Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1904-05-19
Continued from last week.
CHAPTER XIV.

Eff1 WN% hOUDLl sdlleu tue Ne-
WAXDA venge and her attendant
bark into the waters OF
Honduras Gulf, and proudly stood
Capt. Stede Bonnet upon her quarter
deck, dressed in handsome uniform
which might have been that OF a cap
tain or admiral in the royal navy; one
hand caressed his ornate sword-hilt,
while the other was thrust into the
bosom of his gllt-embroidered coat A
newly fashioned Jolly Roger, in which
the background was very black and
the skull and cross,bones CHASTITY white,
few from his masthead.
Apart from a general desire to show
himself in the ranks of his fellow
pirates and to receive from them respect
which was due to man OF his capa.
billties and general merits, Stede Bon.
net had particular reason for his
visit to this port and for surrounding
himself with all the pomp and cir
cumstance Of high piratical rank. He
had been informed that a great man,
hero and chief among his fellows
in fact, the dean Of the piratical facul.
ty and known as Blackboard" the
most desperate and reckless Of all
the pirates Of the day-was now here.
To meet this most important sea
robber and to receive from him the
hand of fellowship had been Bonnet's
desire and ambition since he had
heard that 1t was possible.
The morning was advanced and the
Revenge was rolling easily at her
1Ah3rage, but Bonnet was somewhat
,nccrtlin as to the next step he ought
0 take, He wanted to see Blackboard
s9on as possible, but 1t would GER
aI3y be a breach Of etiquette entirely
a.un-i. tent with his present position
ate3t conner, and thought it was the
art of Blackboard to make the first
at.
Paul D!ttern now came aft. The
ncn are getting very restless" he
aid; they want to go on shore
they'd all go If Id let EN-"
Capt Bonnet gave his big sailing
master lofty glare
If | should let them, you mean, sir.
| am sorry | cannot break you Of the
habit of forgetting that l command
this ship. Well, sir, you may tell them
that they cannot go. | am expecting q
visit from the renowned blackboard,
now in this port, and wish to wei.
come him with all respect and full
crew"
Black Paul smiled disagreeably. Il
will tell you, sir, that you cannot keep
these men on board much longer with
the town OF Belize within a row OF
half a mile. They've been at sea too
long for that Therell be mutlny, sir.
IL | go forward with that message Of
yours. 1t will be prudent to let some
of them go ashore now and others
later in the day. | will go in the first
boat and see to 1t that the men come
back with me. And, by the way, 1t
would not be bad thing II touch at
Blackbeards vessel and inform him
that you are here; | don't suppose he
knows the Revenge, nor her captain
neither"
II doubt that, Bittern," said Bonnet,
II DOUBT 1t very much. | assure you
that | am known from one end Of this
coast to the other, and Capt. Black
beard is not an ignorant man. So you
can go ashore and take some of the
men, stopping at Blackbeards ship.
And, by the way, | want you to 60 by
that bark OF ours and give her the old
black Roger l used to fly. forgot to
send it to her, and man might as
well not own and command two vessels
II he get not the credit Of it."
When the sailing set out in
the long boat, crowded with men, he
stopped at the bark, but did not go too
near for fear that some Of the crew
might jump into his already overload
ed boat
You are to run up this rag" cried
Black Paul to Clip, the fellow in COM
mand and SO saying, he handed UP
the old Jolly Roger on the blade of all
oar. Our noble admiral fears that II
you do not that you may be captured
by some Of these good vessels lying
hereabout."
Clip roared out with laugh: Il will
attend to the capture as soon as | get
out Of reach of his guns, which he will
not dare to use here, take 1t. But I