The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1900-10-11

anu slifCi iOSb w "ONAN
amount to.
1t Is a wide eXpanse of ocean be-
tween the Cape and Australia, and at
the end of a week we had all settled
down into grooves and fallen into a
monotonous routine. Early one morning
a sail was sighted dead ahead, and al
most as soon as she had been made out
1t was seen that she had a distress flag
flying. The news went over the ship,
and in moment everybody was inter
ested and anxious. The ship in dis
tress was a brig, and. SO far as any of
us could make out, she was all right
allow and aloft. If she hadn't sprung
q leak, then it must be a case of fever
or mutiny, or perhaps she had run
short of water and provisions. Jimmy
stood beside me as we bore down ON
the brig, and. although l twice asked
him what he thought about it, he did
not seem to hear me. | turned to look
at him as he closed his glass and found
q smile on his face.
You don't think 1t joke do your"
| asked rather brusquely.
oh no, no.' he replied. smiling and
chuckling at the same time. mo: It's
no joke. There will be no laughing
over it."
His tones were sarcastic, and for an
instant there was look of triumph In
his eyes. Then he turned away, and
gave the brig my attention. We ran
down to within half q mile of her be-
fore our engines were stopped. Only
three men were visible on her decks,
and she hadn't boat In sight. The
trio beckoned and motloned that we
should send a boat and the captain
gave orders that one should be lowered.
ut will be case OF fever" he said,
with all the officers and most Of the
men down." and the surgeon was sent
off with the boat, which was in charge
of the second mate. Eight of our crew
were thus taken. The boat had pulled
half the distance to the brig when we
had something nearer home to attract
attention. The sleek, slick little jim
my suddenly held a cooked revolver
to the captains ear and marched him
into his stateroom. Fourteen Of the
railroad" men from the steerage each
armed with a pistol and knife, sudden
ly appeared among US, and 1t wasn't
three minutes before the whole crowd
of us were in the cabin and a. guard
over us. The engine room was taken
possession Of at the same time, and
the Ocean Queen had been taken pos
session of without a shot being fired.
The brig was lying broadside to us.
She had two boats down on the far
side, with Is men In each boat, and
as soon as they had pulled around and
captured our yawl one boatload Of the
rascals came aboard the Queen, and
the steamer was worked down along
side the brig. The sea was smooth,
and the fellows could lash the craft
together without fear of disaster.
We had been taken completely by
surprise and had no show. They had
the gold out and transferred within an
hour 1t Is to the credit of the rascally
gang to say that they were under good
control and insulted no one. After
the gold was disposed of they robbed
the ship Of lot OF bedding and pro-
visions. and at the last the sleek, slick
man came down into the cabin to say
a few words. He was smiling and
good natured. He patted the children,
bowed to the ladies' and waved his
hand to the men.
my dear friends" he said In that
soft, silky voice Of his, 81 hope that |
have given you no trouble. Rather let
me hope that you will look upon it as
an incident to break the monotony OF
the voyage. | do not wish to search
you one by one, like a footpad or
bushranger, but will trust to your hon
esty to hand over your money and
jewels. have figured on about the
amount l should get. II l get it. no
one will be further disturbed. If |
don't get it, there will be room aboard
the brig for most of the ladies'"
l gave up half my possessions. and
presume the other passengers retained
es, rings, brooches, etc. laid on the
table before the pirate had good
round value and seemed to satisfy him.
lie swept everything into a sack, babe
us fond adieu and within ten minutes
was sailing away In the brig. The en-
gines were disabled before they left,
and the crew Of the mates boat WAS
sent back to us, and as no one had been
killed we were fain to think we had
come off fairly well. We lay rolling in
midocean for four days before the en-
gineer had made repairs, and by that
time the brig was several hundred
miles away. Even had we known her
course and position, 1t would have
availed nothing. We made q slow run
for the remainder of the voyage, and it
was three weeks before a man-of-war
started out to look for the pirate craft.
1t had been job put up in Australia,
and 1t had worked to perfection. 1t
may be that the brig returned to that
coast and landed and divided the swag,
but as she had a dozen different places
to choose from she had no fear Of cap
ture. So far as | have been able to
learn she was never heard from, though
the search was kept up for a year or
more. There was enough plumber to
set each one up handsomely, and l
have always thought OF Jimmy the
slick one as touring about In the finest
ralment, drinking the rarest wines and
making himself favorite wherever he
stopped for a week.
Copyright, 1900 by C. B. Lewls.l
An Inference