San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-03-30
CHAPTER XIV.
THE PIRATES STORY.


THE PIRATES STORY
lighted my pipe and sat smoking, think
ing he would presently awake; but his slum-
Der was as deep as the stiffness had thawed
him out of had been, and he lay 50 motion
less that, but for his snoring and harsh breath
ing, l should have believed him lapsed into
his former lifelessness.
At s o'clock the fire was very low. Ma
tIre was working out her own way with
this Frenchman, and determined to let him
sleep where he was, and take my chance Of
the night
The gale made great roaring. The ships
stern lay open to the gorge, and but for her
steadiness | might have supposed myself at
sea- l snugged me down amid the coats and
cloaks in my cot, and, obstinately holding
my eyes closed ultimately fell asleep
1t was a little after when l awoke.
lighted the lantern, but upon entering the
passage that lead to the cabin observed by
my own posture that the schooner had not
only heeled more to larboard, but was far
Their down by the stern" to the extent Of
several feet. Indeed, the angle of inclina-
ton was now considerable enough to bring
my shoulder lin the paSSage) close against the
starboard side when i stood erect The noise
of the gale was still in the air, and the boom
ing and boiling of the sea was uncommonly
loud. walked straight to the cook room,
and, putting the lantern to the Frenchman
perceived that he was still in heavy sleep,
and that he had lain through the night pre-
cisely in the attitude in which had left him
His face was so muffled that little more than
his long hawks bill nose was discernible. Il
was freezingly cold, and l made haste to
light the fire. There was still coal enough
in the corner to last for the day, and before
long the furnace was burning cheerfully. l
went to work to make some broth and fry
some ham, and melt a little block of ruby
colored wine; and while thus occupied, turn
ing my head moment to look at the French
man, / found him half started up, staring in
tently at me.
This sudden confrontment threw me into
such confusion that / could not speak. He
moved his head from side to side, taking
view of the scene, with an expression of the
most inimitable establishment painted upon
his countenance. He then brought the fiat
of his hand with dramatic blow to his fore
head, the scar on which showed black as ink
to the fire glow, and sat erect
"Where have l beenp he exclaimed in
French.
Sir" said 1, speaking with the utmost
difficulty, az do not understand your Ian
guage. am English. You speak my tongue.
Will you address me in itl"
English" he exclaimed in English, drop
ping his head on one side, and peering at me
with an incredible air of amazement GLOW
came you herei You are not of our COM
pany' Let me see"- Here he struggled
with recollection, continuing to stare at me
from under his shaggy eyebrows as if 1 was
some frightful vision.
81 am a shipwrecked British mariner, said
/, land have been cast away upon this ice,
where found your schooner"
"Har interrupted, with prodigious
vehemence, certainly; we are frozen up-I
remember. That sleep should serve my
memory so.n He made as if to rise, but sat
again. 1.-THE cold is numbing; it would
weaken a lion. Give me hot drink, SIR"
filled a pannikin with the melted wine,
which he swallowed thirstily.
"More" cried he. 81 seem to want life. I"
Again filed the pannikin.
"Goodl" said he, fetching a sigh, as he re-
turned the vessel; "you are very obliging,
sir. If you have food there we will eat to-
gether."
give the substance of his speech, but not
his delivery of it.; nor is 1t necessary that I
should interpolate my rendering with the
French words he used
The broth being boiled, I gave him good
bowl of it along with plate of bacon and
tongue, some biscuit and pannikin Of hot
brandy and water, all which things pat
upon his knees as he sat upon the mattress;
and to it he fell, making a rare meal. Yet
all the while he ate he acted like a man be-
witched, as well he might, staring at me and
looking round and round him, and then drop
ping his knife to strike his brow, as if by
that kind of blow he would quicken the &C
tivity of memory there.
''There is something wrong said he, pres
emily What is it. sirl This is the cook
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