The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-12-17

This strange order made some Of the
their captains words had become hab-
IL with them.
When the men were in line armed with
their buckets, Capt. Bald went below.
and In "a few minutes the men were pass
ing the buckets from one 10 the other,
emptying their contents first into one
whaleboat and then into another But
there was no fire 10 fight, and the men
were not handling water. They were
dipping the whale oil from the great
tanks and hogsheads in the hold and
pouring II into the small boats
Enough" shouted the captain lit
tie later. Every man on deck"
The novelty Of the orders made the
men now obey with alacrity. and they
their exertions. But when they as
sembled on deck again and saw the
pirate only a short distance OFF their
faces paled once more.
But Capt. Bald realized that the mo-
ment for action had come. and he gave
his orders in quick. sharp commands.
Lower the boats and tie them to-
gether with a rope 90 feet long,"
lie fastened one OF the lengths Of
rope to the first boat himself. and threw
the other end 10 the first mate. The
pirates saw the launching Of the four
whale boats. and prepared 10 do the same
with their boats. But they little re-
allied that the brave seamen were not
making ready 10 escape TO the shore, but
were planning for their destruction.
| 81 want four brave men who are will
ing TO risk their lives for the rest Of us!"
Capt Bald said. in his usual abrupt way.
Will they please step forward?'
| Instead of four men every one Of the
crew stepped forward.
THAT'S enough. my brave men," the
captain said. while his eyes grew moist.
I'll select my men"
Then taking four Of his most trust
worthy sailors he gave them brief but
emphatic directions what to do. The
sailors nodded their heads and jumped
into the boats. each carrying life-pre-
preserver with him. The last words the
captain said 10 them were:
Remember the right bank! Swim
toward it. and I'll pick you up"
What could he mean? The sailors on
board the Carrie asked this. and the
pirates must have been cu~ious also TO
know. They stopped mcrnent in their
Yelling and watched the peculiar pro-
ceedings of the men in the Shaleboat.
The four boats shot .ut from the
Carrie and were rowed directly toward
the pirate. the strong current Of the
river helping them in their speed. The
pirates did not notice at first that each
boat was fastened by stroog ropes 10
each Others prows. They were too in
tent in watching the strange proceed
ngs of this attack. 1t might have
dawned upon their obtuse minds thai
part of the crew Of the Carrie had de
serted. or that they were coming tc
plead for mercy.
But the four rowers were silent ant
active. When they were within 80 yard.
Of the pirate the men threw away theii
oars simultaneously and bent ovel
something in the middle Of their whale
boats. There was a tiny spark of light
flash and then sudden upward blaze
The four brave men slipped over thu
side of their boats into the water ant
disappeared But the flames which the,
had started burned furiously. Thu
whale oil in the bottom Of the boat'
furnished fuel that made fire hare
TO extinguish. The tide was carrying
the boats rapidly down the river towart
the pirate. Then for the first time thu
pirates noticed that the boats were tie,
together. forming wide line stretch
ing half across the river.
Instantly there was commotion oil
board the pirate ship. In the confusion
every body forgot the prey they had s.
neatly hemmed in the river. The gun
were aimed at the approaching oil boat
Of fire. and one was actually blown u
pieces. but the oil fioated on the waite
and only spread the flames.
In few minutes the fire boats strucl
the pirate ship. and the ropes holdinl
them together drew the end boat
around toward the ship in such wa.
that flames were soon spreadin.
through the rigging and hull. a fey
] brave pirates climbed down and GU
: the ropes. but before they foated ava.
the ship was huge mass of flames an
! smoke.
Meanwhile Capt. Bald had not bee
idle. just as soon as his men droppe'
into the water from the fire boats h
q crowded on all SAIL and. helped by tn
. tide. he went bowling down the rive
; close up toward the right bank.
j While the pirates were fighting tn
fire and trying to avert the COON @
e their ship Capt. Bald was leisureiy pick
e ing up the four brave sailors who ha
n caused the mischief.
4 "Now well stand out TO sea-" he saiC
e "and let 'em chase us again"
s But the last he saw Of the pirates. n
S his schooner rounded the point of Ian
S at the mouth Of the river. was n cheer
ing sight. Most of them were seekin
e safety in the water. For more than tw
r hours dense wreath ofsmoke could b
e seen curling upward. and as long as
4 was visible Capt Bald chuckled sof'l
n TO himself on the forward deck.