Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-10-16

do you, and it would be very incon-
vcnient to me. Better sheer off and we'll
say no more about it. 1 can take
joke well as the next man.
For time it looked as if the stranger
needed the good advice given him. The
captain of the yacht rang full speed
ahead and the sharp prov cut the water
like knife. The yacht described a
large circle and seemed to be showing
off it's PAGES, but this, as the captain of
the Bear remarked. was unnecessary,
fer he already knew that any scow on
the Pacific could pass him. However, it
was soon evident that this was not the
intention of the enemy. Ranging along
side once more, but this time further
away, there was a cloud of smoke from
the cannon, sharp report and the
crash of rending plates. A jagged hole
had been torn in the ships side near the
bulwarks, which, while it did no harm,
scarcely improved the appearance of the
Bear.
Once more the yacht swung around
the circle and again ranged alongside
within distance of 100 yards.
Haul down the flag" said the cap
tain of the big steamer.
well, captain began the young man
on the bridge when at speaking dis
tance, "a practical lesson is worth any
amount of talk. merely wished to con-
vince you that we know how to handle
our guns and that our guns can pene-
trate your rotton plates. Besides, you
will have something to show for your
money when you get to port. 1 take it
we will have no further trouble, but
I'll give you five minutes more if you
wish to consult together"
The miners had no desire to be
| 7 70
] up their gold.
''Get him aboard, captain" said their
leader, land We'll have a fight for it.
| We are all heeled, and once we get that
villain and part of his crew on deck
here, you keep out of the way if you
| like, and We'll handle him."
you couldn't run down tina pirate, I
suppose? % suggested another, more eau
| tious than the rest.
| No more than I could run down
| Queen Charlotte islands with this
craft" replied the captain dolefully.
| "Time!' shouted the man on the
bridge.
Wen give you the gold" said the
captain, returning to his place.
"All right. And so that there will be
no temptation to play us any tricks, for
the amount 1 understand is demoraliz-
ingly large, will stay here and receive
your packages. Two of my men will go
| aboard you, and two others will work
the ferry between your craft and mine.
| Those four men L can easily spare, and
| if you kill or capture them you are well
come to do so. but in that case 1 shall
| undoubtedly sink the ship. If you will
think over the crisis for moment you
will see that nothing else is left for me
to do. 1t is the only safe plan; there
| fore trust there will be no trouble
| There wasn't. The miners saw at
once that there was little use in making
| a row, and in short time the precious
cargo was transferred from the ship to
| the yacht. 1t came in boxes and bags, in
| large quantities and in small, and the
man on the bridge opened every pack
age so that there was no chance of fool
| ing him. When the transfer was COM
plete, the young man sang out:
Il wish you good day, captain, and n
safe voyage. 1t may strike you as
| strange that do not sink the ship now
and so destroy all evidence against me.
assure you that gave the plan the
| deepest consideration, and if, unfor-
tunately, one life had been lost, you
| would all have gone to the bottom, but,
| as it is, this is only robbery or piracy,
ard 1 believe they don't hang for that
now, so L chance your evidence against
me, for 1 will be disembarked long be-
fore you can reach the nearest tele-
| graph office. So, if I were you, I would
plug right along to San Francisco and
not give me the trouble of calling at
Victoria or any of those intervening
ports. Well; so long"
! The yacht moved away from the ship
at speed which showed that all hope of
keeping her in sight for long was hope
less. With sad hearts the plundered pas
sengers watched her grow smaller and
smaller to the south of them, while the
Bear churned her leisurely course
| through the waveless sea-
| At last the lookout shouted:
1.-The yachts coming back, SIR
The captain put his glasses to his
/ eyes and gazed for a long time at the
/ horizon to the south.
by jingo, she isl he said, turning a
trifle less ruddy. Then he said to the
mate: What do you think of it?''
''He's probably changed his mind and
is going to sink US. 1 Thought he didn't
seem to be more than half convinced