Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-05-11
CHAPTER NNVI.

ulO 1SSUlNC OOuldS llC
This, men, is our lost night on the
Carolina coast. Tomorrow we will
make division of the spoils, stow all
aboard the schooner and sail for some
point agreed on, where we will scuttlc
and sink the craft and scatter. Each
man will have wealth enough to live like
prince. l hope Bullion may return il,
time"
"What about the magazine?" asked
Gibbs.
well carry goodly quantity of tho
powder and ball. We must have a good
nights sleep, as this is the last one we
spend on the island"
At midnight all was silent in the
cabin, and then it was that the revenue
boat, Mervine, landed 40 men, among
whom were Carr and Briggs.
Bullion led the way with the two Off
GERS on either side. When they got
around to the estuary and down the
ledge where the schooner lay, there was
not man of the 40, from Capt. Brooks,
OF the Mervine, down to the cook. but
that expected to return to Wilmington
with untold wealth.
Every man was armed to the teeth,
and when Bullion gave three sharp
blasts from his whistle at the entrance
of the cavern, every man was right be-
hind him.
The door swung back, and all rushed
forward, but noiselessly. They passed
the second door and stood in a dimly
lighted cavern. There was shoulder
ing fire burning at the upper end of the
cave. and they could see many forms OF
men lying about in different attitudes
but they had little time to observe, for
suddenly Cobb, who had admitted them,
cried: Awake, Black Beard! Awake!''
AS he cried out, he fired his weapon
and Briggs fell. Bullion seized a cut
lass and the skull of Officer Carr WINS
cleft in twain.
BY this time every pirate was on his
feet, fighting for life, and the cavern
echoed the reports. as volley after vol
Icy was fired by either side.
Bullion was welding the cutlass as
though in no other way could he re.
deem his honor for having betrayed his
comrades. He had already stricken
down two men, when he himself fell.
The giant frame of Black Beard, as he
dashed into the thickest of the fray
carried CONSERVATION with 1t:
Flight, men! you're fighting for you,
lives!"
One-eyed Bill was fighting like de
mon; bareheaded, his shirt sleeves
rolled to his elbows, his voice rang
through the cavern, as his cutlass fel
Down with them! Down with
them!"
But the pirates were too greatly out
numbered, and it became apparent that
eventually they must be annihilated.
Cobb, Hendricks. Piunkett and man,
others had already fallen, and now Bill
Gibbs had struck his last blow, anc
fell with q groan, as ball from the
weapon in the hands of the revenue
captain pierced his breast.
The captain fell in turn, his head leap
ing from his shoulders, as the blade O
Black Boards cutlass severed it from
his body.
Strike. men! Strike for your lives
these dastards come for money, Civ,
them DEATH"
Bow Leggs, with On immense weapon
was following in the wake of Blacl
Beard, and more than one marine lay
on the damp floor of the cavern, vic
tim to this ungainly black, whose life
four months before Black Beard has
saved; but now the red blood wa.
coursing down his limbs from man,
| wounds
| At this moment Black Beard fell
| pierced by half dozen musket balls a
once. He gave one cry rs he fell to The
rocky floor Of the cavern:
"The magazine! Bow Leggs! Fir;
the magazine!"
And Bow Leggs, bleeding from ever,
pore, reeled to the fireplace, and seizet
n burning brand.
A number sprang forward to inter
cept him, while others endeayored t.
rush from the cave.
The doors were closed, they coult
neither tell where they were, nor no !,
to open them.
AS Bow Leggs seized the brand, h
l
was recess at one side of the cave
about midway between the entranc,
and the fireplace.
A dozen pistols and muskets wer,
aimed ut the fearful black, and twic,
he fell. but struggled to his feet again
and finally, with a cry of triumph, fel
forward into the very mouth of TIL,
magazine.
There was one cry from every marin.
there; then Il deafening roar that shool
the island from center to circumference
and sealed the fate of all.
The solid rocky surface of the cav
was raised into the air, then sank, bury
ing beneath, officers, pirates and ma
rines.
Not living man or the vestige of
dead one remained to tell the tale.
There was no longer cave in ex
istence on Smiths island, and no lonse
did the rocky, uneven surface prescn
to view huge powders and shelvin,
rocks to be clambered over by tn,
islands goats.
One mighty rock had fallen into Nh
estuary, bearing down beneath it In
Clara Belle, while the revenue boat hat
broken her moorings, rs result of III
shock, and drifted out to sea.
| When the sun arose, she lay in tn
trough SOME nine miles out from tn
inlet. Huge waves We're dashing owe
her, and when an inbound steamer tina
had observed her and was hastenin:
forward for the purpose of rescuinl
any who might be in peril was yet som
distance from her, she sunk from sight
/ and it has ever been supposed. that Ia