The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27

tween us was increasing, and the pirate
exasperated to see his prey escaping,
waved Suddenly, displaying his entire
.broadside.
l saw what was coming, and
shouted for all hands to lie fiat on deck,
while |, grasping your grandma round
the waist, dove below. was none
too soen to escape the whIstling storm
.of iron which tore over the ship. 1t
apade the splinters fly, but no one was
'hurt; sheets and halliards, booms and
spars remained intact, and in less than
TX hours our antangonist was hull
down.
y ksThe Label was kept off for Cam
peach. Bay, which was reached in
safety but do you think we had
seen the last of the pirate2 / thought
50 that time, but we hadn't.
: | succeeded better at Champeachy
disposing Of the Mabels cargo than
1 expected. The prices were good,
she profits large, and ] nearly filed
ser up with cargo, Of cochlnsal. log
SSe which last Was packed in kegs.
~ tsssed carefully away in the run.
81 had succeeded so much better
than | had hoped for that / resolved
to clear for New York direct. was
all ready for sea, but before leaving
your grandma took it into her head
that she wanted to do some trading,
so | took her ashore to buy the articles
she required.
cit was late in the afternoon when
we drifted into a refreshment saloon
or cafe for a cup of coffee and a roll,
before pulling off to the ship. A
number of persons were coming and
going continually, to whom | paid no
attention-their movements were
nothing to me.
q" But suddenly / felt Betsy's hand
tighten on my arm, which caused me
to glance up at Ar in surprise. Her
face was flushed, her eJes dropping,
and I knew something out of the COM
com run had happened.
'"' What is it, wife?' l asked in a
low tone.
"'Don't look up, she said but
there under the large lamp in the cor
ner ofthe room, is that wicked pirate
who hailed us and fired at us some
weeks ago.
Cautiously l looked in the direc-
ton indicated, and there, sure enough,
was the black-whiskered scoundrel,
dressed in broadcloth shore togs, with
a diamond pin sparkling in his shirt
! bosom, which, no doubt, he stole
originally. / made up my mind TO get
away as soon as possible, for | felt my
temper rising and in those days, so L
have been told, had the reputation
of being something ola Tartar.
Standingsix feet, ,broad-shouldered
and muscular in proportion, it was
word and a blow with me, the blow
generally coming first.
Walking over to the cashiers desk,
| settled my bill at the same time
suppressed scream from your grandma
startled me. 1 turned, and, youngster,
what do you think | saw? Nothing
more nor less than my wife struggling
in the arms Of the pirate, whose lips
were distorted by mocking smile.
Bat II did not last. long.
:" was almost blind with rage as /
darted forward Some one tried to
restrain me, to whisper word of eau
ton in my ear, but | brushed the
would-be adviser aside at the same
time the brawny rascal released my
wife in order to attend to me. A
wicked-looking knife cleaned in his
hand, which have no doubt the
scoundrel would have used, but | was
too quick for him. My fippers took
him full by, and he heeIed over like
a ten-gun brig in a squall.
q In an instant the room was in con-
fusion, Cries of xiii the Yankee ! ,
were heard on all sides as the crowd
increased, and things looked pretty
squally as / squared myself before my
wife, who was almost fainting away
"' Follow me, captain, quick, rs you
value your wife's life and your own,
Whispered a voice in my ear and, as
THE speaker brushed by me, / recog-
nized one of The clerks belonging to
the firm l had dealt with at Cams
peachy.
"It was growing dark rapidly. The
lamps were on the point of being lit
as l passed forward in the direction my
friend had taken. My wife l had
almost to carry, but it is astonishin
what man can do when his life's in
jeopardy. A small door, partially con-
coaled by curta9, was quietly openee
by the clerk. The obscurity of tn
room favored the movement, and by
rapid step 1 passed through, leaving
the excited throEg yelling and cursing
behind me.
"ThrOugh narrow passage the
young man hurried us, urging me to
renewed efforts by various vague dark
hints, which / but half comprehended.
l could not understand what had to
fear from pirates, now that l was al
most under the guns of Spanish sol
diers. But l soon found out to my
entire satisfaction.
"' Captain, you have been kind to
me since you have been here, and |
have tried this night to prove that l
am grateful. Yonder lies your boat
lose no time in quitting the city, or
the harbor either, for that matter,
the man you struck to night is a des-
perate character, who will have re-
venge. am in possession of infor-
nation that your vessel will be at
tackled tonight if you remain. Do
not ask me how | know, but be
warned in time. Ad;Os, and, with
wave of his hand, the clerk disap-
peared.
Il had heard, but never credited,
That certain Spanish merchants re-
celved percentage of profit from
plratlcal vessels, in the fitting out of
Which it was more than suspected
they were interested. But I made up
my mind to teach the unprincipled
rascals lesson which they would not
forget for while.
The harbor of Campeachy, young
ster, has but little depth OF water, and
at that time was not capable of adj
mittmg vessels drawing more than six
reet-those of heavier draught were
necessarily compelled to anchor three
miles from the city. This was nv case,
Dut, as the land breeze had set in and
was treshening, l felt no particular APP
prehensions foi the Mabel.
Az II L II 7