The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-12-11
Form a water-bucket brigade for q

fire in the hold"
This strange order made some of the
men hesitate, but explicit obedience in
their captains words had become a hab-
it with them.
When the men were in line armed with
their buckets, Capt. Bald went below,
and in a few minutes the men were pass
ing the buckets from one TO the other,
emptying their contents first into one
whaleboat and then into another. But
there was no fire to fight, and the men
were not handling water. They were
dipping the whale oil from the great
tanks and hogsheaGs in the hold and
pouring it into the small boats.
Enough" shouted the captain a lit
tie later. Every MAI on deck"
The novelty of the orders made the
men now obey with alacrity, and they
had partly forgotten their danger in
their exertioHs. But when they as
sembled on deck again and saw the
pirate only a short distance off their
faces paled once more.
But Capt. Bald realized that the mo-
ment for action had come. and he gave
his orders in quick. sharp commands.
Lower the boats and tie them to-
gether with a rope 20 feet long,"
He fastened one of the lengths of
rope to the first boat himself. and threw
the other end to the first mate. The
pirates saw the launching of the four
whaleboats. and prepared TO do the same
with thair hnpfS R1rt thay- lff1o 70
allied that the brave seamen were not
making ready TO escape TO the shore, but
were planning for their destruction.
II want four brave men who are will
ing TO risk their lives for the rest of u.s."
Capt. Bald said. in his usual abrupt way.
VIII they please step ~forward?"
Instead of four men every one of the
crew stepped forward.
THAT'S enough. my brave men," the
captain said. while his eyes grew moist.
I'll select my men"
Then taking four of his most trust
worthy sailors he gave them brief but
emphatic directions what to do. The
sailors nodded their heads and Jumped
into the boats. each carrying a life-pre-
li reserve Win Hllll. 1 liz ldSl "OItS lIc
captain said to them were:
Remember the right bank! Swim
toward it. and I'll pick you up"
What could he mean@ The sailors on
board the Carrie asked this. and the
pirates must have been curious also TO
know. They stopped a moment in their
yelling and watched the peculiar pro-
ii, r- IL A. $780,, - IL, I 1l-
The fOur boats shot out from the
Carrie and were rowed directly toward
the pirate. the strong current of the
river helping them in their speed. The
pirates did not notice at first that each
boat was fastened by strong ropes to
each others prows. They were too in
tent in watching the strange proceed
ings of this attack. 1t might have
dawned upon their obtuse minds hat
part of the crew of the Carrie had de-
serted, or hat they were coming tc
plead for mercy.
But the four rowers were silent ana
active. When they were within so yards
of the pirate the men threw away their
oars simultaneously and bent over
something in the middle of their whale
boats. There was a tiny spark of light.
a flash and then a sudden upward blaze.
The four brave men slipped over the
side of their boats into the water and
disappeared. But the flames which they
had started burned f%uriously. The
whale oil in the bottom of the boats
furnished fuel that made a fire hard
to eXtinguish. The tide was carving
the boats rapidly down the river toward
the pirate. Then for the first time the
pirates noticed that the boats were tied
together, forming a wide line stretch
ing half across the river.
Instantly there was commotion on
board the pirate ship. In the confusion
everybody forgot the prey they had so
neatly hemmed in the river. The guns
were aimed at the approaching oil boats
of fire, and n was actually blown TO
pieces. but the oil foated on the water
and only spread the flames.
In a few minutes the fire boats struck
the pirate ship. and the ropes holding
them together drew the end boats
around toward the ship in such a way
that flames were soon spreading
through the rigging and hull. \ few
brave pirates climbed down and cut
the ropes. but before they loated away
the ship vas a huge mass of flames and
smoke.
Meanwhile Capt. Bald had not been
idle. Just as soon as his men dropped
into the water from the fire boats he
crowded on all sail. and, helped by the
tide, he went bowling down the river
close UP toward the right bank.
While the pirates were fighting the
fire and trying to avert the doom of
their ship Capt. Bald was leisurely pick
ing up the four brave sailors who had
caused the mischief.
Now we'll stand out t. sea-" he said.
land let 'em chase us again."
But the last he saw of the pirates. as
his schooner rounded the point of LAND
at the mouth of the river, was a cheer.
ing sight. Most of them were seeking
safety in the water. For more than two
hours a dense wreath of smoke could be
seen curling upward, and as long as il
was visible Capt. Bald chuckled softly
to himself or the forward deck.
what wouldn't Capt. Low give tc