Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-12-02


and l believe they don't hang for that
now, so 1 chance your evidence against
me, for | viii be disembarked long be-
fore you can reach the nearest tele-
graph Office. So, if ! 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
Mt a 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 thems while the
Bear churned her Ieisurely 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 long time at the
horizon to the south.
"By lingo, she is" he said, turning a
triGe less ruddy. Then he said to the
mate: what do you think of it?"
Hes probably changed his mind and
is going 10 sink us. Thought he didn't
seem 10 be more than half convinced
when he talked Of not doing it. What
are we to do?"
Il don't know anything to do said
the captain, hopelessly, swearing in
wardly that If he ESCAPED he would have
u faster steamer next voyage or quit the
high seas.
Everyone aboard was now watching
the northern-bound yacht, and the
same disquietinr thought seemed to run
through every mind, even before one of
the passengers gave voice TO his fears.
Suddenly the captain cried out with his
glasses stin TO his eyes:
$50 heIr me! It's not the same yacht.
Look, Joel"
The mate examined the approaching
steamer and coincided with the cap
tain's view. Soon all doubt was set at
rest Bhe oncoming boat was seen 20
be much larger than the yacht and ap-
parently much faster, speedy as the
other had seemed in comparison with
the Russian Bear A big Ilack-beard-
ed giant with a voice like foghorn was
in command. He wasted no time in
talk, but sent shot towards the Pear,
a shot that skipped along the water and
sank without coming within dangerous
distance. Once more the Russian Bear
lowered her flag. slowed down and
stopped. The other came up with her.
eve want what gold you have on
board" roared the man with the whis-
kers.
1--WE haven't any," replied the cap
tain; "we'ye been
"I know better. You have S5,OOO,ooo
worth of the stuff with you, and III have
it without any more nonsense. I'm not
running "a moonlight excursion with
brass band on board. Surrender, or
I'll sink you" ,
You're too late. We've been robbed
already" -,
"Oh, that's too thin. Every man hold
up his hands; We're going y lay along
side and the man that moves gets shot.
you're wasting valuable time' salu
the captain; "come round to the other
side and see the shot he put through
US, if you don't believe me. We don
get such marks as this on moonlight eX-
curslons, either"
sHere's tie shot that came through
the side" corroborated the mate, hold
ing it up in his hands. All on board
cried aloud that this was true, and the
pirate made an emphatic remark re
garding his future destination, which
was as likely as not prophetic.
Didn't you meet u rallish-looking'
black-hulIed yacht about half the size
of your own?"
'Yes; and it seemed to me at the time
she sheered off and showed that she
didn't want to be hailed. But as we
didn't, either, [ took no notice. Thun-
der! I can overhaul her before she
reaches port. Any idea where she was
making
''No, but-as her master advised me not
to drop into Victoria, I suspect he in
tends to rum in there himself"
The piHate oircled Tire Russian Bear,
and the captain thereof saw him ex-
amining. the hole made by the cannon
shot tn cough his glass. Evidently con-
vinced, he rang full speed, shouting
back to the Bear: III you've fooled me,
I'll seulle with you later"
No cne slept on the RussiamBear that
night. She veercd toward the westand
a keen lookout was lRpt till morning
broke. Some faucied they heard can
non firing in the dista-ee, but no one
was sure Toward eyeUing of the next
day the outlook aloft sloUty' that tL-To
was something 20 the sou1hwestward,
and~the Bears course was laid in that
direction. They came upon the yacht
with one mast atanding, on which few
signal of distress The snoilestuck
and the other mast was gone. and the
yacht lay helpless, with her Prov high
and her stern omiuouly low in the
water, Men we ee PUMPING with fever