The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1894-03-30

| ~, b. 'ouus'AH ~ ttfheS 10 Il pleas
uraple exestement III watching the uiinble
ness au0 traits Of the cc,nbatants and the
treqaenc! With which booty changed hands
The incidents were often such ~ wonI,]
have made crowd OF spectators on shore
roar WITH delight. Now there would I've q
knos q men inextricably eutanglel an /,
might seea. and just as you thought the 10,
must % own together lucky boat would
dart clear Then there would he exciting
pursuit ana capture, or the runaway, Riy
Ing a!i us attention to It's pursuerx, would
rush into tie clutches Of y skirmisber lyina
F., In wait 0g the outskirts.
| AN Reauster OF boats would he locke
into % Of pontoon bridge, which would
swayEAhA rock for awhile till in the eustxy
Of the seton it would suddenly til, or "a.
reen. pitching men aud goods into the WA.
. ter. " again two men wrestling would
lose their balance and turn over like ~.
volving ouoys. to come up blinking, xplut,
ter,ng anu streaming at the mouth ~ il
they were automatic pumps Then, shak.
I lug themselves roughly like u couple Of
drenched dogs. they would probably c!oss
agSin to repeat the same divertiu. DER
forn'ance Thus the spor. went on with
eudlesH variety Of incident. aud w blwxi
shed that could see to mar the enjoy
n,pnt.
BY degrees the combatants drew away
from NE, for besides the tendency Of much
bAtt . 'ospread the ebbing tide was carry.
Ing the wares out to sea, making it neces
sary to follow them. 1t was clear the last
corners were getting most of the spoil. A
few OF the Others. dodsing and watching
their cbance, managed to make of, carry.
ing freight for ballast, but the frequent
trips to and fro between the center Of war
aud tue anchored ship told where most Of
the plumber was going.
There are no reapers with a 1.-THE Of the
energy and speed of pirates. In spite of the
time wasted in useless contention, in spite
OF races. captures. somersaults and the
thousand and one egregious hindrances,
INDUCED in rs might almost appear from q
spirit Of sheer frivoiity, the harvest was
quickly gathered, and very soon the only
floating objects to be seen were the ship
with her b'ats near at hand and in the dis.
tance other boats running for life with the
tide.
Az the diversion declined my mind uatu.
rally reverted to my own miserable condi.
tion. What was to become Of met Was
To be left to my own devices With strand.
ed ship and no commonst And il ~, what
should do' Should make my way
ashore and risk the sayaxencss OF man ant
beast or remain on the brig to await do
velopnents!
While | was thus thinking and debating,
a bout put Oft from the pirate ship and came
toward Que. Coming alongside it's crew
:ess :. ssssss sVsaxs ma Judging Il
lest to be civil! ] received them with i pru.
found sa.aam and . cordial marhabs, OF
welcome J might have saved my pains
Instead Of returning my salu.xtiou the
leader came forward with drawn xwonl.
demanding to know whether there was auv
treasure IN board and intimating that II
be caught me in a lie my throat would b.
cut on tAe spot. assured him that /
knew Of . treasure, but Invited them 10
search forthemselves since there might be
secret reqmes In the ship that | had not
discovered
Thou halt be guide" said the fellow.
''and. a. thou valuest thy life. true ona
Perhaps tlou knowest the taste 0f STEEL"
! NEEDY complied. conducting chem
faithfullytnto every corner above aud be.
low. for IL fear Of death gives wondrous
fidelity. they examined very deliberately
q they TENT along, probing with their.
sword potts into dark recesses aud sound.
ing with tie hilts the boards for concealed
chambers, sometimesev even kicking furious.
" In their fits Of chagrin AZ time passed
and no discovery was made.
Their bal humor showed itself also IN An
ugly Meditation to bold me responsible for
their i'll LUX. They would squirt out angry
questions about the former occupants Of
the brig. and before ! could reply turn
upon rue With mensces that more than once
fairly brought my heart to my mouth. Oas
fellow. mastering that was playing the
juat a little too much. thrust at
me ferocie1sly with bis sword, saying tha.
II did not wish to be cut in two had bet-
ter make sclean breast Of it. Fortunately
be was not close enough to do DAMAGE. and
on my answering him. with fervency that
must have carried conviction 70 the heart
Of . stone, that | knew no more than he
did, be passed on with curse on my stu.
pidity and blindness.
Feeling their way foot BY foot and tax.
Ing nothing for granted, they went over tho
whole interior Of the ship J. hold, forecastIe,
cabin, od3cers' quarters and all question.
Ink. contf4dictinx. threatening, and every
minute gteing more and more frightful
With looks Of disappointment and rage.
Ny poor belongings they scattered like
chat, appropriating what they considered
worth carrying away and e6ectually dis-
posing Of the remainder BY cutting and
tearing II INTO shreds aud then throwing
Ehe rags into the sea. Beside my clothes
hey took oil my weapons (save Z pistol I
had hidden) and all the ammunition they
Gould lind. but BY good chance was able
10 rave my mothers Bible aud Duncan's
pipes and isabel's two punches Of white
heather, treasures which. ~ you may sup.
pose, were almost a. my life to me. 10
bis were added some powders and pills !
eft by Nj. Watson. The riding done. I
vas peremptostly ordered on deck, and |
Iscended alone
This arrangement puzzled me, but was |
'oou enliehtened. In . few minutes thin !
column Q! smoke curled up through the
lfterhatcn; then another rose farther for
Eard, then another and another till the
ereral volumes spread and blended into . !
hick cloud {, -. =, ~,
was so'rJ . GO the briggs tate sealed
o this way: We had been friends loue,
md she had saved mo when thsss was no
'ope. But what could ! do 70 save herr
When the IRE had not 4 sufFiciant hold "a |