The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-08-28
Needs Must When
the Devil Drives,

Hogged at bow and stern, her deck
sloped at the ends like a trucks plat
form, while a slight twist in the old
hull canted the foremost to port and
the mizzen to starboard 1t would be
hard to know when she was on an even
keel. The uneven planking, inboard
and out, was SCARED like a chopping
block, possibly from a former and init
mate acquaintance with the coal trade;
aloft were dingy gray spars. unscrapeo
for years; slack hemp rigging, unfair
red for years; and tan-colored sails
mended with patch upon patch of light
er hued canvas which doubled and treb-
led their thickness, that seemed about
to fall apart from their own weight
She was English built, barkrigged, bluff
in the bow, square in the stern, un-
painted and leaky-on the whole as
unkempt and disreputable looking q
craft as ever flew the black flag, ano
with the clank of the pump marking
time to the wailing squeak of the tillel
ropes, she wallowed through the sea
like a log in an eddying tideway.
Even the black flag at the gaff enc
wore makeshift, slovenly air. 1t was
a square section Of the bark'S fore
royal painted black around the skull
and crossbone design, which had beer
left to the original hue of the canvas
The portfolios were equally slovenly ir
appearance, being cut through between
stanchions with axes instead Of saws
and the bulwarks were further disfig'
ured by extra holes smashed through
of - ~ III,
OF the gun breechings. But the guns
We're bright and cared for, as were the
uniforms of the crew, for they hao
been lately transshipped. Far from
home, with a general cargo, this an
cient old trader had been taken in 6
fog by Captain Swarth and his men ar
hour before their own we'll found vesse
had sunk alongside-which gave then
just time to hoist over the guns and
ammunition. When the fog shifted the
pursuing English war brig that haG
riddled the pirate saw nothing but the
peaceful old tub ahead, and went or
into the fog, looking for the other.
Any port in a storm, Angel" re-
marked Captain Swart, as he flashed
his keen eyes over the rickety fabric
aloft; but We'll find a better one soon
How do the boys stand the pump
ing?"
Angel Todd, first mate and quarter
master, filled black pipe before an
swering. Then, between the first and
second deep puffs, he said: "Growlin
-dammum'
AT the work."
'Yep-and the grub. And they say
the tween deck and forecastle smells
O. bedbugs and bilge water-and they
want their grog. An ungodly witness
scorneth judgment; and the mouth OF
the wicked devoureth iniquity.'" Mr.
Todd had been educated for the Meth
odist pulpit; but, going out as a mis-
sionary, he had fallen into ungodly
ways himself on the slave coast, and
taken to the sea, where he was more
successful. Many of his old phrasings
chung to him.
We'll" drawled the Captain, "mer
get fastidious and heightened in this
business-can't blame them, but we've
got to make the coast, and if we don't
pick up something on the way we must
careen and stop the leak Then they'll
have something to growl about"
S'pose the brig follows US imp
Hope she WILL" said Captain
Swarth, with a pleasant smile and a
tightening of his eyes-"hope she will
and give me a chance. Her majestic
widowship owes me a brig, and that's
a fine one" Mr. Todd had never been
known to smile, but at this speech he
lifted one eyebrow and turned his
saturnine face full at his superior, in
quiry written upon every line Of it
Captain Swarth was musing, however
and said no more; so the mate. know
ing better than to attempt probing his
mind, swung his long figure down the
poop ladder, and went forward to
harass the men-which, in their opin-
ion, was all he was good for
According to his mood, Mr.. Todd's
speech was choicest English, or the cos
mopolitan, technical slang of the sea
mingled with wonderful profanity. But
one habit of his early days he never
dropped-he wore, in the hottest wealth
er, and in storm and battle, the black
frock and choker of the clerical pro-
fession. Standing now, with one foot on
the fore hatch, waving his long arms
and objurgating the scowling men AT
NAAN pumps iiC uliSHl easily nave
semed to any one beyond the reach of
MS language, to be a clergyman ex-
horting them. Captain Swarth watched
him with an amused look on his sun
burned face, and muttered, Good man.
every inch of him, but he can't handle
men, Then he called him aft.
Angel" he said, 1--WE made a mis-
take in cutting the ports: we can't
catch anything ahoat that sees them.
so We'll have to pass for a peacea bile
craft until we can drift close enough ia
board something. l think the brig'lI he
back this way, too. Get out some old
tarpaulins and cover I'D the ports
Paint them, if you can, the color of the
sides, and you might coil some lines
over the rail, as though to dry. Then
you can break out cargo and strike the
guns down the main hatch"
Ihree days later, with Cape st. Roche
biack line to the westward, a round
shot across her bows brought the old
Vessel-mlnus the black emblem now
ana outwardly respectable-up to the
wind. with maintopsail aback. while
captain Swarth and dozen of his men
equally respectable in the nondescrfpt
rig OF the merchant sailor-watched the
approach of an English brig-of-war
Mr. Todd and the rest of the crew were
below matches with the guns
The brig came down the wind lilo ,
graceful bird-a splendid craft black
shiny and shipshape five guns to side
brass-bound officers on her Quarter
Geek, bluejackets darting about her
white deck and up aloft. a homeward
bound pennant trailing from her main
truck. and at her gaff end a British en-
sign as large as her main royal Can
tain Swarth lazily hoisted the Enplisb
flag to the bark's gaff. and &C the
brig rounded to on his weather bear
ne pointed to it. but his dorl- o,,o~