Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-04-16
opyrigh,. by A. N. Kellogg Newspaper Col

Clara Belief"
"Now, lads, there's bit of work for
us up the coast, and then I've in mind
a master stroke for the pull of q mil
lion or more from the vaults of Uncle
Sam, at Washington. That done. we
return to the island, where have got a
matter to settle on the Cape Fear-a
snealling cur and murderer to punish;
then if you are all of my mind, We'll
divide the spoils and scatter to the four
quarters of the globe. Not follower of
| mine will have less than $4,000. and on
that you can each live like princes to
the end. This provided, of course, the
trip to Washington does not miscarry.
What say you, lads?"
"Hurrah for Washington" cried
every man. Anywhere with you, cap
| tain!"
Now, men, finish your work on the
schooner, when you have dined. You,
Goss, paint on her stern her name
The Fisher Boy and when we sail
into the Potomac we will have aboard
cargo of fresh fish and seines and
fishing tackle. You'll be fishermen in
/
son returned?'
"No. captain, but it's time: this ia
his third day. But harkl there's his
whistle now"
The door swung back and admitted
one who looked exactly like one of the
coast fishermen.
"Well, Bronson, what news from Will
mington?"
"Clap your head well on your shoul-
ders, captain. The reward for Black
Boards capture, dead or alive, is raised
to 100000. North Carolina and Mary
land join with South Carolina and
Georgia"
Maryland! Why, lads, that's wrong
We haven't tackled Maryland at all
and here she joins against us. We will
lay in our next supplies at Baltimore;
but what else?"
'Why, $4,000 for the head of each man
of your crew. and pardon of any Of
them that turn against YOU"
"Why didn't you turn informer?'
Captain, do you think I'd give you,
life away to save my own? I didn't
think you had that opinion of me-" ant
tears actually stood i'll the eyes of the
buccaneer.
mo, Bronson, no. Fill up your glass
man, for tomorrow you leave here fol
Washington; you must go finely
dressed, and apply for a position in the
treasury department. Whether you ge
it or no, hang around there constantly
until you ascertain who carries tn,
vault keys, who locks the outer door a
night, and where they live-you will
also after Is days watch the harbor fol
the Fisher Boy"
Captain, Herbert Lathrop has Dough
Kendall, and become planter. HI
is administrator of his uncle's estate
without bond; he was left besides $50,
600 by the bankers will"
"Why, then all is plain as day; bu
We'll leave him until the last. Now, then
as the next two months will probabl,
be risky ones to every man who follow
me, if there is a. man in all my crew VIII,
, wishes his release, let him speak now
and he shall be put ashore, with his full
l proportion of the spoils, and no ON
| shall blame him."
: There was none who spoke.
: The painters now returned to thei
, work, while most of the other men dis
posed of their time cleaning and polish
= ing their arms.
At the upper end of the cabin was a
l immense fireplace, seemingly carved Il
; the rocks, and over it huge cranes hold
r ing pots and kettles; the smoke fror
the fire beneath them assembled throug
the assures in the rocks, coming out i
100 places, und cooling in its ascent, S
, that when it reached the surface it wa
l not discernible.
: The culinary department. was pre-
e sided over by the only negro Blac
: Beard had in his crew; this negro wa
r an ungninly, black, bow-legged man c
middle age; his long arms causing hi
IL hands to reach almost to his knee.
t when he was standing erect, or as erec
us he could; he was known to the cal
t tain and crew as Bow Legs; they ha
e picked him up one night, from the bo
e tom of an upturned sailboat. He ha
said that he was trying to make hi
II escape from Il hard master, and that hi
y boat was swamped-anyway, he wa
d clnging to it, but must soon have pc,
e ished.
The crew saved his life, and Blac
h Beard had not now Il more faithful a,
:, herent than Low Legs.