Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-09-12

The suits were made in two parts, Joined at
the waist by round iron band, over which
the rubber cloth was so well secured as to be
quite water tight. The head was covered by
a hood, concealing all but the eyes, mouth
and nose. In the back of the head-piece there
was an air-chamber, which, when filled, gave
the voyager q comfortable pillow. Along the
sides were two more large air-chambers, and
still couple below to support the legs.
just as soon as we were in, or rather upon,
the water, all sense of trepidation vanished.
As the tide drifted us away from the noisy
groupupon the wharf and into the darkness,
was able to wave my paddle and reply to
their repartee right heartily. l felt quite
happy at the novelty of the thing; but wait
one Of the boys shouts:
look out as you pass the point. saw
big s'gator' there yesterday. Keep towards
the mlddle!' SEES
Alligators! I hadn't, in all my wild fore
bodlng, taken them into consideration. A
creepy sensation pervaded my back and trav-
elled down to my toes. ssWhat if-oh! l
wish he hadn't shouted that" thought.
swell, at any rate the captains ahead;
they'll get him first, and maybe I'll have
chance while they are lunching from him!"
So turned round and remarked casually:
guess, Cap, you had better keep little
ahead. You know the way better than I
dol"
But somehow the captain had disappeared.
Ishouted, and padded rapidly in the direction
supposed him to be. No answer!
81 believe the alligators have got him al
readyo thought I; and you should have seen
the way that paddle went through the water,
driving me back toward the distant wharf
where the lantern still twinkled. My foot en-
countered something.
Oh, horrors! what yell gave! You can
wager that brief second will never be for
gotten. No, sir! But it was only stray
log; and just then the captains merry laugh
resounded over the water close at hand, as he
came floating toward me, delighted with the
success OF his trick; and he began to sing
song of his own composing, improvising the
music and splashing his paddle in time to his
melody:
"I'n take my sleep on the rolling deep,
Your downy couch let others keep;
My paddle true will guide me through,
My life-garb is better thae auy canoe =
Whoop! hurrah! yes than any canoe!'
The echoes of the refrain died away
among the woods of the far opposite
shore, startling brood of wild fowl from
their rest from the sedge of the bayou.
Now the captain turned and said, "Let's
give 'em rocket"
have forgotten to tell you that the captain
had in tow miniature craft, which he fondly
called t'Baby Nine" It was made of tin, and
was altogether miraculous sort of boat, as
soon discovered, for it held all sorts of things
one might want for comfort upon or in the
water.
''Baby Mine" was entirely decked in, having
a tin "hatch,' into which the captain put his
hand and produced a small lamp, which was
fitted to groove in the bows. This was
lighted by means of matches, and rocket
next appeared. The latter was fixed in an up
right position upon "Baby Nine" The cap
tain held the boat with one hand and touched
off the rocket with the other.
Whiz-Z-z-Zz
And away it sped into the black sky above,
and then:
Bang!
A myriad of tiny sparkles flew outward and
then fell slowly, streaking the sky for a mo-
ment with rainbow of fire. We could see
in the paid light the group that still fingered
upon the wharf, half mile away.
"Now," said Boyton, s'let S have a little
stage effect"
So he took from the interior of ssBaby
Mine" tin saucer and wooden float, as well
as some powder in small bottle. He poured
little of the latter upon the dish and set il
upon the float. A match was applied to a
short fuse. AS soon as ignited, the powder
cast brilliant lurid glow over the wavelets,
and we seemed to be floating in literal sea of
blood In the midst of this-shall ever for
get that ludicrous sight?-was the
captain, grimacing out of his hood like some
horrid satyr, and wagging his two black paws
like a great pair of ears. / can't do the sub
ject justice. Perhaps you may have dreamed
of some such parsonage after taking late and
too hearty supper.
All of this time the captain had been stand
ing upright in the water, head and shoulders
out, looking as firm as though he was upon
the bottom, although knew the river must
be at least forty feet deep where we were.
"Now you must learn how to stand" said
he; and after few failures l was able to
take an upright position or lie down at will.
The tide had soon carried us beyond the
point and its tabled alligators, at which the
captain laughed with contempt,
ssLook at this knife" cried he. "I've killed
sharks with this, and wouldn't be afraid to
try it on an:alligator." He produced long,
peculiar Turkish blade from his belt, and
made lunge at an imaginary saurian.
The moon had now cleared the low-hanging
mists of the night, and we could see our
course fairly well. Ahead ofus we noticed a
second point, and oh, listen! out of its reeds
there came the sound of some heavy body land
something black moved from the shore. 1t
made an ominous splashing as it came towards
us. Even the brave captain, forgetful of his
knife and boast, eyed it obviously. shook
all over; the water seemed to have suddenly
become as cold as ice. just then the captain IS
cheerful laugh came like music to my ears.
"That isn't an alligator" he Whispered,
sits darkey in dug-out. Keep quiet, and
we'll have some fun"
The captain quickly and silently produced
his pan and red fire. We floated like logs on
the water until the boatman had almost
reached us, and then sudden and unaccount-
able blaze sprang out of the waters before his
Mortified gaze, while two undoubted demons
emerged and waved their arms towards him
with horrid groans.
It was enOugh-far more than enough.
With a screech of terror the black man sprang
from his boat and struck out for the shore,
uttering dismal entreaties to "good Mister
Debbil' not to s'ketch him yet" with every
plunge; and despite our calls, he broke
through the reeds, clambered up the bank,
and was soon lost to hearing in the dense for.
est.
Sometimes. when think of it, wonder if
that chap is running yet; but l guess he
brought up somewhere, for we heard soon
afterwards that there was a great revival
among the negroes, and that one of their dea-
cons had seen couple of monsters rising out
of the waters of the st. Johns, commanding
him to tell the people the world was coming
to an end.
ssNow that was rather lively, hey? unused
the captain; ''but Pm sorry we scared him SO.
l wonder what's in his boat. We're pirates
now, to all intents and purposes, and may as
well take our plumber. A bag of potatoes
v1,okI til NJ