The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-01-05

the Frvpchnan's heardcd HpA "Yes
m 'sieur. from . boy"
"And,ewa give this ecntlemau The
WHEEL" aid the captain He shall
take us 20 this Ensalie r. NJ ooce.
wan; TO lock over that codnsh-" The
captain threw opsn his tearxkin cost
and showed his uniform 'Ou hrr mai
ex.y's srvieer' he addod Significantly.
The little Freedman again shrSxrsd
his shoulder. then laughed with
pleasure. n 'si-or'" He stepped lightly
wheel with airy nnnchalancc- The cap
tain stood beside him Watching
Aren't y"u running her few points
OF en- the souih;' he asked. studying
the chart
The Fr~nchman laughed ureasily.
"M'sieur. l wa. torn en- th->r waters.
he said simply.
was on the bow beside the lockout.
Suddenly the wind came up and the fog
lifted There, 200 yards away. lowered
the great rocky shore 81 the lower 81
Lawrence Our pilot was deliberately
running Us upon the rocks'
The captain spranR forward and zig
nailed '.keverse engines" Half . mile
up the river lay a black tug with n rid
funnel. and six cared boat was plying
| between her aud the shore.
The captain and the Frvncbman look
| cd at each ether. but neither spoke for
| n mom.ul Then the little Frenchman
laughed uneasily and spun round the
wheel. "Oh II h." he cried. with mock
distress II was mistaken. III 'sicur aft
| er all -
The captains hand was on his pistol.
Yet he could not help smiling.
We had no sooner swung slowly round
than the black tug picked up the open
boat and scurriod away. In two minutes
We were after her. Snow began IN fall.
and the early midwinter twilight set
in. but still the chase kept up.
Finally we put "A ball across the black
| tugs bow. Her only retort was rifle
sho: that splintered our pilothouse and
made the Frenchman say something IN
der his breath. Our next shot was IN
earnest and cauph, her just above the
| water line. We could see the crew run
| ming hurriedly about. while the tug
| turned and ran head on for land. A shot
| or two sang over cur heads. Then boat
put out from her and made for the
| shore.
When we came alongside the Resale
| L., it was almost dark. We found only
a red funnel showing above the water.
| An empty cask fluated past us with the
tide
| "Ah, the rascals. III sieurr' cried
the little Frcnchman lit is a brandy
| cask -
| The captain laughed He had done
his work and could afford to laugh. a
| boat was lowered, and half dozen men
raced merrily after the disappearing
cask. Darkness had fallen by the time
they got back. and tho burden was
hauled up Oh deck. 1t is always the du-
ty of revenue officer to ascertain
the nature Of the goods he has confiscat-
ed. The captain stove in the bungbole,
and did 50. 1t was a barrel of the finest
brandy ever shipped out of Cognac. 1t
may not have been necessary for all the
crew to verify the captains decision.
but they did so.
"Wait," said the captain. an. Pierre
Baptiste Delorme-where is he? We
must drink the rascal's health.
But Nj. Pierre was not to be seen.
We rushed to the stern where the little
dory had been tied only to hear the
sound of his oars as he slipped away
through the night.
"Haltr' challenged the captain.
Halt there, or we fire!'
| A rifle shot or two rang out on the
cold night air. Then knocking voice
came back across the water IAN revoir
M sieurs, and happy new year tc
You all!' And the smoothest little
smuggler OH the St. Lawrence slipped
away in tho darkness
| ARTHUR J. STRINGER