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

Rogers and his ships company ana Wild
no small alarm by the passengers. The
captain said he could swear to the
schooner. She was the wickedest of all
the picaroon pests Of those waters. He
pronounced her name. and his face was
full of blood with temper as he did So
An hour later an inshore breeze sprang
yp The anchor was swiftly catheaded
to CHEEKY chorus, and the Bristol trader
was steered for the narrow passage to
receive pilot for Savanna la Mar.
By shutdown the ship was moored in
harbor, and everything was made snug
for the night. A considerable number
of vessels happened to be assembled in
the port, and the picture was one of
beauty and color when, on the sinking
of the sun and to the blast of heavy
piece of ordnance, some score or two of
radiant streaks of bunting descended
futtering to the deck from peak and
masthead.
| At o'clock Captain Rogers went
ashore to smoke a pipe in hotel that
ives much frequented in those days by
Beafaring gentlemen. He entered hot,
long room in which already a number
of captains, mates and such folk were as
9embled The atmosphere was thick
with tobacco smoke.
Much was made of Rogers as man
newly arrived from England. One'thing
leading to another, our captain presently
referred to the picaroon incident he had
witnessed outside the port.
THAT schooner was undoubtedly the
Santa Margarita," exclaimed a ship
master.
"The cutter was from Kingston" said
another. "All the owner has in the wide
world was in her. He is ruined man,
l fear" and he fetched the table mighty
thwack with his great fist as he heaped
a variety of sea blessings upon the pirate
schooner.
"The impudence of that Santa Mar
garita," exclaimed mate, a quiet, sober
faced man, "goes beyond all invention!
She walks off with the droghers as boy
with apples out of field, and stoops to
such filthy, mean work as plundering the
poor John Canoes"
"She was playing just the same pranks
when l was last here" said Captain
Rogers. "Has there been nothing with
pennant at its masthead washing about
these waters of late? How is it that the
epaulets are allowing this little cruiser
to have it all her own way?"
"The FREELY was down here on a
cruise three or four weeks ago" said one
of the captains, land chased the Mar
garita for six hours. I'd have thought
she would have loitered till she'd snug
ged the gang of cutthroats under her
own matches"
"She was called away to carry dis.
patches, said some one.
1.-THE Firefly's not u patch on the Mar
garita in sailing" exclaimed a shipmas-
ter. I'm junked if she didn't scandalize
her mainsail out of sheer bravado when
the FREELY was winking at her with q
bow chaser couple Of miles astern dead
in her wakep
"Thats where it isI' cried Captain
Rogers. "If it was not for the CREASED
lightning of the beggar's keel, I'd offer
my ship to chase her with and take my
chance of shindy at home for detention
if was long in catching her. But bless
me, gentlemen There's nothing is this
port, there's nothing commanded by any
of you, that's going to look at her in a
breeze of wind. while in dead calm
why, she came buzzing out this after
noon from round the corner like 10
cared galley to the thrust of her long
sweepsl
"Yet we ought to nab her, friends, /" he
concluded, 1--WE ought to nab her. Her
existence is standing degradation to
the red flag of our country. A thought
occurred to me this afternoon while
was watching her walking off with the
cutter. Are we all true men here?"
He rose as he spoke the words and
took critical survey of the people round
about him. Indeed he had need to be
wary, for often it happened that the pic
aroons Of those days were secretly
owned or employed by persons who were
esteemed of good standing and credit in
the West Indian colonies.
But all the people in the long room
this night were Englishmen and sailors
Every Ildu COulu udNO JI6
he belonged to. Being satisfied on this
head, Captain Rogers communicated hii
scheme.
1t was very warmly received. The of
fers of assistance were far in excess Of
the requirements Of the little conspiracy
For an hour or so the matter was debat
ed, and the company then dispersed
with the understanding that all was t.
be in readiness by sunset the next even
ing.
At the hour when the sun sank thu
next day a large sloop, hosting hel
mainsail and stay foresail, foated quiet
ly out of the harbor through the narrow
passage before a weak offshore breeze
The vessel was about five and twenty tom
burden, rugged with one mast and hai
been lately employed in carrying sugal
along the coast. She was unarmed
Her flush deck swept clear from the taft
rail to the "eyes."
The night that followed shutdown wa
one of rich tropic beauty. The mool
was at her full. Her wake flowed in
river of greenish splendor across tn
black surface of the water, but the nigh
beam was SO clear and piercing that tn
eye easily followed the hard. firm sweel
of the line of the horizon.
When the sloop had gained an ofinI
L