Sharp County record., 1896-12-25

time"
"What about the magGzine?" asked
Gibbs.
We'll carry gooGly quantity of the
powder and hall. We must have a good
nights sleep, as this is tnc last one We
spend on the island"
At midnight ell was silent in the
cabin, and then it was that the revenue
beat, Mcrvine, landed 40 men, among
whom were Carr and Briggs.
Bullion led the way with the two ofli-
GERS on either side. When they got
around to the estuary and down the
ledge where the schooner lay, there was
not a man of the 40, from Capt. Brooks,
of the Mervine, down to the cook, but
that expected to return to Wilmington
with untold wealth.
Every man was armed to the teeth,
and when Bullion gave three sharp
blasts from his whistle at the entrance
of the cavern, every man was right be-
hind him.
The door swung back, and all rushed
forward, but noiselessly. They passed
the second door and stood in dimly
lighted cavern. There was a shoulder
ing fire burning at the upper end of the
cave, and they could see many forms OF
men lying about in different attitudes,
but they had little time to observe for
suddenly Cobb, who had admitted them.
cried: awake, Black Beard! Awake!'
As he cried out. he fired his weapon.
and Briggs fell. Bullion seized a cut
lass and the skull Of Officer Carr was
cleft in twain.
BY this time every pirate was on his
feet, fighting for life, and the cavern
echoed the reports, as volley after vol
Icy was fired by either side.
Bullion was welding the cutlass as
though In no other way could he re-
deem his honor for having betrayed his
comrades. He had already stricken
down two men, when he himself fell.
The giant frame Of Black Reard, as he
dashed into the thickest of the fray
carried CONSERVATION with it:
Eight, men! you're fighting for yo'n
lives!"
One-eyed Bill was fighting like q de
mon; bareheaded, his shirt sleeve
rolled to his elbows, his voice rang
through the cavern, as his cutlass fcl
--"Down with them! Down witt
them!"
But the pirates were too greatly out
numbered, UIIu II oUcume-s'f si'.".-,,----.i--
eventually they must be annihilated,
Cobb. Hendricks, Piunkett and man,
others had already fallen, and now Dil
Gibbs had struck his last blow, ant
fell with a groan, as ball from tn
weapon In the hands Of the reyenu
captain pierced his breast.
The captain fell in turn, his head leap
Ing from his shoulders, as the blade O
Black Boards cutlass severed it froI
his body.
"Strike, men Strike for your lives
these dastards come for money, Civ
them death"
Bow Leggs, with an immense weapon
was following in the wake Of Blac
Beard, and more than one marine Ia
on the damp floor Of the cavern, vic
tim to this ungalnly black, whose III
four months before Black Beard ha
saved; but now the red blood wa
coursing down his limbs from man
wounds.
At this moment Black Beard fcl
pierced by half dozen musRet balls a
once. lie gave one cry as he fell to tn
rocky floor OF the cavern:
'The magazine! Bow Leggs! Fir
the magazlne!"
And Bow Leggs, bleeding from ever
pore, reeled to the fireplace, and seize
q burning brand.
A number sprang forward to inter
ccpt him, while others endeavored t
rush from the cave.
The doors were closed, they coul
neither tell where they were, nor no
10 open them.
AS Bow Leggs seized the brand, h
made rush for the magazine, whlc
was n recess at one side Of the cav,
about midway between the cntranc
and the fireplace.
A dozen pistols and muskets wcr
aimed at the fearful black, aud twic
he fell, but struggled to his feet agar
nnd finally, with cry Of triumph, fo'
forward into the very mouth OF tn
magazine.
There was one cry from every marin
there; then dcafcning ronr that shoe
the island from center to circumference
ard sealed the fate OF all
The solid rocky surface OF the cnv
wns raised into the oir, then sank, bury
Ing beneath, officers, pirates and ma
rincs.
Not living mnn or the vcstige OF
dead one remained TO tell the tale,
There was no longer cave in cS
lstcnce on Smiths island, aud no longe
did the rocky, uneven surface prcscn
to view huge powders and shclyhI
rocliN 10 be clumbCrCd over Nv ih