The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-05-30

who were strong of heart tried to laugh down the notion; and others even made as if they would desire such a meeting, hat they might wreak vengeance upon such demons. Our good little captain said nothing, or at any rate but little ; but as we afterwards found, he made every inquiry that was possible as 10 the appearance, size, armament, and habitat of the pirate ship to which this deed was ascribed. Then we sailed and for the pleasure of sweeping down Channel with fresh and fair wind, the English coast spreading out before us from the Fore land to the Start, as we rushed along hour after hour, bright sun overhead, tight little ship underfoot, young blood in my veins, and all the world before me. What wonder, then, that ere we were clear of the Channel, the ghastly rnys- tery of the Morning Star was pretty nearly erased from my memory, crowded out by the tn ousand new sensations consequent upon this new departure in my life.
 "All went well with us no hurricane came down to drive US struggling in the wild whirl of waters the wind was not always fair, nor the sky always bright, but the monotony Of the voyage was dis turbed by no menace of disaster. At last day came when our little captain at bre Akfast announced to us that if the wind held fair and strong we might hope to leach our destination in another forty eight hours; and to us, more than satis- fled with our experience Of the sea, weary of being cooped up in so small vessel, and full of eager desire to see the won ders of the foreign land, the announce. ment was delightful and often and anx- iously dld we pop up from below and cast glance around to see if the wind still held fair, On one of these occasions, when had for the twentieth time in the last hour put my head up the hatchway to see If all was well, 1 noticed the skip per standing aft with his glass to his eye, looking long and hard at some distant object and following the direction of his telescope, l saw speck which could be nothing else but ship.
 Hello captain,' said l, a stranger in sight?'
 " Yes, said be, quietly she is com ing up with us fast. She must be bring ing up breeze with her, or we are run hing out of the wind which she still holds. A short time ago, we could only see her topsails, and now her hull is ris- ing Take look at her, as he handed the glass to me.
 1 looked. She seemed small brig or brigantine, with very square yards, and she was, as he said overhauling us fast but other than that could not tell.
 :" The wind IS failing fast said our skipper; am afraid it will end in dead calm
 Il did not answer; merely rushed down below with the eagerness of youth.
 say, a sail you tetio ws-that looks like nearing land, eh Miss Dash l sail :! You'll see it right aft; the captain thinks the wind is falling;' and away rushed on deck again to inspect anew the interesting stranger.
 "l WAS surprised not to see the skipper anywhere about the deck but following the eye of the man at the wheel, looked alott, and saw him settling himself down in the cross-trees and leveling his glass once more. He, too. was interested in her, that was evident. Presently he closed his glass. came down from aloft and said to the first mate: MT. Brown, stunsails
 How glad we we were We loved to see the stunsails set, and to feel that the little ship was doing her best to bring her leng voyage to an end, and OUT captain was evidently anxious to be in port. The extra canvas pulled her along considera- ble faster than she had gone before; but 1t was evident that the breeze was fading away both with us and the stranger, for the glass showed that she. too, had set stunsails. AS the evening came down, the wind fell to almost nothing, and in it's place an exceedingly heavy ground swell got up, on which our little ship rolled and squauered in most restless and un- comfortable manner.
 " As it was impossible to remain cem- tortabiy on deck, the ship rolled so in- cessantly and wildly, went below, turned m, ard tried hard to sleep but the mo- tion ot the ship made it almost impossi- ble Again and again woke through the hot night, and in the occasional in- tervals Of noise fapcied 1 heard the skip per's voice giving orders on deck, but this suppose was merely imagination. At last, about 5 a, m., could stand it no ionger-my bunk was intolerable and, tossing on my clothes, scrambled as best could up the ladder and staggered cautiously aft.
 "'Good morning captain. Not a breath of wind stirring, chi and she is rolling worse than ever, think. An, there's our triendv added, as looked in the direction of the strange vessel. Seems nearer than last night, after all What do you make of her?
 d1v,k l,l.o jo1l. said he, very gravely, and in low voice don't wish to alarm you unnecessarily, but never saw craft of more suspicious appearance. She is showing no colors, though ours were hoisted at daylight she carries great number ot guns for vessel employed in trade; she has per feet swarm of men on board and what is more,' added he, sinking his voice so that not even the man at the wheel could hear him, she is terribly like the descrip- ton of the craft which is sunnosed to