Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-05-07

stranger. full Of eager hope tina. she
might be w.thih speaking distance. How
they laughed t. see her roll till her
copper showed bright and radiant half
way to her keel; how they Piled che
skipper with questions about her; ven
tured to imagine that she might have
friends of theirs on board, and finally
waved handkerchief to her in their
gu lelessness!
lat last the Captain made some ex-
cuse for request NJ the ladies to retire
below, and having succeeded in his OBJ
ject took us all into his counsel and
laid the matter before us.
90. If. as have every reason 10 fear,
gentlemen sa d he. the craft astern
of us is a pirate. we must face the fact
and try and make some plan of escape.
At present, believe we are safe from
him as long as this calm and this ire
mendous ground-swell last He can
not come any nearer, there being no
wind: he can not no st out his boats
and tow up to Us in SO heavy roll. My
IDEA is, that he will wait for the roll to
go down and the breeze to spring up.
and then take us at his ease, knowing
that we can not escape now. But
there are one or two things in our IA
vOr: he can not have been waiting for
as, for our cargo would be worthless
to him. He has probably fallen across
us by accident. and he will want to
know what we are before he attacks
us. Vessels of his trade have occa sion
ally caught tartar, and they learn to
be wary. If he thinks we are worth
taking. he will not, as he might, stand
off and play at long-bowls. because that
would result in the probable sinking of
the ship and loss of her cargo. On
the other hand. he Will be very wary of
board Dg, should he anticipate a de-
term ned resistance from a large num-
Der of armed men; and in that case, the
best thing we can do. as it seems to
me, is to let him believe that we have
troops on board. and that any attempt
on his part to board Ii meet with a
warm reception. What do you think,
gentlemen
The Captain was undoubtedly cor
rect in his reasoning. and his op mon
was at once acted uDon. All of us
who he'd commission in the army
put on our uniforms and appeared in
them on the upper deck; while some of
the hands forward were rugged up in
mess Jackets. etc., supplied by the Of
ficers for the purpose, and were in
structed to show themselves at inter-
walls on the forecastle. multiplying
tn mselves as much as possible: while
soldier servant of the Majors was
ordered to do sentry-go with musket
aft. Moreover ouI two twenty-tour
FOUNDER carronades were loaded each
with round shot and large bag of
musket-bullets; muskets-for we had a
few-were served out to the men, with
cutlass apiece; and we who had
swords and sportng-guns and pistols
made them ready for use
but all this preparing of arms and
unpacking of uniforms could not be
done without the knowledge of the la
dies of our party: and the apprehen-
sions of the Majors wife were first
aroused, and gradually spread in ter
rified whispers to the whole of the
party, until at last it was necessary
to take them part ally into our con-
fidence and let them know that there
was danger.
LAS night fell We fancicd that the
swell was somewhat less N bulk. but it
might be only fancy; anyhow. the Cap
tain would not hear of us all keeping
watch all night, which was what we
Youngsters especially proposed to do.
No, gentlemen said he. Go and turn
IN, ND Clfy la
You have the Chance
IL Went below, and turned in at his
b i'd ng. and. wearied with excitement
and watching. fell asleep. troubled.
unsat sfactory sleep, it is true: hut not
the less sleep: and from this troubled
rest was aroused by hearing my name
whispered and feeling gentle touch
upon my arm. l started up, and saw
by the dim light of lantern the figure
of our old quartermaster. Beg par
don, srr,' said he. but the Capta n
sent me down to say the brigantne is
on the move, and he'd like y,u to
KNOW
IL jumped up, seized my arms, and
hurried on deck. 1t was about two in
the morning; the swell had gone down
considerably. though still very great:
the stars were all over the sky. The
Captain silently 20 nted in the direc-
ton of the br gantine. l looked, hut
at first could see nothing; then she rose
upon the swell, and l saw her clearly.
She was much nearer!
".BuC hOw-how?' l asked. There.
is still no wind, and
The Captain grasped my arm, to
make me silent, and whispered:
Sweeps! Listen.'
'Intently l listened, and for some
seconds without result; but. the sh p
paus.ng for one moment in her tum-
bling roll, and allowing nom ,ntary
cessation to her creaks AMI groans,
l heard family and misty, as If in a
dream, the Smothered cheep of the
sweeps Qong oafs) as the unknown
We sal strore TO work herself forward by
tn means.
".What can they do?' l whispered.
Nothing yet, while tbs roll lasts,
except come closer up and make a
nearer inspection os us. When the day
dawns. we must change our tactics
replied the Captain. Go down again;
81