The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-20
A PIRATE STORY

on see, OrOcky WdDL6Q TO ne up 70
date. That old schooner of his was a won
der to sail. But now that both Dutch and
English cruisers were on the lookout for
him he thought 1t was about time he had a
smoke not of his own. 1 needn't 90 over
the nabbing of the Hija de la Mar She
was only co foot, Barrow built launch,
sent out for Pareras of Manila ought to
know"
YES. You were her engineer, weren't
yous''
Engineer of a hooker like thatI Not
likely. But was going to Mindanao my
self, and Jose Perera asked me to run the
Hiia down for him And how Crocky
nailed Us, and marooned 'em all but me,
of course you know
''Yesl But why did he except you?'
~ Because there were fixtures about the
steam gear that puzzled him-newfangled
touches that made him think he'd got hold
of 20 knotter or thereabo Sixteen
she was credited with on the measured
mile, but Il was all I could knock out Of
her, with Crocky's pistol at my ear to help
me-"
"eAnd that's her top notch, is its' says
he at last
- With better coal, told him, and
few -notches more down by the stern,
might squeeze another knot out of her
not more
Too much for the Dutchie or for any
thing the Britishers hey got in these hyar
waters.
Yes. But what about the Spaniards9'
says
. 'Shuckp he says and walks away aft
+. AZ could see Dixon knew something of
the new 16 knot cruiser that had arrived
at Manila the day we left it. She'd be
after US by that time, expected. But, of
course, said nothing to Crocky. Sixteen
OF his men he had with h:m-the best,
suppose, in his estimation, which meant
pretty well the biggest scoundrels. And
the nearest thing to white man among
'em was 4 big cross eyed Portuguese with
touch of the war brush.
1--WE fell in with little green painted
big heading west-cocoanut oil,
heard afterward, she had-from the islands,
for Canton. and CrOcky runs alongside and
boards her with all his cutthroats but two.
What happened in the briggs cabin don't
exactly know, but when we had cast off
and the brig had filled her main topsail
again the skipper runs to the taffrail and
shakes his fist at CrOcky. You Eankee
robber,' he yells, 'you'n pay for this, as
surs's my nane's'-What his name was 1
didn't hear, for just then Crocky fred.
The old chap stood for bit with his
fist stretched out, then down he went in
heap.
Presently he walks up to the chap at
the wheel-a half caste Dutchman by the
look of him and not we'll used, 1 could see,
to have the spokes of a steamer in his Flip
perA Dixon just looks at the compass
and without single word catches the man
a crasher on the head with his revolver
butt Then he looks round, the smallest
man aboard, with pleasant little smile on
his smooth little face. Take the wheel,
Miguel, he says to the big Portuguese,
has 10 E hoc 10
plo of you
Well, sir, there must be some such thing
as fate after all believe it was this man 3
doom that drove him into sudden ferocity.
At all events it wasthe shooting of the red
faced skipper that branghsthe cruiser down
on US. =
1.-The mate of the brig Kept her away
from the Philippines to report the matter,
and what does he+drop acrUss six hours
later but the Spanish warship.
Sure enough, next morning at sunrise
there was little inky smear going up out
of the blue behind us. Crocky hardly took
his eye of it for an hour, AID when he
found it was rising and spreading he comes
to me and says, Drive herl Not a word
more, but you bet did drive her for all
sho was worth.
1.-THE stranger-steering for our smoke,
Of eourse-hove herself up so fast over the
horizon that knew she must be the new
cruiser, the Cid Campeador.
The way the don overhauled US was
caution, and as soon as she was near enough
to show US the wilderness about her fore
foot she let drive at US. Long way short,
my boyP I says to myself, but 1 hadn't
reckoned on the latest touch in guns
the shot pitched a coop half mile ahead
of usl
up comes Crocky when he hears the
boom, and down he smashes his glass on
deck when he makes out the strangers en-
sign. Great Jeffersonp he says yellow
bellies, after ALL!
81 noticed that his pockets were bullying
with something that made him very heavy
in the walk Then comes another shot
not ten feet from our smokestack-anda at
the screech of it Crocky seems to go clean
mad. He pulls a revolver cut of each
breast pocket, fires at Miguel, and as the
big Portuguese falls over the wheel whips
round and pots five of his other men before
the rest could rush him.
I'm the middle of the shooting l had
stopped the engines, and when 1 turned
round there was niger with the blood
pouring from his smashed face just forcing
CrOcky over the rail His pockets sunk
him like lead. -
What was in thems'
"DoIlarsI I fancy he intended to sink
himself with them anyhow after he'd POL
ished off his whole crew. But now there
was nine of 'em left, and when they missed
the throb Of the screw they came for me
like one man.
but 1 fought 'em with what no man
can face-steam-and scalded three of them
SO badly that they JUMPED overheard and
sank within 20 rods of the cruisers boat,
pulling up hard. Two Of the others fired
into her and killed seaman at his car
That ) what made the garrote certainty
for them in any case. -
- Had middling close shave of it your
self by some accounts"
Not quite so bad as that. But you see
I'd been seventy odd hours without sleeper
shave-thick with grease and coal dust be-
Sides No wonder the Spanish lieutenant
took me for what looked like. But when
Il ~ a f< s~.t.+ Ia