The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-03-14
WITH THE DUCKING POLICE
( Continued from Pdge =. }

found no gun in that skiff, y said the cnn-
mander. That is because you are not
familiar with the ingenuity Of tn So men
in evading the law. What do you suppose
was the first move of these pirates when
they caught the CLEAN of our lantern?'
ITO get out their oals, | imagine"
"NO; that was their second thought; the
first impulse was to throw their gun over
board. These swivel-guns all have a ring
in the breech, in which long stout cord,
having a float attached to the other end, is
securely tied. At the first intimation Of
danger, overheard goes the gun, the pirates
relying upon the float to find and recover
it at the first convenient opportunity. It
is next to impossible to take these fellows
with ilre.arm in their possession
"But why not look for the gun our
selves 2"
at would he useless in the darkness
In fact, the floats are SO small, and con-
structed in such a peculiar way that, nm.
less the approximate place Of the sunken
weapon is known, it is difficult to find it
in broad daylight"
"You will simply leave this sun?'
"Nc; my anxiety TO destroy it would
prevent that. jack, who has a wonderful
facility for remembering localities has the
IL vii ,1i, {,
the weapon tomorrow afternoon
For the next three hours the sloop tacke
slowly back and forth across the river and
the biting breeze, which was yeering to the
north again did not serve to make the
dragging minutes pass more rapidly. We
succeeded, however, in making another
capture. but one which WAS attended by
ridiculous rather than dramatic circum.
stances. During the interval of intense
darkness which preceded the rising of the
moon, our listening ears were salutcd by
the rattling Of oars in rowlockF, and rs the
sound grew louder we became aware that
The boat was approaching us BY def
turn of the teller the steersman brought the
sloop into the wind, with the sails ust full
enough to prevent the Tapping of the sails,
and we waited to spriug on our unsuspect-
ing prey.
The boatman, bending to his oars. was
unconscious Of our vicinity until, when
about thirty feet distant, the captain turned
the light upon him. The solitary occupant
of the diIapidated skitf was grizzled old
negro, who, springing to his feet and turn
ing to face us, stood as though transliXcd by
the shaft OF light.
Good Lawd! ~ it's de p'lice," he
groared. raising both hands above his head
with Il dcspairing gesture.
"Why are you so much afraid of the
police, Moses q laughed the captain.
Me amt fraid o no p'lice,' re-
piled the darkcy, struggling to turn bold
front to the situltion. II amt bin shootin'
10 duci;s, cap'n'
Il am afraid we will have to investi-
gate that story Paddle close up, and let
us see what You have il your boat"
In the bottom Of the skiff we found an
autiuuatcd muSket Of the 1850 pattern, and
II hall dozen black head ducks.
Nose, if you did not shoot them, where
did you get those birds ~
Bought 'em, sab. y
"What were you doing with that gum
"Jrs' TUX hit along, san, TO fear
mought run up ag'in some of them night
duckers."
''Your story is Just Il little Shaky,
Moses Hand up your gun aud birds, and
then come aboard and 90 down into the
cabin, where YOU will find congenial com.
pany"
"If was to believe all the stories
hear, " said the commander, when we were
again under way, 81 would he obliged tc
believe that there is an enormrus night
trade in ducks carried on in these waters.
| have never arrested an Illegal gunner
WIN WIS lpt w oNtdi 'llstV Diih'
in his possession were regularly bought
and paid for. 1t is quite probable that
those fellows in the cabin will at their trial
produce witnesses who will testify that
they sold to the pirates the ducks which we
found in that boat This theory of pur,
chase is invariably set up before the court,
and unless we have found the culprits in
the very act of discharging their guns wc
often find it difficult to secure convictions
OF course the less said about the veracity
of the witnesses the better.
The remainder of the night passed with.
out snccial incident. A long run before tho
wind carried us out of the river and IA, tC
the south of Spesutic Island. Tie dawn
was lust breaking a. we az, in passed "'rhc
Battery on which | could now see tho
buildings of the government tish-hatchino
staten. Long lines of ducks We're winging
their way to the feedingGr0uuds on the
flats, stretching away on our port bow, and
thic,<ly dcttcd with siuk-b0Ncs. each OF
which was spouting flame like Il miniature
monitor 4 stranger to the scene would
have supposed that the citizens OF Havro
~, I, \