The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-06-10
Ole Economical Pirate.
By CHARLES QLEI0.


a few trained gunners besides. Steam's
played Old Harry with piracy, and
spilled the slave trade. To start with,
there's the cost Of the plant Eighty
years ago they could build a wooden
line of battle ship for 100000 quid; now
you can't buy 400-ton steam yacht at
the figure. Well, I needn't go into de-
tails, and there isn't time, but even a
land lubber can see that only million
aires can run a pirate on their own"
Then how did you get the money to
fit out your ship?" asked.
Uncle Jonah winked and spat skill
fully into the corner OF the cell. THE
Falcon was run by a syndicate of Ger
mans" he said, "and my instructions
was to attack nothin' but British ships.
II knew the names of the sharehold-
ers I'd give 'em to you, but they al
ways paid my salary through an
agent"
What did you earn, Uncle?" I
asked.
Two hundred quid a mon,.. and s
pViSchI NohhiSSlOh, uc leplitu' iuc
first mate was to get a hundred" he
added, "and the seamen and stokers
six quid week"
Then the wages bill must have been
very heavy" | suggested.
That's where you're wrong, James"
said my uncle. in the old fashioned
way of business the Falcon would have
wanted a crew of about so hands. and
the company wouldn't have paid 10
percent unless we'd captured q mail
steamer or two every month. AS
said just now, modern pirates got
to be run on economical lines, so the
stingy directors only allowed me doz-
en- hands. including the cook, who was
under contract to fight as we'll as
stew"
"a dozen hands," I echoed, incredu-
lously.
"The rest was dummies" growled
Uncle Jonah, mechanical dummies,
my boy, made in Germany" he added,
cynically, like the war Office field
guns"
81 can't see how you can construct
fighting dummy" l objected, "else
our war Office would have adopted the
patent
"These didn't fight" said Uncle Jo-
nah. "They was only meant to frigh-
ten the passengers of the mails We
stopped. Ever seen the innards of a
Waterbury watch?"
l nodded.
"Well, these dummies were worked
on much the same lines. Their in
nards was chock-a-block with long
steel springs, James, and the wigs
and boards made 'em look as fierce as
IL they was fed on raw beef. Some of
'em could do the cutlass exercise, 9TH
ers used to walk up and down the deck
on rails, and one used to lean over the
fo'c'sle rail and spit, as natural as life.
The works was fitted to go for two
hours; after that you had to wind 'em
up afresh.
I'VE had 80 of them German dunn
miles," continued Uncle Jonah, ''and II
you'd seen 'em half cable away you'd
have taken your davy they was as
'uman as any other pirates. believed
in the beggars myself, James; that's
where / made my bloomin' error"
l wrung his hand in silent sympathy
and resumed my notes.
an bad weather." continued Uncle
Jonah, I'VE had to keep tarpaulin COW
ers over 'em, unless we sighted a
prize; and when we got into the trop-
les some of the faces, which was made
of compo., began to melt"
"That was awkward" continued.
mo, we carried a few spare faces
and shifted the old 'uns. There's many
human man'd be glad to ave his
too, for the matter of that. l knew a
gal once in Liverpool, whose face
Well, never mind about that" he broke
OFF; "wimmin amt likely to trouble
about me any more in this world. Take
my advice. James, and steer clear of
than they're worth. and If one could
only make a female dummy to cook
and sew on buttons"
But my uncle's view on women were
not original.
Gently, but firmly resisted his d.
gression, for our time was short and
facts meant money.
"The burst.up came about in this
way" Uncle Jonah resumed. WED
taken one good prize In the Atlantic.
and sent all hands comfortably to the
bottom, when the agent sent a code
message saying as how the Cape mail.
with di'monds and gold aboard, would
be off Madeira on certain date he
mentioned. managed to fill up with
coal from an old bark, which gave us
the DEVILS own trouble to sink after
we'd done with her. and then steamed
south In good time to look after the
Rhodes Castle. She was timed to
leave Madeira In the forenoon. and I
wanted to overhaul her in daylight. so
% to let the crew and passengers take