Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-12-18
Ing ahead, 1lew green branches from

| and we too halted, and lob hoisted q
Cwithered stick (Which had to do duty
for greenery), to show that we we're
ready for talk, and would respect the
person of an ambassador.
The galley drew on, swung round
and backed till it's stern rasped on our
| shield rail, and one of her people
clambered up. and jumped down upon
our decks. He was a dandily rugged
out fellow, young and lusty, and all
healthy from the land and land victual,
| and he looked round him with a sheer
! at our sea-tatteredness and with a
| fine self-confidence. Then seeing lob,
he nodded as one who meets an &C.
quaintance. cold pot-mate," he said,
"your woman waits for you up by
the quay-side in Atlantis yonder,
with four youngsters at her heels.
saw her not half month ago."
"You. didn't come out here to tell
me home news" said lob; that I'll
be sworn. I've drunk enough pots
with you. Dason, to know your pleas
antries thoroughly
II wanted to point out to you that
your home is still there, with your
wife and children ready to welcome
YOU"
II am not a man that ever forgets
it," said lob, grimly; "and> because
I've got them always at the back Of
mind, I've sailed this ship over the
top of more than one pirate, when,
if I'd been a single man, might have
been cen content to take the hap of
, slavery
"Oh, I know you're a desperate
enough fellow" said Dason, land I'm
free to confess that if it does come
to blows we are likely to lose few
men before we get you and your
cripples here and your crazy ships
comfortably sunk. Our navy has it's
orders to carry out, and the cause of
my embassage is this: We wish to
see if you will act the sensible part
and give us what we want, and so be
permitted to go on your way home,
with skin that is unslit and dry
| "You have come to the wrong bird
here for plucking," said Tob, with a
heavy laugh. eve took no treasure
or merchandise on board in Yucatan.
We stayed in harbor long enough to
cure our sea victual and fill with wood
and water, and no longer. We sail
back as we sailed out, barren ships.
You will not believe me, of course; I
would not have believed you had our
places been changed; bat you may
20 into the holds and search if you
choose. You will find there nothing
but few poor sailormen half in pieces
with the scurvy. No, you can steal
nothing here but blows, Dason, and
we will give you those with but little
asking"
II am glad to see that you state your
cargo at such slender value" said the
envoy, "for it is the cargo must take
back with me on the galley, if you are
to earn your safe conduct to home'
Tob knit his brows. "You had bet
ter speak more Plain," he said. II
am common sailor and do not under.
stand fancy talk"
sit is clear to see," said Dason, "that
you have been set to bring Deucalion
back to Atlantis as prop for
Phorenice. Well, we others find
Phorenice hard enough to fight
against without further reinforce.
ments, and so we want Deucalion in
our own custody to deal with after
our own fashion"
"And if do the miser and deny you
this piece of my freight"
The spruce envoy looked round at
the splintered ship and the battered
navy beside her. "Why, then, lob, we
shall send you all to the fishes in very
short time, and instead of Deucalion
standing before the gods alone, he will
go down with a fine ragged company
limping at his heels"
Il doubt it, said lob, ''but we shall
see. AS for letting you have my Lord
Deucalion, that is out of the question.
For see here, Pot-Mate Dason, in the
first place, if went to Atlantis with
out Deucalion, my other lord, Tatho,
would come back one of these days,
and in his hands should die by the
slowest of slow inches; in the second,
I have seen my Lord Deucalion kill a
great sea-Gzard, and he showed him
self such proper man that day that
I would not give him up against his
will even to Tatho himself; and in
the third place, you owe me for your
share in our last wine-bout ashore,
and I'll see you with the neither gods
before I give you aught till you've
settled that score.'
"Well, lob, hope you'll drown easy.
AS for that wife of yours, I've always
had fancy for her myself, and I shall
know how to find a use for the
| woman"
I'll draw your neck for that, you
| son of European" said lob: "and if
you do not clear off this deck I'll draw
it here. Col" he cried d, ''you father of
monkey children! Get away, and let
me fight you fairly, or by my honor
I'll stamp the inwards out of you and
make your silly crew wear them as
necklaces"
Upon which Dason went to his GAL
ley.
Promptly lob set going the ma
chine on our own Bear, and bawled
his orders right and left to the other
ships. The crew might be weak with
scurvy, but they were quick to obey.
Instantly the five vessels were all
started, and, because our lord the
sun was shining brightly, got soon to
the full of tpeir pace. The whole of
our. small navy converged, singing
out one ship of their opponents, and
she, not being ready for So swift an
attack, got furried, and endeavored to
turn and run for room, instead of
trying. to meet US, bows on. As a
consequence, the whole of our five