Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-02-13
CHAPTER w


As Manly descended the gunroom com
panon, followed by Atherley and the 9th
or officers, the former said TO him some
what abruptly: You will wish, l am
nearly sure, Captain Manly, to have some
private conversation with your friend,
Mr. Montgomery, before you decide on
this very important question, for very
important it indeed is, and after that
am very sure you will do us the honor of
communicating with us before you di-
vulge your intentions to the crew There
are some of us he added in 4 very low
tone, "who are not easy at the position
we now hold and who voted against the
course we are pursuing We all marked
what you said about being captain in
earnest aud were glad to hear you say
so; for we see in it a chance of getting
clear of tlis accursed traffic we are in.
They win swear to do anything if you
viii be their captain; and as for that
cruiser in the offing. l don't care farth-
ing for her. We can tow off here to the
westward in the night and get Il better
ofting than She has against the sea breeze
rising, and we can so Ave miles TO her
-FOUR any day.
How know you that, Athcrley?' ask
ed Manly, quickly; some of these new
United States twenties are very fast
ships'
This one is fast" replied Atherley.
quietly; ''but we can beat her on wind
and off a wind She carries eighteen
twenty-four pound carronades to our six
teen eighteens but, what is worse she
has two long eighteens on her forecastle."
You seem to know all about her;
how
she has chased me twice; and l have
fought her once. and had the best of it in
both Her commander, too. has been
aboard of us
ION board Of YOU? How
AS our prisoner, or hostage rather un-
der the guns of the Moro"
What ship is she, and her command
err"
".rhe Sparrow Hawk. and Harry Suth-
.erland."
Harry Sutherland
yes, captain your old friend
He knows you. then. and the Sea
King?"
lust so surely as | know you, cap
tain"
This alters and complexities matters. :
As how-for the better or the worse.
cSptain?"
1T is too long TO explain now. Ii he
knew yon not, all were plain sailing: as
ii is. | scarce know whether TO say bet-
Ter or worse He owes me some lind
ness, and him some PREPARATION. will
think of this; and, Atherley. be sure
viii speak TO yon. and that fully after
have spoken with Montgomery.
Manly gazed at Montgomery as he en-
- 4 I. 4 \ ~.
melancholy eye. and asked, as he sigued
him TO take a seat;
DO you know the character OF the ship
on which you are aboarag
Il can guess at Il. at least. Captain
Manly. by the ensign | saw dying At its
gaff soon after we came on board"
Ay, indeed replied the other,
fboughtfully. that was blunder. But
let me tel you. sir, bad as she may be.
she has never sailed or fought under that
ensign yet-whatever she may do here
after"
Indeed What is she. then?'
''She was the finest privateer that ever
Gaated. and | was her commander. She
Mas the Sea King, known hair the world
over She is now the Santa Maria, Az
ricsn trader. SLAYER, rover. what you
will"
And il you take command of her. as |
have heard yea asked to do. may | in
auire under what hsg and what commits
Son she is TO sail.
you may, il you answer me one QUes-
tion.'
Ask Il"
DO You intend to remain on board Of
use
y do"
"She is 20 sail under my flag, snd I'M
der roving commission"
In other words. 70 become pirate Z.
You have said il.
we are fSIends. Manly. are we not
Zoo have saved my life; we have fought
side by side. in the same good cause; we
are here together, fngitives from Ger
tain and cruel fate at the hands of those
dastardly dons. on board this ship
through yoSr agency-so that 10 fact you
have a second time saved my life-we
arr friends. are we notsf
so far we are. and il shall not be my
fault il we continue not so.
TEL me. then. Captain Manly. what
can induce ron, Yen whose great deeds