Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-11-17
The Dutch Captains Device.
David Ker, in Harper's Young People.

odll Ou StdIUOdiu OOH.
What is she?" asked Captain Martin
Peterson, looAing anxious in that direc.
ton; for the eastern seas, 200 years ago,
every strange sail was terror to the cap
tain of 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 lips
frightened. They frightened still more few
minutes later, when the lookout hailed
again:
"Shes brigantine, bearing right down
upon u.s."
Every face in the crew seemed to harden
uddenly, but no one spoke. Indeed, what
need was there Of words? All on board I'M
derstood in a 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.
1t was terrible moment for them allr
| more terrible still for the poor 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 for good, to settle himself in a
snug little house. on the great canal, at Am
sterdam, with rosy checked, Gredel WORT,
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 moodily looking at the
| yrh
over the bright blue sea, with its huge
sails spread out like the wings of swan,
aperfect 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
fire to their own ship, and die like men,
than to be flung into the sea like dogs, when
the Captains gloomy face suddenly lighted
up as nobody had ever seen it light up vet
and he burst into such loud laugh, that
the doomed were struck with the greatest
surprise.
Cheer up, lads, he cried, still laughing
"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. B,
sharp!"
The men only stared blankly at him, al
they thought he had gone mad; and evel
the stolid mate opened his heavy moutl
in amazement.
''Do you hear?" shouted the captain
Look sharp, will you? there's no time t
lose. Grease the whole deck, fore and aft
and the rigging, too, as high as YOU ca,
reach. Well give the rascals slippery jo
, of it anyhow"
Then the sailors began to understand
and the shout of laughter that burst fort
| hal chol f1a 30 L = A.
been within hearing. In twinkling til
7 deck was creased until it fairly shown, bull
warks and all.
Now boys" cried the captain, "on wit
7 your sea-boots, and put sand on the sole
OF them, to keep you from slipping, an
then each one of you take a hand-pike an
be ready"
The pirate was now so near they coul
see plainly the rabble of gaunt, sinew
Malays, woody headed negroes, and sallov
black-haired Portuguese that crowded he
. decks. A few minutes more, and she ra
l alongside; and almost before the two vessel
had touched. three wild figures leape
from the pirates rigging upon the merchant
mans deck. But it was an .unlucky ium
for all three. The first man spun acros
the slippery deck as if it had been skatin
3 rink. and went right out on the other side
The second tumbled head foremost dow
the hatchway into the cooks galley, wher
1 the black cook considerably piled hea
of his iron pans upon him in order to kee
him quiet.
0 AHA, Massa Pirate" said he, grinninl
d adis ship no de Flying Dutchman, hi
de Slip'ry Dutchman!"
l The third pirate had leaped on board {
d fercely as If he ment to kill the whole Gre
at one blow; but the only man he hurt WI
r himself, for he hit his head such whae
: against the mast that he almost knocked b
0 brains out, and fell down roaring with pail
All this SO frightened the other pirates tn
o they thought the ship must be bewitche,
8 and rushing back to their vessel with
howl of dismay, made off as fast as poss
}. BILE.
% For many years after, one of the fani