Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-12-23
DAILY SHORT STORY
One To Eight.
IOfiginal.l

old sailor, when ships were ships and
not cooking stoves atiOat, as they are
now. | was mate of a sailing vessel,
one of those long craft with masts run
ming against the clouds and canvas
enough 10 move floating city. You
don't see 'em nowadays. and you're not
likely ever to see 'em again. There
was comfort aboard such ship as that
no smell Of grease, no shaking of the
engine, nothing but motion harmonic GUS
with the wind and waves.
lone moonlight night when we were
in the West Indies-we were lying at
anchor off the island of Jamaica-the
captain and most of the crew were
ashore, and | was sitting on the quar-
ter deck in the captains chair, trying
to keep cool. Casting my eye in the
simmer of the moon, l saw a black
spot on the water. Watching it, l dis
covered that it mOved-mOVed toward
the ship. l thought it was canoe
coming head on, for l could see some
thing like Il paddle raised with Il reg
ular motion, but it wasn't Il canoe; it
was Il man swimming, at each stroke
raising one arm out of the water, a
favOrite motion with good swimmers
1t was evident that the man was max
ing for our ship. as there was nothing
else about. When he came under the
stern he called for me to throw him
rope. l called some of the watch to
bring a rope, and we got him aboard.
He was, no sooner on deck than he be-
gan his story. The negroes on his plan
tatiOn were going to rise that night,
l.; !,
possession of what movable goods they
could find. He wanted us to send Il
force for their protection.
We had but eight men aboard, and
didn't feel at liberty to send 'cm, but
the fellow begged SO piteously for me
to save the lives of his family that I
consented and sent every man, re-
naming myself to watch the ship. 4
boat was lowered, with the eight men
in her at the oars, while the stranger
took the tiller. 1 watched 'em rising
and falling on the swells in the moon
simmer till they We're well away;
then, remembering that | was alone in
care of n big ship. began to walk the
deck with feeling of uncomfortable
responsibility.
The men I had sent had faded in
the distance when | noticed boat
coming from the opposite point, headed
straight for the ship. She couldn't hold
any one belonging to the vessel. for the
captain and crew would come from the
mouth of Il small river midway be-
tween the direction of the boat that
had gone and the boat that was com
ing. 1t flashed across my mind that
the swimmer had come to decOy what
protection there was aboard the ship,
leaving her free to be plundcrcd. If
this were so here | was sole defender
Of a large vessel against boat load
of men bent on piracy. 7 had assumed
the authority for sending away the
watch and determined to die rather
than face the captain after the ship
had been looted.
by the time the boat came up l had
gathered muskets,s cutlasses, hand
grenades-in short, every weapon
could find, including Il six FOUNDER can
non. which | loaded ready to fire. AS
soon as the boat came within hailing
distance l asked who they were and
what they wanted. They ceased row
ing and were inclined to parley. looking
aboard. They talked at random till
they were satisfied the ship was with
out adequate protection. then. though
I ordered them away, pulled forward.
pointed my barker and fired. The
shot skipped by them. and they paid
no attention to it except to cease row
ing for n few seconds. Selling a mus
ket. | shot the man at the tiller. This
produced some confusion. but as they
came on | seized another musket and
dropped the stroke Oarsman. This laid
out two of eight men. Some stopped
rowing; others pulled so hard as to
swing the boat in a circle. At the same
time there was n babel of voices
They were now near enough for me
to see that there was one white man. !
evidently their leader. the rest being
mulattOeS and negroes. | fired at the
leader, but missed him. and before l
could seize another musket he had got
his men again to their work and they
were pulling forward. BefOresthey came |
directly under the vesSelS side l had
shot two more men. reducing their |
number to six. Then l dropped small |
hand grenade, which struck the tip of
the bow and killed or disabled two
more. The leader was still unhurt and |
having provided himself with n rope
laden with hooks at one end. threw
the hooks and caught them on to the |
gunwale. l tried to throw them off. |
but as soon as they caught he got on
to the ladder and came up the side, |
followed by several of his men. |
waited till he came within reach and |
dropped him with a cutlass. The next !
man fired a pistol at me, which grazed |
my cheek. Seeing that he had missed |
me and that l was ready for him with |
a cutlass. he crowded back on to the |
men behind. and they all tumhed into |
the boat. Then. Selling the oars. they |
pulled away. followed by balls from |
my six FOUNDER, which did not take eff |
feet.
Soon after midnight the boat l had |
Spnt ont can1p hack tho mon ranorfipor |