Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-07-19
CHAPTER IX.-CoNr1NUEp.

| On returning to the deck we found
the situation in small degree
changed. The buccaneer still stormed
along in our wake, but now with lit
tie gain, and the Pilanca continued to
hug the wind. By eight bells the enc
my was clearly rising, and at two bells
he was not greatly beyond cannon
| range.
l stood by, ready to jump and haul.
and with quickening of excitement
awaited the next turn of events.
1t was not long in coming. Capt.
| Placido swung upon the lee bulwark,
holding on by the main shrouds, and
beloved:
Down helm! Slack lee braces!
| Haul on the weather."
by heavens! He means to run the
| gantlet!" exclaimed Mr.. lynn.
So it seemed. The buccaneer had
| been on our lee bow when first discov-
| cred, and was still well to the south.
By squaring our yards, then, and de-
liberately pointing our nose south
west, we meant TO run under his very
| nose.
"And yet it stands to be his safest
| plan" said Capt. Sellinger. "a ship
like this, riding light and with poop
like u church. will do nothing save with
| the wind. Once let us fetch by and our
| chances are doubled"
The buccaneer had altered his
| course as we altered ours, and was now
| standing few points south of east.
| He could scarce be better than mile
and a half away, and we saw plainly
| the moving black dots of the crew
about his decks. He was handsome,
igerish-looking fellow, let him be who
or what he might.
Nearer and nearer swung the buc-
cancer. l could catch even the flash of
his wet side now. as he rolled, with
sort of swagger, to the successive. up
lifting seas. Nearer still, till half
mile is reeled off, and less than whole
one separates us.
a drum on our quarter deck beat.
The armored guards fell into line, and
their captain drew his sword and
stepped out upon the flank. Three of
the Cons came out of the cabin, all in
euirasses, buff gantlets, and broad
belts hung with pistols. Don Luis
Delasco, the governors son-in-law,
was one of the trio. Then it was Capt.
Placido's turn. He came to the break
of the quarter deck and faced us.
Bring up powder and ball for the
| deck guns. Take the hoods off the
brass pieces. Two more men at the
| helm. Gunners for the port guns be-
| low. Master Pedillo, unlock the arms
| chests and have the hangers and pis-
| tolls passed up. Master Lonzelo, take
six men and fetch up the pixies. Pedro,
see that buckets of water are set
about, and when all is ready put on the
| matches"
| Larger and larger grew the buc-
/ cancer. The black dots took on the
shape of human figures, and the eight
ports in his side cut out square, each
with its round, target-like ring.
| A gun! The jet of flame leaped from
the foredeck, and the powder cloud
blew off to leeward. But it was harm
less. 1t had been fired across our
bows. Then something shook out
above the heads of those on his quarter
deck, and up to the mizzen topgallant
mast travelled flag. 1t blew out as it
went, broad, double cross on a crimson
field.
English" 1 could not help saying,
with the water ready to start in my
eyes. God bless heri"
''She would merely ask us to heave
to-" said Capt. Sellinger in my ear.
Marry, modest request for a craft of
200 tons to make of one of fivel Now,
let's see what the old peacock viii do. !"
Capt. Placido hurried up to the gov
ernor and said few words. What the
answer was 1 could not guess, but at
once the captain ran to the main
hatch, lifted it. and roared down:
Train your broadside and fret"
Then he waved his arms and shouted
to those manning the guns:
Aim and firei"
The ship trembled with the tremen-
dous conclusion. Smoke seemed to rise
from everywhere, and the buccaneer
disappeared momentarily behind the
veil.
When it drifted away at last he was
still driving toward us and seemingly
unharmed.
Some one touched me on the arm; /
turned and discovered Mr.. Tym.
"Bide a moment and then come be-
low. Let the hatch drop after you''
was brought abruptly back to our
own business and shook myself to-
yether. Nobody seemed to be paying
my attention to me. Islipped over and
lropped quietly down the hatch.