The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-08-02
The coast was clear; the temptation

Anything?' ''''s'
More than you have ever seen or heard
tell Of, r. lubber," replied the irritated skip
per. who has ever served his employers
like Hiram Hudson?"
Keep that song for your quarterback"
retorted the mate. contemptuously. mo; on
second thoughts, just tell mo how you have
served your employers, you old humbug
Give me chapter and verse to choose from.
Come now, the Neptune?"
"Well, the Neptune; caught fire hundred
leagues from land"
"How came she to do that?''
"That is my business. Well, put her
head before the wind, and ran for the Azores;
and stuck to her, sir, till she was ~ black
Us q coal. and We couldn't stand on deck,
but kept hopping like parched pease; and fire
belching out of her PORTFOLIOS forward; then
we took to the boats. and saved few bales
Of silk by way OF sample of her cargo, and
next tide and told talcs, but Somebody
lett key OF gunpowder in the cabin, with u
long fuse, and blew hole in her ribs, that
the water came in, and down she went, hiss.
ing like ten thousand sarpints, and nobody
the WISER
"Who lighted the fuse, wonder?" said
Wy!ie;:
Didn't tell cit was 'somebo.iy'?' said
ished his glass, and, after taking Sip or
two, asked Wyle il he had ever had the luck
to be boarded by pirates"
INC" said Wylie. "Have you?"
"Ay; ind they rescued me from watery
grave, ae the lubbers call it. Ye zee, was
employed by Downes and Co., down ut tho
Havana, and cleared for Vera Cruz with
some boxes of old wornout printers type"
TO print psalm.hooks for the darkies, no
doubt. " suggested Wylie
Ensured as Specie" continued Hudson,
10 I'M rti0 all
daybreak ono morning, oil of o sudden there
was rakish.looking craft on our weather.
bow: lets fly a ninepounder across our fore.
foot. and WAS alongside before my men could
tumble up from below. Igot knocked into
the sea oy the boom and fell between the
poured hot grog down my throat to bring
me to my senses"
That ~ not what you use it for in general"
said Wylie. Civil sort of pirate, though"
Pirate be id. That was my consort
rugged out with q blnck tiag and mounted
with four nine, FOUNDERS on one side, and five
dummies ON tho other. lie clustered bit,
and swore. and took our type and our cab.
bages Il complained to Downes ashore about
the vagabond taking the vegetables), and
ordered US to leeward under Mi canvass and
We never saw him again-not till he had
shaved off his mustachcs, and called on
chased his ship fifty leag,,es out finer course;
bQt he had not got clear of him. Downes
complimentetl me publicly. Says he, This
skipper boarded the pirate single handed;
only he jumped short, and fell between the
two ships; and hero he isby miracle Then
he takes out his handkerchief. and Aops his
walton almost reconcics me to the loss Of my
gold. snys the thundering crocodile. Cleared
$4,000. he did, out Of the Marllat-
tan Marine, and gave the pirate and me hut
1900 between us both.'
"The Rose?" said Wylie.
"Whatn hurry you are in! Pass the grog.
Well, the Rose, she lay off Ushant, We
canted her to wash the decks; lucky she had
careful commander; not like Kclnpcnfelt,
whose eye was in his pocket, and his fingers
held the pen so lie went to the bottom, with
Lord knows how many men. l noticed tho
squalls came very sudden: 30 sent most of
my men ashore, alld got the boats ready in
case of accident. A squall did strike her, and
she was on her beam-enls in n moment; we
pulled ashore with two bales of silk by way
OF salvage, and sample of what wnrn't in her
hold when she settled down. We landed;
and the Fmncllmcn were dancing about with
excitement. Captain, says one, you havo
much sang fraw.' Incurred, munseer' saws
l. Bone, says he.
Then there WINS tho Antelope, lost in
charge Of q pilot off the IIooghly i knew
the water as well rs he did We were on the
port tack, standing toward the shoal.
