Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-09-12

unknown to US as strangers. Captain
Bebee came aboard with long face,
and in reply to his wife's query he ex-
planned what had taken place ashore.
The matter was talked over for an
hour, and 1t was finally decided that
the captain should go ashore again and
try to buy Don Castro off for a smaller
sum. If he pleaded poverty and in
dulged in no further bluffs, it was hop
ed that the dictator's heart might be
softened into accepting about 5000. 1t
was about o'clock in the afternoon
when he was pulled ashore again, and
two hours later word was sent to us
by Don Castro that Captain Bebee was
in jail on the very serious charge Of
trying to bribe the very highest official
of the country. In other words, as we
took it, he had got mad at being offered
half his price and was forcing the main
question. When Aunt Jane had got
the new situation straight in her mind,
she promenaded up and down with her
lips puckered up. The crew knew that
a row was coming and stood by for
splinters. At the end of about ten
minutes she walked up to the mate
with her face as hard as stone and
said:
''Look here, Samuel Davis Smithers,
are you man or scarecrow?"
''I'll stand by you in any plan you've
got" replied the mate.
'And about the rest of 'em"
They'll foller me to man."
The crew was called aft, and Aunt
Jane detailed her plan. AS result
they lifted the anchor and sailed out Of
the harbor about an hour before sun
down. There was a great to do in and
about the old fort, and every minute
they expected to be fired on, but to
their great relief they got away with
out shot being pitched aboard. The
brig ran down the coast ii miles and
came to anchor in bay resorted to by
the dyewoods craft, and all that night
every man of the crew was kept hard
at work. While the carpenter cut gun
ports in the bulwarks for four guns on
side men went ashore and brought off
eight logs to represent cannon. These
were stripped of their bark. painted
black and rudely mounted, and, though
the sailors were bunglers at the busi-
ness, they gave the Jane Bebee man.
of-war look to make you thrill. View
ed from a distance of half a mile, the
Quaker guns looked ready to spout
fame and smoke and round shot as big
as beer kegs, and Aunt Jane rubbed
her hands and smiled and said:
''If we don't bring that Don Castro
down on his quaking knees, then I'll
never buy another blue calico dress in
the town of Boston. Now for the rest
of it,"
One of the crew had drum and an
other a fife and third concertina,
and they were told off for the band.
From the slop chest and fo'castle they
got out enough garments to rig up
dozen dummies and make them fast to
the bulwarks here and there, and they
set sail on their return to the port.
Straight up the harbor sailed the Jane
Bebee an hour after sunrise, but she
was barely broadside to the town and
her anchor down before boat pulled
off from the mole with flag of truce
flying. In that boat sat Captain Bebee,
who had been set at liberty with many
apologies, ana If there had been 50
other Americans In Jail with him all
would have been liberated.
"Jane," said Captain Bebee as the
brig cleared the harbor and the wooden
guns were tumbled overheard, you are
q mighty smart woman, but I can't
just understand it. How in the name
of Goshen did you get the idea?
talked and threatened and clustered
and bluffed, butt
"But woman never bluffs" she in
terrupted as she signed to the band to
knock off Yankee Doodle" and for q
hand to haul down the Tapping flags Of
war. mo, Jabez Bebee. When wo-
man starts out to do anything, she does
it, even if she has to walk over all the
onion beds in the garden. And now
guess you'd better wash your face and
comb your hair and get ready for din
ner."