The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1901-06-14
JOHN T0PP, PIRATE |
/ BY Weatherby Chesney and Alck Munro
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Il ILLUSTRATIONS ID IL q 0UITAa
BY Weatherby Chesney and Alick Munro.


| lItiulIil NVtu v w wv ~ ~
long ago, an. so believing that we're all
swallowed up In the wilderness, they're
making the best o. their way home with
the news. Besides, listen again. Thcrel
I'd stake my hand on II that's Nep's
voiccl An. ms Ncp would never desert
the Bristol Merchant, we must just try
an frightcn the dons Into setting us
adrift. Wen maybe fall between two
stools; but, anyway, It's our best
chance"
"If we can do It," said Alec, "but'-
"Trust me to manage 1t, Captain Ire
land" interrupted Willie. "I've n weap-
on In mouth that would frighten the
very soul out of n Spaniard, II the devil
bred Spaniards with souls. Ask Master
Topp. He knows what l can do. Look
mt them now! Fenrsome o'the darkness,
they've lit n score o. lanterns al are
clustered together like n flock O. sheep,
a-wringing their yaller hands with
fright. Now's our time; now or never.
An, markee, my lads, out Spaniard the
most Spanish o. them In trembling. II
It's laughter that makes your limbs
shake, never mind. The dirty hounds
are too scared to know the difference"
And, whispering further directions to
Alec, he led him away, and the rest of
us dropped down the ladders and min
gled with the trembling group In the
waist.
Again the melancholy "Ma-a-o-o-w"
fonts to US out of the darkness, and
Alec, stepping forward into the lantern
light, clapped n cupped hand to his ear
and cried: Listen! There's some one
hailing from the masthead"
"Give ear to my lord o. the seal"
cried a high cracked voice from aloft,
and another from the mainynrd arm
shrieked, "Ifc comes alongside"
Then, rs though from the waters close
to, came n third voice, deep and reso-
nant. which asked what ship that was.
"Who halls, and by what right does
he question? 2" cried Don Miguel.
II am Neptune, lord O. the sea-" re-
\ turned the voice. "What ship is that?"
Y A look Of p%erplexity came into Don
Miguel's face. and the rest Of the Span
iards shook with fear.
Neptune was impatient.
"What ship Is that? Answer me,
miserable mortal! Know you not that
l have power to pull your puny bark
timber from timber IN to carry your
harnesses away to batten my sea
4 Wolves In their caverns among the
weed jungle below"
I WI fear neither sea god nor sea dev-
- began the c~ommandant boldly, but
Mte priest interrupted him. saying In a
euuAisper that it was best to temporize
with, 'ne po"e' '
timex .,. ,,,.ho
AAer every sentence, he answered
nu aihe's questions himself.
''.pcuat cargo?" queried the lord Of
TT,se'priest told him. -'
.n1nyv,lat passengersT
.r m,irty, af whom seven are women
a9 saA,,SGwla ! crew"
Ire, l and sixty, most potent"
an Methinks there's some
40. ,n told. Old ocean hath a
,rm 'ea .,o %hereabout."
..r,,ona. Hi prisoners, English sail
u, wno oro working a passage to
Spain"
"What!' belloVNEeu Nepluhe. ne
o.,,s ON ore of bis majesty's ships!
Heretics ut larg( ah umsn
Thunder an tempo sS' - ueS1o'
the whole lot O. you
And so the farce v"eh' oh' unS, ~
,ongth tho tremhlind Spaniards, and
,nc that their c@rosslnk Us and pater nos
tiers were useless, BEGAN 10 iooA upon
us as SO many JonahS iheir sa'n's
we're forgotten. and they were for
heaving US overheard attohce.
Urt Nentune would nod allow II.
"Pollute not my sweet prime with
the \foul bodies O. Englishmen'" he
WARMED them. "Set theth adrift IN a
boat, Mn then my sisters chickens
which flied on carrion, VIII have the
wherewitE,al to flesh their hungry
beaks."
Don Migu%l would have prevented
this, for he alone out of hts ships COM
pany doubted Neptune's kenuineness'
but the others M2uls not 4 10 nun.
Tackles were rugged with Hgh.nins
speed, a boat wal heaved from
the booms and lowered, and wiz ere
showed down to 1t willy nilly. , s.'
ing vigorously in obedience to =
whispered command. They wouldt~
us neither food nor water. neither com\
pass nor sail. nothing In fact but
curses, and. bidding US shove of.
threatened to quicken us with a saker
shot II we did not hurry out OF reach.
We pulled on till the babel Of voices
on the carrack had died away. and
then, Judging we were out Of earshot
Of the dons. Willie Trehalion gave a
peculiar whistle, low and tremulous,
A slight breeze had sprung up, and
after a moments pause a faint Sc
pulchral "Wa-a-o-w" was waited tc
us over the stern.
Around spun the boat, and willing
backs, straining at the oars, sent hel
darting In the direction OF the sound
Presently the rigging and hull Of {
brig doomed through the fog and ,
voice hailed to bid US keep u dis
lance.
bristol Merchant. ahoy! We're you
own mates"