The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-07-18
BRAND
TIE PIRATE SCHOONER.
A TALEOFTHES SEA.
PART ..
CHAPTER III,
AN ANCIENT MARINER WITH cSE Ely

the signal-man. You can see her now
from below. sir" Captain Brand put on u
Panama lat. and stepped out on the seranda,
where. with cigar in his mouth, he leaned
over the balustr,tle and kept sharp watch
on everything that was going Oh below him.
Ina few minutes long pointed brown
lowsprit protrutled itself beyond tho wall
of rocES. followed by n great triangular
la;ecn sail, bent TO a yarda mile long, and
iapcrins away like n fly fishing rod, where,
nj tie end was short bit of yellow and
red penm:it. As her bows came into view
tGey shuwe,iabove n curved prov falling in
board. with Il huge bunch Of shcepskin for
clating mat on the knob, and u thin red
streak along the wales, on lead colorcd
ground, above her copper which was paint.
ed green. AS more of her proportions
cam, into the picture. yor saw stout
stnnin of u mast, raking forward, with short
black ropes of purchases for hoisting the
single yard. and heavy square blocks close
down to the foot of the mast. When this
great sail had come out from the screen of
the rocks, another light stick of mast
stood M over the taffnl, with another
la'"tn sail and whip stem of yard. to
which was bent the Spanish Colonial
tir':"'';: Costa flag. In fact. she was q
Spanish fclncca I'LL over, from stem to
s:r;n, and truck TO water-line. A few
dingv iiammocks We're slowed about half
Wal; along her rail. and there was good
May men moving about her decks in get
iilS tlia cable clear and n lot more clinging
ll;r 50 many lizards along the bending
Ha!al aud all in some attempt at uniform
dress. III readiness 10 roll up the sail when
tie anchor was down. There was long
brass gun. too, FURNISHED like gold, ON n
pivo: slide, with all its equipment, trained
n!i:zic forward in front of the mrinmast.
\" sooner lad she sasged into the open
basin, with her immense sal hanging flat
and heavy III the light air. than boat from
Tie schooner boarded her, andpresently she
le' =" an anchor. There were a few coarse
compliments and greetings exchanged be-
tween ;.ie crews of tie two vessels, and
some rough jokes made. rs the last conner
veesrd out the chain. rolled up his sails,
Set 'anl his running gear in quite tidy and
Mrn-cf- "nr style.
&C, Oh board the fclucca. Jose. and give
my compliments to Don Ignacio, and say
! shall be happy TO see him, cried Cartuin
H&li:! from the piazza to n man Mt the
cove; and tell him. continued he, that l
sh"n.'l have called i'll person. hut can't
hear the hot sun since l caught the fever.
lax NV gig"
Tais was sad i'll Spanish. and when he
had finished speaking he shaded his fuce
lr'i'nd the curtains and scowled.
You're bird of ILL omen, my ne-eyed
friend: but one of these days I'll wipe out
old scores, aud new ones. too, perhaps"
Captain Brand mut!ered to himself; and
from the murlcrous expression of face he
seemed just the man to carry out his threat.
Meanwhile Il light whale. boar of a gig,
manned by four men and ccxwain, push
ed Oft from the shore. and in three strokes
Of the oars she WIS alongside the felucca.
lib. cox"ain stepped over the low rail, and,
walking aft, turned down n cudly of n
cabin, took of his hat and delivered his
message. \ minute later he ayain got into
tn boat and pulled to the cove, where he
said To he captain
"bon lgnacio SAYS lie will come in his
own beat when he's ready"
to himself: "Dnn'task or receive favors-
Ell: What nm old file the brute isl"
He sai,ln more, but watched. Present.
the Fanrhita. but SO very slow, and with
such quiet motion. did he emerge, that
one might suppose it was wary animal
rather than human being. He was
srrupnlously neat in attire--a brown pair Of
linen trousers. NIarsclles vest with gold
tillgrce buttons, an embroidered shirt
bosom. with diamond studs, aud dark
mvv-llue broadcloth coat, with standing
collar and anchor gilt buttons.
Has IL bundle of papers under his arm!
can see tho hilt Of that delicate blade;
too, sticking out fiom his wristband. All!
I've seen him throw that short blade from
his c"a,sleeve ami strike dollar ut twenty
yards. Wonderful skill with knives YOU
have. Don lgnncio: hut You never vet tried
Your knack with me! Oh, no, my Tuerto!
bird of i'll omen that you are! We can't do
without one another, though, just vet; SO
let's wait and see what's in the wind!"
S"liloInising these remarks, Captain
Brand withdrew his telescope us the COM
mandrr of the fciucca approached, and,
with II cheerful smile, waited 10 receive
him. A few moments later the one-eyed
individual mounted tho rope-ladder stair
way. carefully feeling the strands, however,
and looking suspicously around him as he
stepped lightly ON the piazza.
All! conlpadre mio!" exclaimed Captain
Brand in Spanish, rs he seized his visitor
by the ilipper, ard squeezed his fingers till
the pressure of his valuable rings made
linn vince. as he was led into the large and
spacious saloon, while ut the same time the
captain gave him hearty slap between his
narrow shoulders.
All, compadre! How goes the friend of
nv heart?"
The small man gave no symptoms of Joy
Il. this warm greeting; but screwing his
wrv frame out of the captains caresses,
his eye flushed like spark of fire quickly
uuund down and all around the apartment,
as if making a mental inventory of the furni-
ture, and not emitting his tall companion
from the crown of his heud to the toes OF
his straw slippers, when he quietly re-
marked through his closed teeth
"Cono esamos ?"-"IIow are WEI"
All. Don I.nacio, POGO bueno, POGO
malo! Half and half. Just getting we'll
over,llat maldito attack of Yellow Jack"
Hum! more bad than good. No. I've
brought You some letters from the agent al
Havana"
"Thanks-thanks, my friend. Ho Ba-
bette! BAbettc! Some nnlsette for Don
Ignacio; Presto! my good Bahia; There
that will dol" he said merrily, us the liquor
=
don; omit the turtle soup for dinner, AMI
tell L,scar Joe 10 make it. All! l forgot
the best cook had--dea,hs making sour
of him now. However, do the best you
can, my Bahia, and let us have dinner
about sunset
Then turning to his visitor with grace
full bow and laugh. he added-"And well
have the Doctor TO join us, and tell how he
cut off our poor friend Gibbs leg with {
land-saw. Capital joke. 'pon my honor!'
Captain Brands honor! And lie had yer,
few jokes. and never told one himself
Hum" replied the Tuerto, in the pause
of the conversation. There's better Jokes
than thai to hear. Mira! look!"
With this brief rejoinder he threw +
bundle of newspapers OH the table, anG
pnl!in= ",t !, packet oflettcrs from breast.
pocket. pitched it toward his host. Then
helping himself toa ,himbleful of anisettc
he took off his -brimmed chip hal
fnr::. iir-, time, polished zap his eye bit
with tl.e kruckcs of his ore-tinser, and
locked ut his companion iixedly.
Letters, see. from our old friend Nor.
emo, at Havana, said Captain Brand, as liz
sd, down on the settee, and with n prett,
tortoise shell knife cut round the seals
All! what says lie? Happy to inform YOU.
IS he? Packages of French silks seized b.
custom house on account of informal iii
voice and clearance Why didn't the foo
force others, thea? Well, what next
Schooner Reel. from Barbadoes. with carg'
OF ruin aud jerked beef. wrecked going int
Principe. and crew thrown into prison OF
suspicion Of being engaged i'll, Oh
nh! served them right, when ordered then