The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-01-13

al leg, en- ana the skipper eXtenu-
ed grin from his wrinkles.
"Hain't that putting consid'able re-
sponsiblity on one truck, cap'n?"
'Ther amt no telling what truck
will do on a rampage" cheerfully re-
piled the captain.
Forthwith he bundled the tooth
achy Ozarias into his bunk and made
about his head and shoulders.
Then he obliged Berual to remove
his trousers, and hastily but neatly he
strapped a bit of board upon the cooks
leg, bandaging it with strips from his
dishcloths.
"Id kind of like to know the nature
of my complaint" broke in Constant
Judkins, 80 that can be practicin'."
The captain pondered. II suppose
might have your arm broken" he said.
obviously. Put one block couldn't
very well knock out the whole crew.
We've got to have little variety, for
them frog-eaters are suspicious cusses.
Ever have yaller janders?" he asked of
Judkins.
"No."
well, all you've got to do is to lay
stu and haul your mouth down. I'll
daub on little slush," and the captain
skillfully rubbed some of the yellow
oil over the mates face.
Nov look sick, all of you," said the
captain as he prepared to go on deck
and receive the prize crew. "It'll help
you to look sicker if you recollect that
the frog eaters have way of Sitting
wizens when they suspicion shenani-
gan"
And he left.
OF the Frenchmen who came over the
rail none could talk English, and the
captain couldn't talk French. Yes, he
could-he could say Bong shur," but
he loftily forebore.
However, when the new arrivals
looked around suspiciously for the
crew, and unslung their carbines and
appeared to apprehend ambush, the
captain, with many waves of his hands
and much 'we-ing," led two of the five
below with an air like a rooster gallant
ly conducting pullets to worm ban
quet. In pantomime he explained the
sad plight he was in, and his crew
groaned dolefully at the proper times.
He tried to explain to the Frenchmen
how glad he was they had come and
taken the Hester at this time of danger.
The men didn't seem to grasp that part
of the story, however. But the captain
didn't care. The prize men were evil
IDENTIFY thoroughly convinced that be-
low decks was Just the hospital it
claimed to be, and after much NEGLECT
ual jargon and much gesturing they
made the captain understand that he
was to stay down and nurse his men.
The captain was good nurse. He
must have worked the faith cure on his
devoted crew, for in the deep gloom of
the dog watch three very determined
looking convalescents sneaked bare
footed at his heels as he wormed aft in
the shadow of the Hester's bulwark.
The night was made for the enter
prise. Twas clouded, and from the
murk of the west a humming breeze
sung in the shrouds and murmured
down out of the hollows of the sails.
one pendulumed back and forward at
the head of the companionway. Another
was doubled up on coil of rope in the
lee of the house and the other two were
presumably below. All the men on
deck were unarmed, for it wasn't to be
supposed that they would lug about an
arsena. to protect themselves against
49, - CO
Dickey's miraculously healed body
guard had little trouble in downing and
tying all three before their surprise was
over.
The only casualty was when a
sGuirming Frenchman trod upon Ber-
nails bare foot. In his anguish the cook
let out howl that started the two men
below on rush for the deck. They
bobbed out of the companion-hatch like
two jacks-in-the-box, saw the situation
and as quickly jerked themselves back.
They stayed barricaded in the cabin
till the schooner came up into Bristol
harbor, "a hours later, with bone in
her mouth and the foam bells tinkling
off her rudder. Capt. Dickey would, in
the kindness of his heart, have fed the
garrison in his cabin on plum duff and
salt horse; but every time he tried to
explain his wishes through the cabin
window they poked their gunbarrels at
him. The poor chaps evidently thought
their companions had been made way
with, and that the bluff-faced old skip
per was cajoling them to a similar fate.
whats your cargo, John, this trip"
roared Job Brismon from the wharf as
he waited to catch the line and fling it
over spiling.
Rum, molasses, sundries, and
Frenchmen," shouted back the captain;
land if you'll bear a hand with plank
we'll unload the Frenchmen fust."