Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-06-22


leayin' Mistress Kate to gang hame by
hersep, an to come out this mornin
findin'athe shipa sea an We in com.
mand?''
Say no more, Ben," cried Bonnet
I am more sorry to see you here than
II you were any other man know in
this world. But I cannot put you of
now, nor can 1 talk further about it,
being very much pressed with other
matters. Now here comes my crew."
Ben Greenway retired a little, lean
ing against the rail.
''An' this is his crew." he muttered;
"a lot O. unkempt wild beasts, it strikes
me. Mayhap he has gathered them to-
either to convert their souls, an he is
about to preach his first sermon to
them"
Now all the mariners of the Sarah
Williams were assembled aft and Capt
Bonnet was standing on his quarter
deck, looking out upon them. He was
dressed in naval uniform, to which
was added a broad red sash. In his
belt were two pairs of big pistols, and
a stout sword hung by his side. He
folded his arms; he knitted:his brows,
and he gazed fiercely about to see ii
anyone were absent, although if any,
one had been absent he would not have
known it. His eyes flashed, his cheeks
were flushed, and it was plain enough
to all that he had something important
to say
my men," he cried, in a stalwart
voice which no one there had ever
heard him use before, my men, look
upon me and you will not see what you
expect to see! Here is no planter, no
dealer in horses and fat cattle, no
grower of sugar-cane! Instead OF
that, he yelled, drawing his sword and
f1ourishing it above his head, "instead
of that I am pirate Bonnet, the new
terror of the sea! You, my men, my
brave men, you are not the crew of the
good merchantmen, the Sarah Will
l1ams, you are pirates all. You are the
pirate crew of the pirate ship Revenge.
That is now the name of this vessel on
which you sail, and you are all pirates,
who henceforth shall sail her.
Nov look aloft, every man of you.
and you will see skull and bones,
under which you sail, under which you
fight. under which you gain great
riches in coins, in golden bars, and in
fine goods fit for kings and Queens!"
AS he spoke, every rascal raised his
eyes aloft, and there, sure enough,
foated the black flag with the skull
and bones, the terrible Jolly Roger"
OF the Spanish Main, and which Bon
net himself had hoisted before he
called together his crew.
For the most part the men were
astounded, and looked blankly the one
upon the other. They knew they had
been shipped to sail upon some illegal
cruise, and that they were to be paid
high wages by the wealthy Bonnet;
but that this worthy farmer should be
their pirate captain had never entered
their minds, they naturally supposing
that their future commander would not
care to show himself at Barbados, and
that he would be taken on board at
some other port.
AS for Big Sam, he was more than
astounded-he was stupefed. He had
we'll known the character of the ship
from the time that Bonnet had taken
him into his service, and he it was who
had mainly managed the fitting-up OF
the vessel and the shipping of her
crew. He did not know whom Bonnet
intended to command the ship, but
from the very beginning he had in
tended to command her himself But
he had been too late. He had not gone
among the men as he had expected to
do soon after setting sail, and here this
country pumpkin had taken the wind
out Of his sails and had boldly an.
nounced that he himself was the cap
tain of the pirate ship Revenge.
The men now began to talk among
themselves; and as Bonnet still stood,
his sword clutched in his hand and his
chest heaving with the excitement of his
own speech, there arose from the crew
a cheer. Some of them had known a
little about Stede Bonnet, and some of
them scarcely anything at all, except
that ne was able to pay them good
wages. Now he had told them that he
was pirate captain, and each of them
knew that he himself was a pirate, or
was waiting for the chance to become
one.
And SO they cheered, and their cap
tain's chest heaved higher, and the
soul of the luckless Big Sam collapsed,
for he knew that after that cheer there
was no chance for him; at least, not
now.
''Now go, my boys" shouted Bonnet,
back to your places, every one of you.
and fall to your duty; and, in honor Of
that black flag which floats above you,
each of you shall drink a glass of
grog."
With another shout the crew hurried
forward, and Stede Bonnet stood upon
the quarterback, the pirate captain of
the pirate ship Revenge.
And now stepped up to his master
that good Presbyterian, Ben Greenway.
AN ye call yourself a pirate, sir?"
said he, 'an' We go forth upon the sea
to murder an to rob an to prepare
your soul for hell?"
J Mr.. Bonnet winked a little. esa h; VT.
''You speak strongly, Ben," said he.
"but that might have been expected
from man Of your fashion of think
ing. But let me tell you again, my
good Ben Greenway, that 1 was no
party to your being on this vessel.
Even now, when my soul swells within
me with the pride of knowing that,
am a sovereign Of the seas and that
Iowesno allegiance TO- any man 81 any