooner, bet
sy Jenkins" !" and his four sons.
The four sons were all thai the IA
ther represented them to be, and no one
ever doubted his word when he said
that their like was not TO be 1Ound IN
ffty miles around. The oldest was
twenty-five, while the youngest nad
reached his sixteenth year, and they
answered to the names OF Sethi An
drew, John and Samuel.
One morning stranger called up
on Jedediah Spinnet to engage him
to take to Havana some iron machln-
cry belonging to steam engines or su'
gar plantations the terms were soon
agreed upon, and the old man ana
his sons Immediately set about put
ting the machinery on board that
accomplished, they set sail for Ha-
vana, with fair wind, and for sew
\ eraI days proceeded on their course
without an adventure OF any Kind
One morning, however, vessel was
deseried of the starboard quarter,
which with some hesitation the old
man pronounced to be a pirate. There
was not much time for doubling, for
the vessel soon seluted them with the
not very agreeable whiZzing Of an
eighteen pound shot just under the
stern.
tCThat means for us 10 heaye to-
said the old man.
faThen I guess we mad better Ito II,
hadn't we ?" said Seth.
"Of course"
Accordingly the "Betay Jenkins"
was brought up into the wind, and
her main boom hauled over to wind
ward.
GNow boys" said the old man, as
soon as the schooner had come TO q
stand. call we can do is to be as cool
| ss possible, and trust to fortune
There il no way TO escape that see
now, but perhaps II we are civil, they
will take such stuff as they want and
LET MS 90. At any rate there Ia no use
| CRYING about it for it can't be helped.
Now get your pistols and see that
thev are surely loaded, and have your
knives ready, but be sure and hide
/ them so that the pirates shall see no
signs of resistancs." In few min
utes all the arms which the schooner
afforded, with the exception Of one OF
! the muskets. were secured around the
nerson of our Down casters, and they
quietly awaited the coming OF the
schooner.
Gone word more boys" said the
old man, Just as the pirates came
ronnd under the stern. "Now watch
every motion 1 make, and be ready to
lump the moment ! speak"
AS Captain Spinnet ceased speak
ling. the pirate luffed up under the
fisberman's lee quarter, and in mo-
ment more the latter's deck was grae-
ed by the presence Of dozen as saw
age looking mOrtals as ever eyes look
ed upon. ,,,
Are YOU the Captain of this boat ~
asked the leader of the bOardersr i,S he
quietly approached the old man.
GYes SIR"
"What is your cargo"
machinery for engines"
TNothing else?r asked the pirate,
with q searching look.
At this moment Captain Spinnets 8
eve caught what looked like sail on
to the south and east'rd but not a
sign betrayed the discovery, and
while a brilliant idea shot through
his mind he hesitatingly replied:
"Well there is little something
else"
"Ha, what is it t?''
nWhy. sir, p'raps hadn't ought to
tel, u said Captain SpiDnet, counter
fitting the most extreme perturbation.
oyer see il was given me as sort OF
trIIst. and It wouldn't be right for me
TO give it up. You can take anything
else YOU please, for l can't help my
selfn
IrYou are an honest eOdger at any
} rate. - said the pirate; "but II you
1yonid live ten minutes longer, just
, let me know what you've got on DoarC
and exactly the place where It lays. "
THE sipht of cooked pistol brought
the old man to his senses, anu IN
deprecating tone he mutteredI,,
fDon't kill me sir, don't, III Tel
you all. We've got forty Thousand
4 silver dollars nailed up In boxes Jus
for'ard % the cabin bulkhead, but MT
before didn't suspect anybody would
have thought of looking for 1t there.
'Perhaps So" chuckled the pirate
> while his eyes sparkled with dellghL
> And then turning to his own NeSsel
he ordered all Of his men except three
to run and jump on board the fan
Inn few minutes the pirates ha'
taken off the matches, and IN thell
haste to get at the "silver dollars,
thew forgot all else; but not so Will
Spinnet: he had his wits at work, anI
no sooner had the last OF the pirate
disappeared below the hatch-wa!
than he turned to his boys.
WNow. boys, for your lives. Set
Won clap your knife across the for
and peak halyards, and you John, Gu
the main. Be quick, now, and tii'
moment you have done IT jun
aboard the pirate. Andrew and San
Won cast off the pirates grapplings
and then you jump-then We'll wall
into them three chaps abroad the ciiE
per. Now for it."
No sooner were the words ont &
the old mans mouth, than his son
did exactly as they were directed
The fore and main halyards were eu
and the two grapplings cast off at IN
same instant, and as the heavy gar
Ieame rattling down, our heroes leape
ON hoard the pirate. The mOmen
q the clipper felt at liberty, she ha
Al swung of, and before the astonishe
buccaneers could gain the deck
8. fine fishe. man, their own veesel W;
near half q cables length to the lel
ward, sweeping gracefully away befo
the wind, while the three men WI
= had been left in charge were easil
%HaIIoa. thereu' shouted Captai
ISpinnet, as the luckless pirates crow
ed around the lee g4ngway of the
prize. GFWhen you get them iere 81
yer dollars Just let me know, will you
Half dozen pistol shots was 9
the answer the old man got, but th'
did him no harm; and crowding
nj sail. he made for the vessel he n;
discovered, which lay dead to leeTa
of him, and which he now made O1
to be a large ship. The clipper C
through the water like dolphin, al
IT, in q short space Of time Spinnet II
fed up under the ships stern, and e
planned all that had happened. Il
ship proved to be an East Indiana
bound for Charleston having, all tOl
thirty men on board a portion
whom at once jumped into the eli
81, per and offered their services in hel
ing to take the pirates.
Before dark Captain Spinnet on
more within hailing distance Of
own vessel, and raising a trumpet
his mouth he shouted aloud:
SCHOONER ahoy will you qulet
ns surrender yourselves prisoners il
,he come on board"