Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-16

aDDDg alr Own Crew lie Whispered
Look here, II those fellows take Us
% Vicksbgrg every che Il ~ VIII hang
before daylight. Il seems u me mighty
cowsTdly 70 allow half dozen me1.
though rhsy are armed, 70 eaEsErs thirty
big fellows Ike us
A how growl vas the response, bat II
meant volumes.
PAY OUT Pay oUt!' shouted the sol
diers IA tbs boat.
"All right, returned the second pilot.
"Pull away. you're getting II how
Eastern you can take II" Though IL
reality Brown was holding onto the
rope until be could secure piece Of
timber 10 il. 70 mislead the would Do
cspt0rs and induce them them 70 think
they were towing d hawser. Then he
cut the line and noiselessly dropped the
log OF wood into tic water.
Ia the darkness the four southerners,
who were gathered about tue indignant
pilot, could not See what was going on,
nor did they realize any change IN the
situation until they felt their arms pin
toned - their sides aud heavy hands
placed over their mouths.
What does this meanF questioned
Leathers.
Means, replied the intrepid Brown,
''that we don't propose TO make land
Ing at VicksbUrg, that's all.
Its bold stroke, but perhaps the
best one" replied Le2thers. Secure
them firmly until we get by the city. II
won't take half an hour 10 leave the
lights behind Where are the two ras-
Gals that went off IN the skifIF'
Towing a log of wood ashore to Sc
cure it TO the bank" answered Brown,
with a chuckle.
All eyes were now strained TO detect
the presence of another guardboat
should one be abroad upon the river.
but our friends were not molested and
the broadhorn swept by the city where
ere long was 10 be the scene of carnage
and strife.
As the sun arose the cOalboats were
we'll down in the sparsely settled coun-
try, and feathers, having secured the
soldiers weapons, ordered them 10 be
released and invited them to join him at
breakfast.
What are you going to do with us?'
demanded the officer, as soon as he re-
covered speech.
''Set you adrift in one Of my skiffs
when you have finished eating" was
the cool reply.
You'll be made to suffer for this, be
Geve me. feathers"
''Oh, reckon not. Ny instructions
were to take this coal south as quickly
as possible, and not TO Ito up" or allow
myself to be stopped under any circum-
stances. And l judge the offieer who
is looking for this cargo is little bit
higher mp than You are, my friend"
but where are you taking it?'
''There's another of my instructions.
Not to tell soul ON the river TO whom
it is consigned. So If You have finished
your repast you may climb into the skiff
and go back to Vicksburg. tn be a
hard pull, know, but it is your own
fault. You should have taken my word
and not made the attempt to retard my
progress"
In surly mood the soldiers took their
seats in the boat, and without respond
ing to the pilots farewell started on a
good ten mile row against the strong
current OF the Mississippi
When they were well ont of hearing
feathers grasped the hand of his as
sistant and said:
Brown, you did well, and if we reach
New Orleans all right You shall have a
hundred dollars for last nights work. if
have to pay it myself"
"Oh, We'll be sure to get there safe
now. tell you the way reason. Vicls-
burg is the principal upper guard sta
ton, and having run the gauntlet there
successfully there is but little danger of
being stopped further down."
"Yes, but those fellows will report us
as soon as they get ashore, set the tele-
graph at work and We'll be caught
again"
Il don't think so. They'll be ashamed
to acknowledge that six armed men az
lowed a coslboat to ship by them
Browns reasoning proved correct, and
our friends met with no further trouble.
hut delivered the coal in safety at New
Orleans.
Although secesh sentiments ran high
IN the Crescent City, the boatmen found
10 difficulty in securing passes to return
to their homes, and in just eight weeks
from the time they left home Jack
Leathers, the pilot. and Bill Brown. his
assistant, were back in Pittsburg with a
round sum of money in their pockets.
earned by running a cargo OF Yankee
coal to New Decentralization Downing
in Yankee Blade.