The Cairo bulletin., 1904-07-21

holH INC pirates AZ the spring lHaI ne
found himself on piece Of high
ground in an open place in the forest.
and here he determined TO spend tho
night With his dirk he cut quantity
of palmetto leaves and made himself a
very comfortable bed, on which he was
soon asleep, fearing no pirates.
In the morning he rose early from
his green couch, ate the few biscuits
which We're left in his pockets, and,
/ putting on his shoes and stockings,
started forth upon what might have
| been supposed to be an aimleSs tramp
But II was not aimless. Dickory hal
most wholesome dread of that in
domitabe apostle OF cruelty and wick
/ edness, the pirate Blackboard. He be-
lieyed that it would be quite possible
for that savage being to tie up bis
/ beard in tails. TO blacken his face with
powder 10 hang more pistols from hi
! belt and around his neck, and swear
! that the Revenge should never leave
her anchorage until her first lieutenant
had been captured and brought back to
z
/ to ger away as far as possible from the
spot where he had landed on the
island
With his shoes on he Travelled more
easily. although not so swiftly and aft
er an hour of very rough walking he
heard sound which made him stop
instantly and listen AT first he
thought it might be the wind in the
trees, but soon his practiced car told
him that It was the sound of the surf
upon the beach Without the slightest
hesitation, he made his way as quickly
as possible towards the sound of the
sea. oa
Ia less than half an hour he found
himself upon stretch of sand which
extended from the forest to the sea.
AID upon which the waves were throw
ing themselves in long, crested lines
With q cry of JOY he ran out upon the
beach, and with outstretohed arms ne
welcomed the sea as if il had been an
old and welI-lried friend n
But Dickory thought Of no enemy
He pressed on along the beach The
walking was so much better now that
he made good progress, and the sun
had not reached its zenith when he
found himself on the shore of a small |
stream which came down from some
higher land in the interior and here |
poured itself into the sea He walked |
some distance by this stream. in order /
10 get some water which might be free
from brackishness. and then. with very
little trouble. he crossed It, eefore
him was a knoll of moderate heigh'
and covered with foliage Mounting
this, he found that he had an extended
view over the interior of the island. In
the background there stretched a wide
savanna and at the distance of about
half mile he saw. very near a little
cluster Of trees. a Thin cOSmn Of
smoke His eyes rounded and he stared
and stared. He now perceived, from
behind the leaves. the end of a
Matched roof
'People." Dickorv exclaimed. and lis
heart beat fast with ;oy. Why his heart .
sh)uid ne JoyluI ne c0uiu nor nave tol1
himself except that there was no earth
" reason 10 believe that the persons
who were making that fire near that
hatchcd-roof house were pirates. To
80 TO this house. whatever it might be.
10 take his chances there instead of /
alone in the wide forest.
1as our young mans instant deter
nination. N
After a brisk walk, which was some /
what longer than he had supposed Il
would be. Dickory reached the house
behind the trees. At short distance t.
burned the Ere whose smoke he had
ieen. ever the fire hung an iron POI
Oh. blessed pot, gentle breeze blew
rom the fire towards Dickory. and
rom the heavenly odo: which was ,
,orne upon il he knew that something (
rood 20 cal was cooking in that pot.
A man came quickly from behind ihe /
lCuse. He was tall. with a beard =
title gray. and his scanty attire was OF ,
he most ,nondescript fashion. With /
upon his face. he spoke TO I
hickory in English.
What. sir. he cried. has man-of- {
var touched al this island?" Il
Dickory could not help smiling. for {
he mans countenance told him how c
e had been utterly astounded. aud
sen stupefied. by the sight OF gentle I
nan in naval uniform in the interior a
I that island. an almost desert region.
NO man-of-Wsr has touched here" I
aid Dickory. and | don't belong 20 {
ne. wear these clothes because 2
m compelled TO do so, having no 9TH :
rs Yesterday afternoon J escaped T
rom some pirates who stopped for wa I
err. and since leaving them I have r
lsde my way 10 this spot t
The man stepped forth quickly and $
iretched out his hand
BLESS YOU. Bless you" be cried. '
You are the frsi human being. other I
ban my family. that / have seen for S
80 years
little girl now came from behind
he house. and wnen her eyes fell up S
d Dickory and his cooked hat she
lreamed with terror and ran indoors
woman appeared at the door. evi- {
emily the nan's-vife. She had a pleas
NJ lace. but her clothes riveted Dick '
rvs attention. Il would be impossible +
, dsse-ite them even If enc ss-s gaz .