Weather It, MS we should have done next
tack, and should have failed in my duty to
my employers. Anything but thut! Look
omtl' snid |. pilot, she iorercachcs in stays
Eliot WINS smoking; those sandleud pilots
smoke in bed and asleep. He takes his cigar
out Of his mouth for one moment. Ready
about, says he. Hands bout ship Helms
alec. Raise tacks and Sheets Round she
was coming like q top. Pilot smoking, Just
NO ho ts,1 4
body trlpped agninst him, and showed the
hot cigar in his eyes. He sung outand sworc,
and there was no muinsel haul. Shipinirons.
tide running hard on the shoal, and before
we could clear away for anchoring, bump
there she WINS hard and fast. A stiff breeze
got Up ut sunrise r.! mise and she broke up. Next
Bengal Courier, and t told the iis"stro eas
wreck OF the brig Antelope, wrecked in
charge of pilot; but no lives lost, and tle
owners fully insured Then there was tho
ea ''sa Sally. Why, yoY saw her yourself dis.
Yes" said Wylic, 81 was in that tub, the
Grampus. ind We contrivcl to claw of tho
ashore. What luck!"
Luck be blawetl!' cried Hudson, angrily.
Hsomebody got into the chains to sound;
and cut the weather halyards. Next tack
the masts went over the side; and hnd done
Lives were lost that time, ell?" said Wylie.
grayely. ''@'
What is that to you?' replied Hudson,
with the sudden ire Ola drunken man. mind
your own business. Pass me the bottle"
Hfcs, lives were lost: and always will DO
lost In Hea going. ships. where the skipper
does his duty. There was sight more lost
duty. Lives lost, ye lubber? And why not
mine? Because their time was come and
mine wasn't. For Ill tcllyou one thing Joe
Wyle.if she takes fire and runs before the
wind till she is as black US o coal, and belci.
ing flame through all her port-holes, and
pieces no bigger than my Int, or your
knowledge of navigation. Hudson is the
last man to leave her: Duty-It she goes
on her beam -onds and founders. Hudson sees
the last other, and reports it o his employers;
Duty!.n she goes grinding on Scilly, Hudson
Is the last man to leave her bones Duty!-
Some day perhaps shall be swamped nv.
self along with the craft: have escaped til
now, owing to not being insured; but il ever
my time should come, and you should get
clear, promise me, Joe to see the owners
and tell en- Hudson did his duty"
Here few tears quenched His noble ardor
for e!s z in mon bas be soon recovered, and
the bottle again. ! never saw such q fellow
to get hold Of the bottle. Come, here's
Duty to our employers!' And now Iii tell
you how we managed with the Carysbrook.
and the Amelia"
This promise was followed by fresh mar
ratlves; in particular OF vessel no had run
upon the Florida reef at nighy. where wreck.
ers had been retained N advnnce to louk out
Tor signals. aud Come on board and Quarrel
at thrice her value " '''' ''''''' '"'ufea
Hudson got quite excited with the memory
ct thos. exploits, and told each SUCCESSIVE
fsat louder and louder.
But now it was Wylle's turn. "Weu, "sai.l
nc very gravely, 'alI this was chld's play"
There was pause that marked Hudson's
astonishment. Then he broke out. .Childs
play, ye !9bber! lfyou had been there your
gllls would have been Us white as ycur Sur,
day shirt; and id dea, Sllter.' 80
~ Come be civil said Wylie, 81 tell you,
az tine ways y9u have told me are too sus.
n Ri Cur governor is high.fier; h. pass
blown on, il it is over SO little. .Wylie,' saws
ne, breath Of suspicion would xiii me
Make It SO much, says !. and that breath
snail never blow on you No, no, skinner.
None OF those ways will do for US; thew hive
nll been worked twice too often 1t must be
dohe IN lair weather. and in q way Fill
your glass and II fill mine Capital rum
thls You talk Of thy gills turning white: be-.
;ote long we will see whose kacps .heir color
best, mine or yours E,y boyt"'
There was 1, silence, during which Hudson
wac probably asking himself what Wylie
meant; for presently he broke out in q loud,
but somewhat Quivering voice: "Why, YOU
mad drunken devil Of ships carpenter, red.
hot from hell see what you are ut now; you
are going"
"Hush!" cried Wylie, alarmed in his turn.