Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-04-12
The scotonman anook his head :,

rear me ne SAID.
mo, you don't fear yourself" cried
Blackboard, land I won't have It;
don't want any OF that lazy piety on
board my vessel. II you don't reform
me, and do 1t rightly, I'll slice of both
your ears"
At this moment a man came aft,
carrying great tankard of mixed
drink. Blackboard took it and held it
in his hand.
Now then, you baking chaplain"
he cried. heres a chance for you to
begin What would you have me do?
Drain of this great mug and go slash
ing among my crew, or hurl it, mug
and all"
Nav. nay" cried Greenway, "but
rather give half o. it to me; then will
it mo- disturb your brain, an mine will
be cOmforted."
"Heigho!" cried Blackboard. Truly
you arc o better chaplain than
thought you. Drain half this mug and
then. by all the powers Of heaven and
hell, you shall convert me. Now, look
ye," said the pirate, when the mug
was empty. land hear what brave re-
pentance / have already begun. | am
tired, my gay gardener, of all these pi-
racies; | have had enough of them.
Even now my spells and prizes are
greater than can manage, and why
should I strive to make them more? l
told you of my young lieutenant, who ran
away and who gave his carcass to the
birds of prey rather than sail with me
and marry my strapping daughter.
liked that fellow, Greenway, and If he
had known what was in store for him
there might be some reason for ms to-
keep on piling up goods and money,
but there's cursed little reason for 1t
now. I have merchandise of value at
Belize and much more of 1t in these
ships. besides money from Charles
Town which ought to last an honor
able gentleman for the rest of his
days"
AYE" said Ben. "but an honest gem
tleman is sparing of his expenditures"
And you think am not that kind
of man, do you?" shouted the pirate,
But let me tell you this. | am So Eng
now for Topsail Inlet, on the North
Carolina coast, and am going to run
in there, dispense this feet. sell my
goods and"
BE hanged" interpolated Greenway
in surprise.
Not bit Of it, you croaking crow"
! roareo the pirate. mot bit of 1t.
Don't you know, you dullhead, that
our good King George has issued a
proclamation to the Brethren of the
Coast to come in and behave them
selves like honest citizens and receive
their pardon? have done that once,
and so l know all about it; but
backslid, showing that my conversion
was badly done"
An Master Bonnet?" he asked IF
We go out o. piracy he may go too, and
take the OATH
"Of course he may" cried the pirate.
"and Of course he shall: will see to
that myself Then l will give him back
his ship for l don't want it, and let
him become an honest merchant"
Give him back his ship!" exclaimed
GreenWay, his countenance downcast.
That will be putin into his hands the
means O. beginnin' again q life O. sin.
/ pray We, don't do that"
Blackboard leaned back and laughed.
Il swear that | thought 1t would be
one of the very first steps in CONVEX
sion for me to give back to the fellow
the ship which is his own and which
have taken away from him. But fear
not, my noble pirates clerk; he Is not
the man that / am; he is vile coward
and when he has taken the oath he
will be afraid to break It, More
over"
And if, with that ship" said Green
way, his eyes beginning to sparkle, "he
become an honest merchant"
Il don't trust him." said Blackboard;
"he is knaye and sharper, and there
is no truth in him But when you
have settled up my business, my clerk,
| and have gotten me well converted. I
will send you away with him. and you
shall take up again the responsibility
of his soul"
The Scotchman clapped his horny
| hands together. And once get him
back to Bridgetown, | will burn his
cursed ship!"
J "Heigho!" cried Blackboard, "and
that will be your way of converting
him? You know your business, my
royal chaplain. you know 1t we'll And
with that he gave Greenway tremen-
dous slap on the back which would
have dashed to the deck an ordinary
man, but Ben Greenway was o Scotch
J man. tough as yew tree.
ITO Re COutinued)