The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-30

m~ainyard2" he muttered. But whittier
are We bound?'
We are running north and west"
North and west. Then we are
heading back toward jamaica
All that night and the next day the
Happy Delivery ran before the east
erly trades. and Stephen Craddock lay
IN the dark of the sailroom working
patiently at his wrist irons. One he
had slipped on at the cost of a row
OF broken and bleeding kunckles, but,
do VIA he would, he could not free
the other, and his ankles were secure
~ fastened.
On the second morning Craddock be-
came aware that sail had beer re-
duced in the vessel. and that she was
ckln slowly, with a light breeze
on her beam. If so, she must nav
reached Jamaica. But what could she
be doing there?
And then suddenly there was a burst
OF hearty cheering from the deck, and
tnen crash Of a gun above his
head, and then the answering booming
Of guns from far over the water. Grad
dock sat up and strained his ears. Was
the ship in action? Only the one gun
mad been fired, and though many had
answered, there were none of the
~crashings which told of a shot coming
home.
Then if it was not an action, it must
De a salute But who would salute
Sharkey, the pirate? 1t could only be
another pirate ship which would do
so. So Craddoek lay back again with
a sroan, and continued to work al the
manacle which still held his right
wrist.
But suddenly there came the shut
fling of steps outside. n he had hard
~ time to wrap the loose links. around
h7C fron hnWI -nAA-
Dolted and two pirates came in.
Got your hammer, e~arpenter?'
asked one, whom craddock recognized
as the big QudrtermdSter. knock off
his leg shackles then Better leave the
oracelets-he's safer with them on.
With hammer and chisel the carpen-
ter loosened the irons.
What are you going to do with
me-" asked Craddock.
Come on deck and you'll see"
The sailor seized him by the arm and
dragged hin roughly to the foot of the
companion. Above him was a square
of blue sky cut across by the mizzen
gan. with the colors flying at the peak.
But it was the sight of those cOlors
which struck the breath from Stephen
C~raddock'S lips, for there were two of
them. and the British ensign was fly
ing above the Jolly Roger-the honest
flag above that of the rogue.
For an instant Craddoek stopped in
aHazement, but a brutal push from
the pirates behind drove him up the
companion ladder. AS he stepped out
upon deck his yes turne up TO the
main, n there again were the British
colors flying above the red p~ennant,
and all the shrouds and rigging were
garlanded with streamers.
Had the ship been taken. then? But
that was impossible, for there were the
pirates clustering in swarms along the
port bulwarks II waving their hats
Joyously in the air. Most prominent
of all was the renegade mate, standing
on the foc'sle hea and gesticulating
wildly. Craddock looked over the side
to see what they were cheering at, and
then in a fash saw how critical was
the moment.
On the port bow, n about a mile
off, lay the white houses and forts of
Port Royal, with flags breaking out
everywhere over their roofs. Right
ahead was the opening of the palisades
leading to the town Of Kingston. Not
more than a quarter of a mile off was
a small slOop working out against the
very slight wind. The British ensign
was at her peak. and her rigging was
all decorated. On her deck could be
seen a dense crowd of people, cheer
ing and waving their hats. and the
CLEAN of scarlet told that there were
officers of the garrison among them.
In an instant, with the quick percep-.
ton of a man of action, Craddock saw
through it all. Sharkey. with that dia-
bolical cunning and audaeity which
were among his main characteristics,
was Stimulating the part which Grad
dock would himself AVE played. had
he come back victorious. 1t was in his
honor that the Salutes were firing and
the flags flying. 1t was to welcome him
that this ship with the governor, the
c-ommandant and the chiefs of the ISL
and were approaching. In another ten
minutes they would all be under the
guns Of the Happy Delivery, and Shar-
key would have won the greatest stake
that ever a pirate played for yet.