The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-08-26
CAP'N DICK IS CAPTIVES.
How His Crew OF Cripples Recov-
cred in d Night.
Ono Day late the Schooner Hester Sailed
Into Bristol H&r5or with Rum,
MoiQsses, <ua4rieS and
Cling EomneS."

lying EIOsEiiIcS.
The only words that Capt. John
DickeU. OF the Bristol schooner les
ter. haa understood were ''cinq hOln-
ines"
Five on en-" he muttcrcl. THAT'S
odds for the frog-eatcrs."
And IN the depths Of his gloom he
fell to cutting of a pipe{ui Of tobacco.
Truly, Capt. John couldn't Dc very
sarpu,ne. He bad sailed from iOStoN
several days before, bound for Bis
tsl town, or ancient PcmaGuid, with
a general cargo fer the at0re!icTper>
of the settlement, and alas. & frcncA
privatcersman had Overlauied hiln
away off the mouth of the kcnncbcc.
Tnc Hester had fed, but her flight
vas about as nimDle as tine scUttIE&
away Of an old hen laundering through
q barnyard to escape a tOrmcnting Dog
The Hester was all right for conveying
rum, mOlaeses, and ether ncce1s;Grics-
broad of beam and tight Of seam. But
she couldn't run away. Her blunt nose
Jumped against the waves, her heavy
sides smashed cluuaily down upon The
Drumming swcn. The tough Old bird
spread all sail and boWlel along, like
a Brahma scudding before the wind
with tail spread, but Up came the pri-
,atecersman, his frislly nose dipping,
his clean sides flashing back the CLINT
Of the wave, and the spune whizzing
through the lee braces.
"Schoonairc, ahoi." shouted little
man from over the taffrail, his knurly,
red nose cleaning from under his cap.
The pursuer had edged up on the Hes
teps quarter, and Capt. DicBey and his
Aen were surlily eying the small
craft.
"What do you want?' reared back
the captain, hoarsely, just as though
he didn't know all too well.
The man with the knurly red nose
screamed back:
''IIeaf' to; stand by for bot'!"
Capt. Dickey didn't haul around at
once, however. He turned to Mate
Constant Judkins.
'S'pose we've got to, JUDI" he re-
marked, gloomily. Course you know
what it means. We're gobbled."
yes, and it's jest as we'll to be COB
bled whole as piecemeal," remarked
Mate Judkins, carefully throwing his
quid to lee.
This was wisdom. So in moment
or so the Hester came slapping and
Changing and fcaming around into the
wind. Not moment too soon, for the
privateersman's long Tom had taken
rather determined squint at the main
mast Of the schooner.
Then Capt. Dicllcy, listening atten-
lively and with saturnine face. heard
a gobble of French, in which he dis
t;nguished "cinq hommes," and that
alone, for he wasn't a linguist.
Sank 'om," he growled; oval, come
along and sank 'om more if you want
to-
Constant Judkins listened to the
soliloquy with puzzled face.
eff | may be so que.stioniferous,
cap'n," be asked, who's this ere Sank
Orm who is coming aboard?"
The captain didn't smile. 81 heard
EN- say in We've lingo" he explained,
that they're going to put five prize
men aboard us, and the Lord only
knows where they'll take u.s."
The crew Of the Hester were four
the skipper, the mate-Ozarias Hodson,
\. B., ahle-bodied seaman, and Berual
JoQuith, eosk and before the mast.
Now, as the captain STROBE forward
ing over the stern ladder, he saw
Ozarias Hodson sitting on rope coil
in the waist, with head tied up.
What ails you?" snapped the skip
per.
foot ache, sir, and dum'd bad, too!'
Ozarias evidently was more distract
ed by tootlaache than by a privateers-
man. Berual Jcpuith, who had had
the lively suspicion that the privateers-
man would pop a few shots at them by
way Of exercise and practice, lodged
out Of sight into his sanctuary.
just as Capt. Diokey threw over the
stern ladder thought struck .lim
by ginger!" said he, and he Jumped
as though he had suddenly taken in a
mouthful OF that condiment.
lie threw Il hasty look over the side.
The privateersman was just, getting
its long boat in the water with the
"sankoms" and their sea chests.
"Jud." he called back to the mate
make fast the wheel and dodge down
here into the waist under the lee Of
the bulwark."
Judkins looked surprised, but he did
so.
Come along below" commanded the
skipper. and both men followed him
Down IN his bunk they found the cook