The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-11-17
The Dutch Captains Device.
David Ker, in Harper's Young People.

DoSAu AcI, III xOuuK f6Opl6.
Sail on starbOard bowl
"What is she?" asked Captain Martin
Peterson, LOOKING anxious in that direc.
ton; for the eastern seas, 200 years ago,
every strange sail was terror to the cap
tain OF a we'll laden Dutch merchantmen.
Cant quite make her out yet" answers
the lookout at the mast head. Looks like
brigantine-she has very rakish cut al
together"
The captains face darkened and his Inns
frightened. They tightened still more few
minutes later, whom the look-o hailed
again:
"she's brigantine. bearing right down
upon u.s."
Every face in the crew seemed to harden
suddenly, but no one spoke. Indeed, what
need was there Of words? ALL board IN
derstood in moment what was before
them-they were about to be attacked by
pirates, and there was not single cannon.
no, not even an old musket aboard the ve:
sci. '''o w.
1t was terrible moment for them allr
more terrible still for the potr captain. Fo
years he had been telling and saving, bear
ing every kind of hardship and facing every
kind OF danger, until he had made money
enough to become part owner Of the shipr
that he commanded. He had made three
successful trips in her, and was now going
home tor good, to settle himself in q
snug little house, on the great canal. at Am
sterdam, with rosy checked, Gredel Voort.
his old neighbours only daughter for his
wife. And now. all at moment. he found
himself face to face with hideous peril.
which threatened him the loss of all he had
in the world, and his life.
The crew stood modify looking at the
approaching vessel. which came sweeping
over the bright blue sea, with its huge
sails spread out like the wings of a swan,
perfect picture of beauty, though it
brought death along with it. Some of the
holder spirits were beginning to mutter to
each other that it would be better to SCI
tire to their own ship, and die like men.
than to be flung into the sea like dogs. when
the Captains gloomy face suddenly iiphred
up rs nobody had ever seen it light IN vet
and he burst into such loud laugh, that
the doomed were struck with the preatast
surprise.
Cheer up, lads, he cried, still lauQhinp.
All is not over with us yet. Come, now.
knock the head out of that cask of butter.
and thoroughly smear the deck with it, Be
sharp!" "
The men only stared blankly at him. AZ
they thought he had gone mad; and even
the stolld mate opened his heavy mouth
! in amazement.
do you hear?" shouted the cantain
Look sharp, will you? there's no time to
lose. Grease the whole deck. fore and aft
and the rigging, too, as high as YOU can
Of it anyhow" ~
Then the sailors began to understand;
and the shout Of laughter that burst forth
would have astonished the pirates had they
| been within hearing. In q twinklinR the
deck was creased until it fairly shown, bull
warks andall.
Nov boys" cried the captain. "on with
your sea-boots, and put sand on the soles
OF them. to keep you from slipping. and
be ready"
The pirate was now so near thew con1d
see plainly the rabble of gaunt, sinewy
Malays, woody headed negroes, and sallow.
black haired Portuguese that crowded her
decks. A fow minutes more, and she ran
alongside; and almost before the two vessels
had touched. three wild figures leaped
from the pirates rigging upon the merchant
mans deck. But it was an unlucky Jump
Ior Al! three. The first man spun across
the slippery decka If it had been skating
"A~ WOW As8AS Out Uu the OCQef SIDE.
Inc second tun. bled head foremost down
tne natch~ay into the cooks galley, where
the black cook considerably piled a heap
OF his iron pans upon him in order to Keen
him quiet.
:. Aha, Massa Pirate, said he, RrinninR,
dis ship no de Flying Dutchmsn. him
| de Slip'ry Dutchmsn!"
The third pirate had leaped on board az
| 1ercely as il he ment to xiii tho whole crav
at one blow; but the only man he hurt was
himself, for he hit his head such a vhaok
against the mast that he almost knocked his
brains out, and fell down roaring with pain.
Al this 30 frightened the other pirates that
they thought the ship must be bevitched.
and rushing back to their vessel with 3
howl OF dlsmay, made of a. fast az posi-
BILE.
| For many years after, ono of the fanil.