The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-07-04

terror OF the seal You, my men my
brave men, you are not the crew of the
good merchantmen the Sarah VIII
iinms, you are pirates all. You are the
pirate crew OF the pirate ship Revenge.
That is now the name Of this vessel on
4 which you sail, and you are all pirates,
who henceforth shall sail her.
Now 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 fl for kings and queens!"
| AS he spoke, every rascal raised his
eyes aloft, and there. sure enough,
floated the black flag with the skull
and bones, the terrible Jolly Roger"
of the Spanish Main, and which Bon
net himself had holsted 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 b. 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 stupefied He had
well known the character of the ship
from the time that Bonnet had taken
him into his service, and he IL was who
had mainly managed the fitting-up OF
the vessel and the shipping of her
crew. He did net 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 melsaS he had expected TO
do soon after setting saY and here this
country pumpkin had t4en the Wind
out of his saii1 and had boldly an
nounced that he himself was the cap
tain Of the pirate ship Revenge.
The men BOW began to talk among
themselves; and as Bonnet stu stood,
his sword clutched in his hand and his |
chest heaylng with the excitement OF his |
own speech, there arose from the crew
a cheer. Some of them had known |
little about Stede Bonnet, and some of |
them scarcely anything at all, except
that ne was able to pay them good I
wages. Now he had told them that he
was pirate captain, and each of them
Knew that he himself wae a pirate, or
was waiting for the chance to become
1ne.
And so they Cheered, and their cap
aims chest heaved higher, and the
soul OF the luckless Big Sam collapsed,
or he knew that after that cheer there
was no chance for him; at least, not
low.
New 60, ny boys" shouted Bonnet,
back TO your places, every one of you.
md fan TO your dlty; and, in honor of
hat black flag which floats above you,
ach Of you shall drink glass Of
yrog"
With another shout the crew hurried
Onward, and Stede Bonnet stood upon
he quarterback, the pirate captain OF
he pirate ship Revenge.
And now stepped up to his master
hat good Presbyterian, Ben Greenway. {
AN ye call yoursel' pirate. sir?"
aid he, AN we go forth upon the sea
0 murder an to rob an to prepare j
our soul for hell?"
Mr.. Bonnet winked little.
'You speak strongly. Ben" said he,
but that might have been expected
rom Il man OF your fashion of think :
lg But let me ten you again, my
God Ben Greenway, that | was no
arty TO your being on this vessel
ven now. when my soul swells within '
e with the pride Of knowing that =
N a sovereign of the seas and that 'e
owe no allegiance 10 any man or any
lvernment and that MY will is my Al
w and is the law of every man upon q
lis yessel--eyea now, Ben Greenway, d
grieyes me to know that you are
ere With me. But the first chance /
Il / shall set you ashore and have =
~ sent home. Thou art not cut out "a
r pirate. and as no other canst "
on sail with me" ri
Ben Greenway looked a him stead 81
silly. pl
Master Stede Bonnet" said he, Eye BIZ
e no more fit to be bloody pirate ",
an am. Ye oversee your planta- \,
IN weel although Nae often sbeen :,
rsuaded that ye' knew no cas- much ~
We. think ye. do We provide weeI o'
r your family aIthoiigh we tax no OF
oasure therein ye might haze taen X
dye been content wi ane wife. as sh
q Holy Scriptures tell us Is enough 70
r ony mon, an We hae sufficient
dgment to TAX The advice o.
igmatical mon about your lands an
ur herds; but wlren it comes to
ur cain yourser a pirate captain.
is enough to make deceased per-
n chuckle by the absurdity o. it."
Ben Grcenway." exclaimed Mai.
met Il don't like your manner OF
aeOh."
'o' course ye don't" cried Ben:
n ] didna expect ye TO like IL; but
is the solemn truth for a. that