Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-02-17

remarks, which, translated by Themis-
tocles, evidently pleased them. When,
too. by sleight-Of-hand-in which he
was an adept-he performed some
simple tricks, and gave them music
hall song with a rollicking chorus, and
wound up with hornpipe. accom-
panied by the captain with a pocket
comb and a piece of paper, the general
enthusiasm knew no bounds, and the
beetle-hrowed vagabonds laughed till
the tears rolled down their cheeks.
Win now became on such excellent
terms with them all that he proceeded
to take some freedoms with them and
when he snatched the horn from the
cUp-bearer, and installed himself in
that officials place, ladling the wine
out of the wlde-m0uthed jar and hand
ing it round to the company, his
triumph was complete.
~FOr heavens sake p said he. as he
passed us. "don't take any of this stuff,
and don't drink much of your own"
~Never fear," said Jenkins, making
y wry face, ~ one taste is sufficient"
And 50 VIII went round with the
cup. making a comical remark to this
one. and a grimace at that, until the
chief evidently fearing from their
hilarity that they were taking too
mUeh-oriered them to desist from
drinking and return to their several
duties.
Meanwhile we were sent back into
our dungeon, with sentinel stationed
at the opening
Not word" whispered viii, as
we settled down in our prison. Here's
something, captain" he continued.
~that belongs to you"
~why," said the captain, in reply,
as Win handed him the article men
toned; this is a stopper out of my
medicine chest"
"TO be sure it is Jack" returned
VIII and must apologize for the
liberty of taking your laudanum phial;
but my back-tOOth was so painful on
board the ship last night that 1 got
up and took it, and luckily forgot to
retNrn it this morning. You must
debit me with the bottle and its con-
tents, for dropped them both into the
vagabOnds' wine-jar"
"What r we all exclaimed in
breath.
~NOw. stop your clappers e con-
tinned the supercargo-".Iack, You
know I'm not bad at sleight-of-hand
tricks, Wen, in the first place, having
oontrived to secrete the bottle willis
the hlackgOards were relieving me of
my valUabies. and then having attained
the position of waiter, what was easier
than to wriggle the bottle down my
sleeve, whip out the stopper, and drop
the lot into their swipes; giving the
bottle crack and stirring the lauda-
mum up every time l dipped the horn
into it p
Bravo. Winr' cried the captain,
seizing his hand and givingit hearty
shake. III that's the case. we're safe:
for the blackfaced rslscals won't wake
up for dozen hours III be bound.
There our guard has dropped off al
readyr'
And sure enough, the drowsy ruff
fiAn had planted himself right across
the opening and was snoring loudly.
Now for it I" cried the impetuous
Jack Jenkins, rising.
Hold hardi" said Will "Let
them get well of.
50. settling ourselves down for half
an hour. we talked the matter over.
AT the end of this time we sent the
trembling Thenistocles to see how
things were outside; and after peeping
over the prostrate sentinel he gave us
to understand that all were sleeping
except three, and they were retiring to
the farther end of the ravine, and
would in minute be out of sight.
~Capitalr" said VIII, with sup
pressed excitement. "Now, each take
pistol and 4 cntlass from the fellows,
and follow me-
One after another we stepped across
the sleeping brigand at tie entrance.
WIN relieving him of hs pistol, dirk
and hlunderDuss, wllile the captain
and l stood by ready to give him his
quietWs at the slightest sign of his wax
ing. Then the four of us, gliding like
ghosts. assisted ourselves to whatever
weapons we could most easily lay hands
upon; and As ThemistOcles was not
Of much use for fighting. we gave
him the bag containing our valuables
which we found by the side of the
sleeping chief-as well as several spare
pistols. to carry. Picking our way
without speaking word, we advanced
toward the open end Of the ravine, and
just as wetUrned round jutting point
of rock we saw the three sentinels,
ae.as,,sns,lxs II, .,.rnssa s,or,,yarsotfnn