The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-01-08
CAP'N DICKEY'S CAPTIVES.
How His Crew Of Cripples Recov-
cred in a Night.
One Day Late the Schooner Hester Sailed
Into Bristol Harbor with Rum,
Molasses, Sundries and
"Cinq HOmmes."

The only words that Capt. John
Dickey, of the Bristol schooner Hes
ter, had understood were "cinq hon.
mes"
"Five on EN-" he muttered. That's
odds for the frog-eaters."
And in the depths of his gloom he
fell to cutting off pipeful of tobacco.
Truly, Capt. John couldn't be very
sanguine. He had sailed from Boston
several days before, bound for Bris-
tol town, or ancient Pemaquid, with
general cargo for the storekeepers
of the settlement, and alas! a French
privatcersman had overhauled him
away off the mouth of the Kennebcc.
The Hester had fed, but her fight
was about as nimble as the scuttling
away of an old hen foundering through
a barnyard to escape a tormenting dog.
The Hester was all right for conveying
rum, molasses, and other necessaries-
broad of beam and tight of seam. But
she couldn't run away. Her blunt nose
bumped against the waves, her heavy
sides smashed clumsily down upon the
brimming swell. The tough old bird
spread all sail and bowled along, like
a Brahma scuddng before the wind
with tail spread, but up came the pri-
vateeersman, his frisky nose dipping,
his clean sides flashing back the CLINT
of the wave. and the spume whizzing
through the lee braces.
"Schoonaire, ahoi!" shouted a little
man from over the taffraiI, his llnurly,
red nose cleaning from under his cap.
The pursuer had edged up on the Hes
ter's quarter. and Capt. Dckey and his
men were surlily eying the small
craft.
what do you want?" roared back
the captain, hoarsely, just as though
he didn't know all too we'll.
The man with the knurly red nose
screamed back:
''Heaf' to; stand by for bot'!''
Capt. Dickey didn't haul around at
once, however He turned to Mate
Constant Judkins.
"S'Pose we've got to, JUDI" he re-
marked, gloomily. "Course you know
what it means. We're gobbled"
eyes, and it's jest as well to be COB
bled whole as piecemeal," remarked
Mate Judkins, carefully throwing his
guild to lee.
This was wisdom. So in moment
or so the Hester came slapping and
changing and foaming around into the
wind. Not a moment too soon, for the
privateersmans long Tom had taken
rather determined squint at the main
mast of the schooner.
Then Capt. Dickey, listening atten-
lively and with saturnine face, heard
a gobble of French. in which he dis
tinguished ICING hommes," and that
alone, for he wasn't linguist.
Sank ON he growled; "wal, come
Ealong and sank 'om more if you want
to-"
Constant Judltins listened to the
soliloquy with puzzled face.
"If may be so questioniferous,
'cap'n," he asked, who's this ere Sank
Orm who is coming aboard?"
The captain didn't smile. Il heard
EN- say in We've lingo" he explained,
shat they're going to put five prize
men aboard us, and the Lord only
knows where they'll take us!"
The crew of the Hester were four
the skipper, the mate-Ozarias Hodson,
A. g., able-bodied seaman, and Berual
Joquith. cook and before the mast.
Now. as the captain strobe forward
front of the house to see about throw
ings over the stern ladder, he saw
o<Eass Hodson sitting on a-rope coil
In 4aistswith head tied up
WHIT ais you?' snapped the skip
foot .ache. ~ &ns .tlsnl'd bad, tool"
ozariassafkta5gH sa Elibrs distract
ed by toothache than BIZ ise teers-
man. Berual Joquith y 81 sad bad
the lively suspicion that s.8sISa -
man would pop few shots ~ iAe11it}
way of exercise and practice abds
out of sight into his sanctuary
just as Capt Dckey threw over the
stern ladder a thought struck him.
by ginger!" said he. and he jumped
as though he had suddenly taken in a
mouthful of that condiment.
He threw a hasty look over the side.
The privateersman was just getting
its long boat in the water with the
sank 'oms' and their sea chests.
''Jud." he called back to the mate,
make fast the wheel and dodge down
here into the waist under the lee of
the bulwark."
Judkins looked surprised, but he did
so.
Come along below" commanded the
skipper, and both men followed him
Down N his bunk they found the coop
Boys" SAID the captain, there amt
time to go into long explanations, but
/ want you to know right now that
you're all in awful bad shape, and
I'm the only man about ship who can
keep on his pegs"
The amazement on the faces of the
three gradually grew into shrewd in
teiligence as they stared into the
twinkling eyes of the "old man."
TELL us what the trouble is with
u.s." requested Berual, "and veal be
the sickest fellows you ever seed in
about two flips Of the flynn jib.''
wall" said the captain, II amt as
Tood liar as wish was. hut 0uess