Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-30
THERE were pirate craft quarter


from Nassau to the Bay Of Honduras.
hey sailed up and down the Gulf of
Florida, and they hung about the Ba-
: anna bank and the Yucatau and Wind
Eard channels. Many a trader from
he American coast fell into their
ands, to be burned or sunk and The
rew sadly misused. and the dread of
be black flag lay heavy on the sailors
nind.
Il OF all the men who. trusting in luck,
: YeDt from the port of Salem to the
florida cape, Noah Hutchius was per-
APPS the most notable. In his old but
er-box of a brig. the Lucky Sally, he
allied out of Salem for the West Indies
clamly and serenely as he started
II for Sunday meeting when ashore.
Dn one occasion he would have been
captured by rover but for the advent
pr sudden squall; on another the
Lucky Sally owed her escape to a fog
Rnd brought home three solid shot
Wired into the hull; again 'long, low,
Fakish craft" flying the Jolly Roger,
Pad come within range of her and was
bout TO open FIRE when an English
nan-ot-war hove in sight and sent the
GU IONSE SCuTrylnR.
q Capt. Noah had been a widower for
nany years. For many years also he
bad had an eye on the ''Widder" Skin
er; when he got through taking out
nachinery and calicoes and bringing
back rum and molasses he would ask
per TO LINE" with him. 1t was an
Understood thing between them. Each
me that he sailed away the widow
umonished him TO look out for black
= Tags, and each time he returned home
Pie thanked Heaven for his escape.
As time went on he came to his last
oyage. The pirates were still doing
brisk business at the old stand. but
be luck of the Lucky Sally would take
Ter through, and then he'd settle down
ind have home for The remainder of
is days. On the night before the brig
as to sail Capt. Noah went up as usual
70 call on the window.
Nancy, 1 shall be back in about a
onth," he said as he sat pokiug the
re and eating an apple, "and then III
around to milk the cow, feed the
ebgs and wind the clock"
We'll, I shall be kind o. glad on IT."
she replied with a blush. "I do con-
fess that It's sort O. handy to have
man around. BY the way, Noah. did I
tell you that the cow had lost her cud ?"
"N-o-o-al You don't say sol"
"Yes, she has. hasn't been herself
Tor the last two weeks. When a cow
loses her cud you can look for most
nything to happen"
What dye s'pose made her lose
q" asked the captain after a SOL
mn silence.
Dunno, unless she got to pining."
"Pining for what?"
"For a change of scenery, maybe.
sve been thinking. This is TO be your
last voyage, and the cow has lost
Aher cud. Being as this is your last
&oyage / want you to be comfortabler
han usual. Being as the cow is pin
Ing, s'posen you take her along and
i've her change of scenery? Both
4 you'n be the better for it."
"She'd be in the way" replied the
aptain, slowly, "but at the same
ime there's the milk. Then she'd sort
remind me Of you. If change of
kcenery viii brighten her up, I'll fetch
bier back with her tail in the air"
1t happened, therefore, that when
he Lucky Sally spread her wings next
morning and sailed out of Salem at her
: sual lively speed of six miles an hour.
he widows cow was on board.
Nothing happened for anyone to
fall over until the brig was headed
Tor home and was trying to bound
pver the bounding pillows to the
westward of Caicos Bank. The sun
bad just climbed out of his bed when
sail was reported coming up astern
'he mate and the crew almost al
once declared her to be a pirate, but
Capt. Noah was in no hurry about
Il. He ate his breakfast and smoked
his pipe, aid then took long squint
at the stranger through his glass
Her black flag had been thrown tt
the breeze and was visible to tn,
naked eye before the captain care
fully put away his glass and calml.
observed:
"Wall, now, but that's a pirate
sure nun, and I shouldn't wonder !
he was after US"
The Lucky Sally cut along at he
best pace, but two hours after tn
strange sail had been raised the rove
craft was alongside. Luck had finaI
ly deserted the brig. AS no resist
Ance was made when a score of cut
throats scrambled over the rail, n
one was shot or cut down. Cap
Noah didn't get frustrated. He locke
the situation over and then expiaine
20 che pirate leader;
"wall, captain, she's loaded wit
rum and sugar and won't make yc
rich, but we've got to take luck &
It comes. I did hope to dodge J
Jest this once more, but being as
eouldn't, must make the best of
What ye going to do with wsf"
By the usual rules and regulation
governing the pirate business, CAP
Noah and his crew ought TO ha
been made to walk the plank al
che brig sent to the bottom aft
than, but all rules and regulatio
have exceptions. There was I
tsArth Of rum and sugar In the bla
Gag market. bat such q csrGo alwa