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

|; WHEN THIEVES FALL OUT.
BY LUKE Sharp.

THE freight steamer Russian Bear
was thrashing along down the Pa
cifc ocean with her blunt prov facing
south, and the captain reckoned he was
somewhere off the Queen Charlotte
islands. The Bear was an iron ship of
old-fashioned build and as slow as they
make 'em; any old thing on the ocean
could pass her; yet, pro TEN, she was
passenger boat and was bringing down
the last of the seasons crop of Klon-
dixie miners. She was Teputed to have
over $4,000 900 worth of gold dust and
nuggets on board and her coming was
watched for with some anxiety.
On the morning of the 18th the cap
tain noticed on the western horizon
what appeared to be a steamer coming
towards him. AS craft are scarce on
these waters, except in the sealing sea-
son, the captain watched the strangers
approach with interest not unmixed
with anxiety, because of the valuable
cargo he had aboard. The sea was
calm for the time of year, and the
steamer seemed to be making for across
the bows of the Bear. The captain or
dered the flag hoisted, but the oncomer
showed no answering cosOrs, which did
not tend to make the captain feel less
uneasy. She was trim craft, looking
like private yacht, painted black with
two slim, tapering masts set at ralfish
slope in line with her one funnel. She
came swiftly through the water and
turned her broadside toward the Rus
sian Bear, when the man at the wheel
-. III
safe, and her engines slowed down so
that the strangers speed more nearly
accorded with the slow progress the
larger ship was making. i man on the
bridge came to the edge nearest the
slower vessel ana placing his hands TO
his mouth, shouted:
"Ship ahoy. Is that the Russian
Bear?"
"Who are you?" roared the captain;
"and what do you want?''
81 want an answer to my question;
then I'll tell you what more l want"
After speaking, however, the new
conner did not wait for an answer, but
gave command to the man at the
wheel, who promptly signaled for the
engines to stop, whereupon the yacht
dropped to the rear, notwithstanding
the slowness of the old Bear. The name
was plainly painted on the stern, and
the captain of the yacht having seen
that this was the ship he was after,
moved quickly alongside again, this
time with only couple of hundred feet
of water between the two ships. Dur
ing the slight interval the crew of the
Iaay, h,psry- and for
bidding looking cannon pointed its
ominous muzzle towards the Bear.
Pm after the gold, captain said the
first speaker, nonchalantly, cas- no
doubt you are aware. I'm going to have
It quietly or I'm going to sink your
ship. Which is it to be?"
whatever gold we have on board, if
we have any, isn't mine. 1 don't see
what good the sinking of the ship viii
do you, and it would be very incon-
ycnient to me- Better sheer off and we'll
say no more about it. I can take n.
joke as well as the next man."
For time it looked as if the stranger
needed The good advice given him. The
captain Of the yacht rang full speed
ahead and the sharp PROV cut the water
IKE q knife. The yacht described a
large circle and seemed to be showing
off its PAGES, but this, as the captain Of
the Bear remarked, was unnecessary,
for he already knew that any scow on
the Pacific could pass him. However, it
was soon evident that this was not the
intention of the enemy. Ranging along
side once more, but this time further
away, there was n cloud of smoke from
tho cannon, a sharp report and the
crash of rending plates. y jagged hole
had been torn in the ships side near the
bulwarlls, which, while it did no harm,
scarcely improved the appearance of the
Bear.
Once more the yacht swung around
the circle and again ranged alongside
within a distance of 100 yards.
Haul down the flag" said the cap
tain of the big steamer.
We'll, captain" began the young man
on the bridge when at speaking dis
tance, "a practical lesson is worth any
amount OF talk Imercly wished to CON
vince you that we know how to handle
Our guns and that our guns can pene-
trate your rottCn plates. Besides, you
win have something to show for your
money when yyu get to port. ! take il
we will have no further trouble, but
I'll give YOU five minutes more if you
wish to consult together"
The miners had no desire to be
drowned, neither did they wish to give
up their cold.
"ueJ linn aboard, captain" said their
leader. "and well have n fight for it.
We are all beeled. and once we get that
villain and part Of his crew on deck
here, you keep Ont OF the way If you
like. and wen handle him"
you couldn't run down that pirate, /
suppose 2" suggested another, more eau
tiouA than the rest.