Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-11-13
CHAPTER

on the coast of Texas. is the small bay
Of Goliad. 1t is not far from the mouth
Of the Nueces, and, like most Of the la
soons which abound upon the shores of
the gulf, affords a most excellent harbor.
In the early part of August, 1876, small
schooner lay at anchor within this bay.
She was a pretty craft, built after the
model Of our Baltimore clippers, and car
rying a wide spread Of canvas for suck
q hull. She had a square topsail and
tOpgallant sail upon the fore, and gaff-
tOpsail upon the main. She was called
the Lone Star. and had for some years
belonged to the Texan navy. having been
employed in cruising after those Next
can vessels that had been fitted out for
the especial purpose of committing depre-
dations upon the seaport settlements or
the infant republic. And even low that
Texas had been united with its gigantic
sister, it was found necessary to keep the
Lone Star in service, for manifold were
me robberies still committed by the Mex
lear crafts, and none knew their haunts
so well as did the commander of the gal
liant schooner,
She carried six brass guns. and the
pixies that stood in their beckets about
the masts were bright and sharp. Upon
the quarterback, with one hand ahold
of a baek-stay, stood a young man, not
over fye-andtwenty, whose uniform
marked him as the captain Of the vessel.
He was tall, with brown hair, and rich,
dark gray eye, and possessing one of
those peculiar conformations Of form and
feature which at once mark out the com
mauder His face was one of more than
ordinary manly beauty, and its tone of
nObleness and authority was we'll sus-
tanned by the physical power which was
at once apparent in the muscular mas
siveDess and compactness of his frame
His name was Clarence Howard. He was
a Virgiuian by birth, and having lost his
parents when quite young, he adopted
the sea as the field of his labor. He was
but & boy in years when. the struggles of
Texas to free herself from the Mexican
yoke attracted biz a7taCt!0n, and in COM
pany with party Of hi7 friends he start
ed for the scene of action and from that
time he did his part well and truly to-
ward establishing the republic.
Close by the captain stood a small boy.
He was not over fifteen, and even small
at that. In frame he was very slight.
Eis light faxen hair was thin and wavy,
and seemed to leave his high, projecting
brow almost with the appearance of-bald-
ness upon the top. His eyes, light gray
in color, were different from most eyes.
The pupils were long and cone-like,
square at the base and reaching to a
point at their upper termination. In ad-
diton to this, they were bright, some
times sparkling like stars, and then at
others, burning like fire; and, moreover,
they seemed to possess a phosphorescent
power, for in the dark they would often
burn, or glow, with a brightness which
rendered them visible when the face could
not be seen. This boys name vas Peter
Sythe Clarence Howard had found him,
ten years before, when he first came to
Texas, on a wreck which had been cast
up on the Isle de Bagin, just north of the
Rio Graude, and since that time he had
chung to his noble protector, with all the
affection of a child for its parent.
The two lieutenants We're pacing the
quarter deck upon the larboard side. The
FIRST was Karl Lotion a stout, powerful
Is built man, some thirty years of age,
A native of New York, though Of German
descent The second was Martin Hart
another robust man, with black hair
and black eyes, and some four or five
years older than Loftcn.
Peter" spoke the captain, turning to
his boy, Ego and tell the coxswain TO
aSye my gig Manned
Going ashore, captain!" asked Lotion,
stepping over.
yes" returned Howard.
Have you made up your mind yet
when you'll sail?'
Not quite, Lotion But l shall sail
for the first thing that turns up. We are
doing no good here. TAYLOR and Worth
have about all she supplies they can af
ford TO wait for and / understand that
they are soon to start up into the eoun-
try further. They mean to make their
next attack upon Monterey. | think
Wen poke along down to the southwark,
and we may get upon the track of that
villain. Tudel-Jilok Tudel-the most no
1orious pirate Mexico ever produced. BY
the cross, Karl, I'd like TO meet that
chap"
80 would we all returned the lieu
tenant, enthusiastically
And then there's more work, too" re-
sumed the captain. The Mexican gov
eminent has given ont lot of letters of
marquee so you see, the gulf'll be swarm
Ing with privateers"
But wont the United States grant any
such letters"
MOI guess not"
But why? Good gracious. if Mexico
sends out her privateers, why shouldn't
we have some to offset them?"
Il don't know, Karl. Ii isn't very
honorable mode of warfare; but you see,
Mexico's got no navy at all, anG so she's
obliged TO do this. She's got one or two
little scows, but they're good for moth
ing"
"rhen they need privateers?"
ITO be sure they do; and if they'd only
raise their own men. | wouldn't care;
hut they've sent lot of letters of maraue
TO Havana, in hopes that the Cubans
will OF cut privateerS against US: and we
have the best OF reasons FOR believing
that privateers are being fitted out in
England TO cruise under the Mexican
sag What dye think Of that?"
''Why-I'u tel ye. captain. I'm very
glad we hold our commission regularly;
sad only hope we may meet an English
man cruising under the Mexican dag. liz
: I'D q strikes me now that ! should
rather let real Mexican pirate so free
than 10 let Of them as ought TO be in
better business, However, we may lind
enc Of EN-, eh2'
II hope SO, was Towards reply. as
he turned toward his cabin.
He then went below. and when he re-
turned to the deck. be was all ready for
going on shore. His Raavy sword was
buckled on. aud brace of Six-harreled
pistols graced his belt Even the shore
OF Texas, along the banks Of the Nueces.
yyss not without danger TO the American
The captain gave the order FOR push
ing OF. There were some dozen huts
scattered about upon the shore. one OF
which, larger than the rest, was occupied
by a man named Gould. who was an old
trapper and hunter Howard left his
Boat and crew ut the shore. and with
Peter as a companion. he went up TO
G;ould's hut, aud found the owner with
All, captain-still here. chs" uttered
he old trapper, as he grasped Howard
by the hand
Yes my ola friend returned the