The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-08

thing as fate, after all. I believs II was
this mans doom shat drove him into such
sudden ferocity. Az all events II was tbs
shooting Of the red faced skipper that
brought the cruiser down on US. The mate
. Of the brig kept her away from the Philip
pines TO report the matter, and what does
he drop across, six hours later, but the
Spanish warship pegging away to the
south ard, on the chance that Dixon would
make for some out of the way hole in
northern Gilolo. Away comes the Don,
then, dead in our wake, with every ounce
Of steam he could carry. and, sure enough,
next morning at sunrise there was little
inky smear going up out of the blue be-
hind us. Crocky hardly took his eye off 1t
for an hour, and when he found it was ris-
ing and spreading he comes to me and
you bet did drive her for all she was
worth"
The narrator pulled up to irrigate, and
I said, Couldn't you have sent something
astray with your engines, on the quietp"
Wouldn't be sitting here, EARNING, TO-
day II l had! Crocky knew heap too
much for that And, anyhow, 1t wasn't
needed The stranger-steeriDg for our
smoke, Of oourse-hove herself up so fast
over the horizon that knew she must be
tho new cruiser, tho Cid Campeador. But
still 1 said nothing and when Crocky
handed me tho glass, saying he didn't
know her, said didn't either She kin
travel few, whatever she isl heard him
mutter. Keep her at itp he says to mo
with tap on his pistol. And you, Miguel,
steady as you gol Then he went below.
II suppose no still though he'd an off
chance of making the Carolines. In fact,
/ fancied myself 1t was about time we were
sighting some of the little outlying west
ern islands. But the way the Don over
hauled us was caution, and as soon as he
was nenr enough to show us tho whiteness
about his fore foot he let drive at u.s.
Long way short, my boy I! says to myself,
but hadn't reckoned on the latest touch
In guns-the shot pitched good half mile
ahead of usl Up comes Crocky when he
hears tho boom, and down he smashes his
glass on deck when he makes out the
strangers ensign. Great Jeffersonr he
says, yellow bellies, after ALL He took
turn or two fore and aft, and l noticed
that his pockets were bullying with some
thing that made him very heavy in the
feet above our smokestack-and at tho
screech of it Crocky seems to go clean mad.
He pulls a seven shot Colt out of each
breast pocket, fires at Miguel, and as tho
big Portuguese falls over the wheel whips
round and pots five of his other men be-
fore the rest could rush him. A long buck
niger was the first to handle the little
demon, but, as he lay under the black
man, he managed somehow to fire another
shot that set the mans shirt on fire and
blew away part of his jaw. In the middle
of the shooting had stopped tho engines,
and when l turned round there was the
big Niger with the blood pouring from
his smashed face just forcing Crocky over
the rail. His pockets sunk him like lead"
What was in them?"
"Dollars! fancy he intended to sink
himself with them anyhow after he'd pol
ished off his whole crew. But now there
were nine Of 'em left, and when they
missed the throb of the screw they came
for me like ono man. But l fought EN-
with what no man can face-steam-and
ecalded three of them so badly that they
jumped overheard and sank within 20
yards Of the cruiser boat pulling up
hard. Two of tho others fired into her and
killed seaman at his oar That's what
made the garotte a certainty for them in
any case"
Had middling close shave of it your
self by some accountst"
Kirby laughed ms he jumped up. "Not
quite so bad as that. But, you sec, I'd
been seventy Cdd hours without sleep or
shave, thick with grease and coal dust be-
sides. No wonder the Spanish lieutenant
took me for what looked like. But when
got aboard tho Cid it was all right Tho
captain spoke English, and as soon as l
had got freshened up a bit he sent me back |
with half dozen of his marineros to run
tho Hiia into Manila.
"And after I'd given evidence against
the five remaining picaroons asked for
this''-Kirby lugged out a long colt navy |
las little memento of the Last of the
Pirates. "-London Sun.