Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-09

tain came on board, ana then many were the questions he asked about the | pirate Ichabod.
 Well, welli'' the captain exclaimed, that's just like him, he's rare one. Ichabod is not his name, of course, and ] I'm told he belongs to good English | family-a younger son, and having taken his inheritance, he invested it In sloop and turned pirate. He has had some pretty good fortune. I hear, l In that line, but it hasn't profited him much, for he is terrible gambler. and all that he makes by his prizes he loses at cards, so he is nearly always | poor. Blackboard sometimes helps him, so have heard-which he ought l to do, for the old pirate has won bags l of money from him-but he is known I as good fellow, and to be trusted. l have heard of his sailing a long way back to Belize to pay a gambling debt he owed, he having captured 8 mer- chantman in the meantime"
 ''Very honorable, indeed" remarked MT. Delaplaine.
 "As pirates go, white crow" said the other. Now, sir, if you and your ladies want to go to Blackboard, and rare desire is that, swear, you can- not do better than let Capt. Ichabod take you. You will be safe, and I am sure of that, and there is every req son to think he win find his man"
 When MT. Delaplaine went below with his extraordinary news, Dame Charter turned pale and screamed.
 Sail in pirate ship?" she cried. 'I've seen the men belonging to one of them, and as to going on board ana sailing with them, I'd rather die just where I am"
 l To the good dame's astonishment and that of MT. Delaplaine, Kate spoke up very promptly. But you cannot die here, Dame Charter; and if you ever want to see your son again you have got to go to him. Which is also the case with me and my father. And, as there is no other way for us to go, say. let us accept this mans offer if he be what my uncle thinks he Is. After all, 1t might be as safe for us on board his ship as to be on merchantman and be captured by pirates. which would be likely enough In those regions where we are obliged l to go; and so say let us see the man, and if he don't frighten us too much let us sail with him and get my father and Dickory."
 ''It would be terrible danger, a ter rible danger" said MT. Delaplaine.
 "But, uncle" urged Kate, "every- thing is terrible danger in the search we're upon; let us then choose a dan ger that we know something about, and which may serve our needs rath- CT than one of which we're ignorant and which cannot possibly be of any l good to us"
 It was actually the fact that the lit- tie party in the cabin had not finished ] talking over this most momentous subject before they were informed that Capt. Ichabod was on deck. Up they went Dame Charter ready to faint But she did not do so. When she saw the visitor she thought it could not be the pirate captain, but some one whom ] hs had sent in his place. He was moro soberly dressed than when he first came on board, and his manners were | even milder. The mind of Kate Bon l Act was so worked up by the trouble that had come upon her that she felt vary much as she did when she hung over the side of her fathers vessel at Bridgetown, ready to drop into the I darkness and the water when the sig nal should sound. She had an object ] LOW, as she had had then, and again she must risk everything. On her sec- ond look at Capt. Ichabod, which em- ] harEaAssd htm very much. she was