The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-27

stood over him till he chose 10 sit erect,
which he presently did. rubbing his poll and
| looking at me with an air Of mingled be
wilderment and fear
This is scuryy usage 10 give shipmate IN
distress, " said he "'Od's life, man! had
| thought there was some sense Of humor in
you. Your hand Mr. Rodney feel sazed u
helped him 10 rise, and he then sat down
in somewhat rickety manner. rubbing his
ewes. Ii might have been fancy, II might
have been the illusion Of the furnace light
combined with the venerable appearance his
long hair and naked pate gave him, but me
thought in those few minutes he had grown
TO look twenty years older.
"Neyer concern Yourself about my hum0r,
Mr. Tassard' said /, preserving my deter
mined air aud coming close TO him again.
How Is it 10 stand between u.s. | leave
the choice 70 you If you will treat me
civilly you'll not find ne wanting IN every
disposition 10 render our miserable state tol
cradle. but If You insult ne. use me inJu-
riously. and act the piraco over me. who am
an honest man, 10y God, Mr. Tassari. viii
kill YOU
lie stopped away from me and raised his
hand IN posture as if to fend me Of, AMI
cried, in a whining manner Il lost my head
this gunpowder business hath been bel
! lish dlsappontment-look you, Mr. Rodney
Come We Will drink can 10 our future
amityi'
answered coldly that ! wanted no more
wine and babe him beware Of me. that he
had gone far enough; that our hldeous CON
dltion had filled my soul with desperation
and misery, and that ! would not have my
life on this frozen schooner made more abom-
Unable than II was 10y his swagger, lies and
insults. and added, in a loud voice aud IN a
mcnacing manner. that death had no terrors
for me, and that / would dispatch him with
as little fear as / should meet my doom,
whatever shape it took.
| marched on deck, not a little astoundoG
| by the cowarIice Of the old rascal and very
Well pleased with the marked impression my
| bearing and language had produced on him.
! Sot that / supposed for a moment that my
! bold compartment would save me from bis
/ knife or li, pistol when he should think
proper to make away WIKI me. No. All
! rlchoned upon Was coYing him into "a citl.er
posture Of mind. and checking his agre>slons
and iasolcuce.
stayed but minute o. two on deck.
/ Such was the cold that do not know had
ever felt it more biting and bitter.
/ retained below and sat down. The
Frenchman asked me no questions. lie had
his can in the oven and his deaths head IN
| his great hand, and pulled out clouds Of
smoke Of the color Of his beard, and indeed
| in the candle and fire light looked ike
| figure Of old Tine, with his long nose ami
| bald head | addressed one or two civil re
marks 10 him, which he answered in a sub
dued manner, discovering no resentment
whatever that could trace in his eyes or the
expression Of his countcnance; and being
wishful to show that bore no malice
talked Of pirates and their usages, and asked
if the Boca del Dragon fought under the red
or black flag.
"Why. the black flag, certainly said he;
! ''but if we met with resistance II was our
custom to haul it down and hoist the red
flag, to let our opponents know We should
| give no quarter
"Where is your flas locker" said l.
"In my berth, he answered.
IL should like 10 see the black flag ex-
claimed; "tis the ono piece Of bunting, be
lieve, have never viewed
I'm fetch it, said be, and taking the Ian
tern went aft very quietly, but with a GER
tain stagger in his walk, which | should have
put down TO the wine II il was not that his
behavior was free from all symptoms OF
inebriation The change IN him surprised
me, but not 50 greatly rs you might suppose;
indeed, it excited my suspicious rather than
nv wonder. Fear worked in him unques-
tionably: but what seemed to see best was
some malignant design which he hoped TO
conceal by al air Of Cancellation and u
'Qualit. Of respectful boz -Souie. .-...