The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-12-15
A CLEVER RUSE.

twas in the days of the black flag, and
of the nimble keel coppered to the bends,
and of that square of blood red bunting
which when run aloft to the maintop-
mast head signifed mo qrarterr A
round bowed Bristol trader, E, bark of
about AGO tons, three months out from
the Avon and bound to Savanna la Mar,
lay helpless off that Jamaican port in
what is known to sailors as ''sheet
calm"
The water hoated like a breast of liquid
glass, and solemn, long drawn heave
or swell ran through it. The Bristol
trader, in strict correspondence with her
proportions, rolled very uncomfortably
indeed from side to side, bringing her
wide spaces of canvas into the mast with
many savage sounding whacks, until the
atmosphere all about seemed filled with
the noise of exploding artillery. q
The heat was intense; the hour about
Q in the afternoon. The dark blue land
about Blewfeld's bay swan in the
steamy haze and writhed as though it
lived.
Seward the junction of heaven and
water was scarcely distinguishable in
the parched and brassy air. The land
went sloping into mere films, and moth
ing showed upon the face of the ocean
save large cutter rugged vessel, lifting
and sinking upon the swell at the dis
tance of about two miles away from the
Bristol trader in the direction of Blew
fields bay.
"Mr. Jenkins" said the master of the
Bristol ship, drop the hand lead over
the side and observe the vessels drift"
This was done and the rate of drift
reported.
Sir" said Mr.. Rogers, the captain, to
his mate, sit is not my intention to
founder upon bottom of coral or go to
pieces on st. Johns point. Clew up and
haul down everything tight and let go
the anchor"
These orders were duly executed. The
seamen made the decks busy with their
fingers in active motion, and the chain
cable roared hoarsely as the weight of
the big anchor swept it smoking through
the hawsepipe
Some half dozen male passengers
women there were none-lounged upon
the little poop in the sultry shadow cast
by the awning. 1t was disheartening to
see the narrow entrance to Savanna la
Mar almost within reach of "a pound
er's throw of its ball, and to be as little
able to enter it as to walk to it.
'How long is this going to lastF' ex-
claimed planter.
perhaps week, sir" answered Cap
tain Rogers, large, short, purple faced
man who hated to be asked questions.
The planter rolled the yellow "whites"
of his eyes to the heavens and tossed his
hands, with a malediction betwixt his
teeth.
whats that yonder, coming round
that corner of land?" exclaimed another
passenger, pointing to the line of coast
which the rolling cutter lay becalmed
abreast of.
Captain Rogers went to the companion
way, picked up the ships telescope and
leveled it.
ga picaroonp he exclaimed, and the
roar of his voice went in thunder along
the decks as he bawled to his livelies to
tumble up and load the carronades, and
to see all ready with the small arms, and
to stand by to sink the scoundrels should
they dare attempt to board the ship.
But it was speedily evident that the pi-
rates quarry was the cutter, and not the
Bristol merchantmen.
The picaroon was long, black schoon-
er, setting very low in the water, heavily
rugged, showing not an inch Of canvas
as she stealthily crawled over the bur.
nished blue heave to the impulse of her
long oars, or Sweeps" as though she
were some gigantic marine reptile forg-
ing her way through it with movements
of her antenne.
The cutter rolled helpless, with an oc
easional blazing fash sunward as she
lifted her wet, sparkling copper out Of
the water. On sudden, however, AND
rs though the men aboard her had but
Just walked from sleep, down dropped
her swinging, big mainsail, oars were
thrown over, and she made in the direc
ton of the Bristol trader, slipping hel
cable as she rounded, without stopping
to buoy her anchor.
But the picaroon buzzed fast in hel
wake. A puff of white cloud occasion
ally broke from her bow, and the blacl
ball, i'll aimed, went Swimming ahead o
the cutter in the direction of the Bristo
merchantmen like parched pea along
B table.
Before the cutter had measured half
mile the pirate was alongside and lash
ing the vessels together for boarding a
spider revolves fly in its web befor
trotting aloft to dine off it in its hole.
There was some small cracking o
blunderbusses and pistols, shouts fain
in the distance and a little lifting o
white smoke. The business was the
ended, and with true pirate CELEBRITY tn
scboonar vuaa making for the hlua haa