The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-09-05
CHAPTER XVI.
WOlik.

When the pirate stood in his saloon on
The morning Subs qucnt To the pleasurable
events of the SUNDAY previous, he, as we'll
~ his sl"on. presented altogethcra differ
ent aspect. The apartment had been strip
l,d %! all It's rare and costly furniture
cabinets. rand"lul'rA. plate, china, and
glass: a'.'! nothing Of value was left save
the cam hor trunks un the floor, the cane
hn;ton"d sttac, Il few chairs. aud n table.
All the beautiful things. ornamental as we'll
a,' ,iS fal. had disappeared. even to the rich
packages of merchandise in the great vault
honcalh. III" late posscssnr however, of
al tia, worldly wealth did not appear to BIO
al all dsr"ni:osod, III to cherish the faint
c# ltn@of rrgrc, at his loss. In truth. lie
..e".!. ct /" hHi"icvcd from an ,ncomfort-
adj" iul.! oi responsibility, feeling assured,
perhaps. tina. III roaming about the world
lie could srlcc: a Sill more valuable collec-
lion: only give linn time, and he would
exercise his critical taste with every pleas
ing variety. 1t WAS ;hus lie ronsolcd him.
sell a-' hes ook there in lis now denued
room, ;t;rcd ina pair of coarse canvas
trousers. !. rcd flannel shirt. with n short
sharp iangcr OF his his hipand double
hary' led risin! in his belt quite the cos
TIME IA which lie 81 srgularlv shocked
bona Lucla. whose lovely miniature once
huns here on til" wall in company with the
,''!rr luis,#I,i. ,ir;insof his drccptious.
to'atn l:r;nl had just entered his
'lwri,l!=. hn".rG been up and actively ocrl,-
pied ever since "" last parted with him.
Now h" hri come for II cup of tea and dry
toast nd, will" i;nhct,r WAS bringing that
simple tr 'nlft,s;. the pirate stood, tall,
erect. and powerful, with one muscular
at'm resting high above Iii, head on the side
-. ,hc dor WY. and the nlicr lying light
~ On HE sharks skin hilt of his cutass,
la"';in"o ont 10 awall--lytry model as no
@os Of u cool. prudent, desperate pirate.
Nh! there yoH 90. You crafty old m;scr
i'll yo"r g'Gsrdn costa. Take care. my COM
pair. Of that reef. ftlG,t fruccas keel
touches on" of those coral lodges, there
won't he t"ohpirk left Of her in ten min
utcs. Sun Antonio. hut that WAS IL close
shave! How the sharks would resp your
bones, f"r here's no flesh on them. Grlzcd
clear eli: Bucno now you're in blue wa
ter. you old wretch and make the most of
it,
Captain Brand waved his hand in ndieu
10 tho frurra. which, with the wind off
shore. had crrpt through the coral gateway,
aud with her great laicen sail and green
CHANGING bottom. was rising and falling on
the long swc rs She slipped away to the
eastward. lie thea gulped down his ton.
! mad" one or two savage bites ut his toast,
| andm.a.in walked out 10 the veranda, de-
seconded the l..dlicr and took his course to-
ward the basin.
There, too, the scene had changed; aud
instead of 'hc:lamGTil. shelly shore, only
nHin.'d byth" ,nu-irtl rippl;ng from THO
pnrc little Inlet, or :he faint cry OF sea-
gn'!, or tie CLIPS of the lizards in the
cr"vircs Of ihH I"r.,, there across the basin,
iiosc sounds had given place TO tn: nimblo
fret AID voices of busy s,ilors. The
schooner. also. had been flowed from her
mooFn&s To jet'y which projected into
the water from the shore. and there she
lay. careencd down. her keel half out of
water. wiiha dozen Of her crew scrubbing
her lean sides till tho green coated copper
came flashing on: in the sunlight like bur
nishcd gold. Wit, her slanting masts
iaslc1 10 Tie ie'ty. carpenters We're en-
gagged reducing the length of the foremost
and trimming ont a SPAR for n new bowsprit.
Tho long gun with its carriage lay near, AM!
artisans were nj work mt n temporary forge
Llmm"ring out bolts and straps to replace
those w!.it! were weakened by long service.
On The shoir. too. %eic. score or more of
tie pirate gang Sianiar'.s. Ncgru"s III
diaM". iti!ianS. and WHO not--ferucio,,s-
locking scoundrolH, busy rs bees, splicing
and kno;Ing ropes, stretching new rigging,
cutting running gear from the coils of hemp
or Manilsn-srass rope. or making spun yarn
and ch'tmg ,mnls; while beneath the low
! INIT slicus hard by, sail makers were stch-
ing awaywi!h their shiningncchles, making
- set of square sails for The changed rig Of
| the schooner. or repairing old sails, but
, this was not all; FOR III the shed beyond
was the armorrr with few hands, grinding
| pixies AMI cuil. .ses and cleaning small
arms: while further still was tho gunner
and his mate, filling powdcr-cases for the