Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-01-10
ter, for the crack was now horizon

with both eyes (; but the battle that
followed was ont Of range, for
ward.
The shrieks and yells we're horri-
bic. Evidently, very few had fire-
arms, but for time the clash OF
weapons sounded very near my box.
The silk men meant fight, and had
boarded our junk. Splash after
splash in the water marked O re-
treat or death. The noise drew
away again, and then subsidized a.
suddenly as it began. felt thrill
OF pride in my pirates when / learn
ed that the prize was ours.
The sailors sprang to the ropes
again, evidently in the greatest
haste to make sail and be of.
There was something astern which
they did not wish to encounter. The
captain stood between the cannon,
yelling frantically to his men. The
large sail would not move for them.
They tried the smaller sail. / could
see the end of the line tugging On
the rope. The captain yelled again,
they tugged harder. The rope
snapped, and the Celestial sailors
were piled upon the deck. Some
thing fell with shivering crash.
The captain was furious. The sail
ors sprang into the rigging. and
evidently found no end OF trouble
there.
Looming up under the moon /
could now see the tops of two bulg-
ing sails above the deck. It was
probably one Of the Blue River pr
rate catchers-pirates themselves
when no one is looking on. II my
box should be turned over to other
captors. as plumber, / should doubt
less be dumped overheard as dan.
gerous incumbrance. That chang
ed matters materially, and if !
could have gotten ont of my box. /
would gladly have helped them in
the rigging.
A new man held the long arm.
He was looking fellow, max
ed to the waist. The moon was
behind him, so that / could not see
his face. but there was something
about him which rivetej my atten-
ton.
A shout from behind rang over
the water. All was still as death
with us. Then the boom of a can
non sounded. The ball did not
strike us, but there was a low groan
from the sailors. Where was their
courage?
The repairs were made. The
men dropped upon the deck and
began to work the ropes again. The
sail-rods ratified against the mast.
The junk shivered, and swung
slowly to the wind. For moment
the moon shone upon the face OF
the man at the helm. AS sure az
al the fates, that naked pirate was
my late servant Master Tao-sen.
The rascal
He understood the management
of the helm to perfection. Oh yes
| remembered, then, how well he
knew the Blue River, and it all
came to me that he was the means
of my beingin that box. The NAL
edictions which ! heaped upon his
shaven pate could not have been
contained in a vial of wrath. But
we were under way. The water
dashed to the grating. The captain
gave one yell of derision to the craft
behind, and left his position in the
stern.
Now Tao-sen had been putting in
some fine work with that long arm.
In spite of my rage, was rather
proud of him. The moment The
captain left, however, he changed
the course. He caught the end OF
the arm and began to pull. he
pulled till his eyes stood out, his
back bent. his legs twisted. Back,
back, backl Up the raised plat.
form, over :he rail- Then, when
he could go no farther, he still pull.
ed until he lay almost horizontally
over the water, his feet braced on
the rall. At last the junk felt it,
| heard the slat Of the great sails
Eand, with yell, two men with
cleaning knives rushed past me
anu sprang upon the plssform.
Ny heart stood still for Tao-sen.
The knives were within two feet oil
him: He dropped the arm, and
like flash went headfirst into the
| water. Rnt his work was done