The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-04-05

c:ew was composed of eight experienced
sailors besides the two naval officers who
were to take the blockade-runner to New
York in the wake of one of the men-of.
war.
A friendship soon sprung up between
the officers and the suave captain. They
found the Frenchman was master ol
navigation, charming converse: :ionalist
and was of invaluable assistance to them
in managing the queer craft on which
they sailed. Every evening Capt Wilson
amused them with wild adventures he
had experienced in his journeys of the
past few years, and made himself so USE
full and agreeable that the young officers
got into the habit of treating him more
as a. brother officer than as prison OF
war. They even sent him below to order
the sailors to do certain work on the
ship on several occasions. The captains
pretty boy became quite a pet with all
the crew, and both f.ther and son seemed
to return with great heartiness the evident
favor with which they were regarded.
Capt Wilson spent a part of every day
on the deck with his son, for whose
amusements he whitfield all sorts of odd
playthings from pieces Of wood. The
officers would sometimes pause and laugh
at the comical jumpin-Jacks and other
toys their ingenious and versatile priso,
ner had carved with his pocket-kpife for
the bright child, to whom he seemed
devotedly attached. Capt Wilson whit
tied these playthings every day with
remarkable persistency, and the child
seemed to develop an unusual fondness
for them. In the presence of the officers
he would tease his father to come with
him on deck and make him new toys.
One day, as he was thus engaged, he
asked the boy: Cleo, if the occasion
required it, could you face great danger
without shrinking, that you and I might
succeed in difficult undertaking? 2"
The child's laughing face grew serious
in an instant as he answered: "Try me.
can shoot pistol with as steady hand
as you can, and I have known" he added
in a whisper, though no one was near
them, "what you have been working on
while you pretend to be making my toys.
am no baby, as you know, papa, to care
for such play.things, but I cav you
wanted to make those odd little things
you have in you pocket" The man
looked at the child in astonisbment for
one moment, and then drawing him to
his arms he kissed him again and again.
The officer who came near at that mo-
ment turned away and sighed as he
thought of the probable fate of the father,
when he SHOULD be delivered to the
authorities aid held to account for the
contraband business he had pursued with
such notorious daring that he could not
hope for much mercy. he considerate.
ly left them together longer than usual
and went into his cabin to calculate how
much longer his prisoner would enjoy the
companionship of his only child.
The .man.of war had long since disap-
peared and would reach New York
several days ahead of the Emily St.
Pierre. Left alone with the boy, Capt
Wilson said: "Follow me closely this
afternoon, and when you hear my silver
whistle, come directly, but without show
ing any signs of haste, into the captains
cabin. I am going to put you to a test
from which man might shrink, but
you must prove yourself worthy of the
trust I repose in you"
"I WILL" said the child, and that
instant, hearing approaching footsteps,
he brought back the careless smile to his
face that had grown suddenly pale at his
fathers ominous words, and when the
second officer in command came up he
was apparently absorbed in a pile of
wooden playthings he had scornfully
dashed away a moment before. A little
later Capt Wilson arose and walked
away, followed at a short distance by the
boy, who carried with noisy solicitude
his wooden soldiers and other toys.
Capt Wilson went into the command.
ing officers cabin and found him still
bending over the chart. With pleasant
remark, and request that his entrance
should not disturb him, Capt Wilson
walked up behind the officer and with a
powerful and quick effort slipped a
wooden gag in his mouth. In few
moments the dumb officer was securely
tied to his chair with cord the willy
blockader had carried on his person for
several days for the purpose.
At a note from the silver whistle the
boy glided through the door. His father
handed him one of the oficers's pistols
/ and said: "Guard this door till I return
and if the other officer comes in kill him
instantly" He took the weapon and
calmly stationed himself near the door.
The intrepid Wilson hurried off to find
the steward. He put revolver at his
head, stated his plans to the frightened
negro and forced him to swear implicit
obedience to him. The negro readily
entered into Capt Wilson's plans for
recapturiug the ship, and took the
offered revolver to prevent the access Of
the marines to the second officers cabin,
In few minutes more by clever and
reckless ruse Wilson had this officer also
gagged and bound flat on his back in his
own berth.
This much accomplished, Wilson went
below with his jauntiest air and told the
marines that the commanding officer had
ordered him to so with them into GER