The daily Alaskan., 1905-05-29
My ONE
 FACULTY
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could learn my lessons, and my father. who otherwise would have wished me Co take profession. put me on Q ship as cabin boy. rcmarking that such career was good enough for a duncc.
 The captain took fancy to me and tried to teach me navigation, but there were so many slncs, cosincs., arcs and angles about i to hewildcr me that he soon gave it up In despair So it seemed that must continue to wait on the ships company, clean the cabin win. dows and at mcaltimcs assist the cook in the galley.
 One morning when was washing the breakfast dishes noticed that tho ship had been brought up Co the wind, which was Tapping in the sails. Soon after, having occasion to go Co the after cabin, | saw the captain and the first mate standing looking at the ruddcr post. Though the tillcr was lashed fast, the rudder swayed with the waves. This was because the rudder post was defective. As the rudder moved tbs post would twist opening and closing huge cracks. or course the ship was without stcerage, The captain looked anxious.
 Captain" I said. when the cracks open fn them with wedges, and your post will hold firm"
 The captain turned and looked at me, astonished that a cabin boy should dare to advise him. Then he gruffiy ordered the mate to go and get the wedges. They were driven in the cracks, iron bands were put around the post, and h held good till we reached port
 It had become evident that possess | ed ingenuity.
 The captain considered that by my suggestion had saved the ship and on reaching home told the owners, who placed a thousand dollars in bank to be given me on my coming of age. " father was much perpleXed at the sto- " and. thinking that perhaps my teach CTS had been at fault, wished me to rc. main at home and try school again But hated books and took kindly to a | rowing life on the ocean. So my father, | deciding that there must he some mis take about my ingenious suggestion relapsed into the belief that was stu a dunce and the position Of cabin boy | quite good enough for me. But he was | again doomed tO revise his opinion when returned from the next voyage
 We were in the China sea not fal from the Malay peninsula, having aboard a cargo Of oil. There is no par of the globe where piracy has been an, is today more common. One evening just before sunset went on deck and saw the captain and both mates OK amining with glasses small vessel tC the lee~ard, which was towing n good sized bark. Suddenly the smaller yes scl drew away from the other and sail ed toward us. Though she showed nJ flag, our captain knew her Co be a pi rate with a prize In tow, and, since w' had nothing with which to defend our selves except small arms. he had n' doubt that as soon as the craft coul' reach us we would walk the plank.
 Captain" said, get up barrel ot oil and pour it over the decks, eNcep' the poop. Then get the men up there with the arms, hoist the white lag an, let them come aboard
 The captain stared at me for mo ment the color gradually coming tt his checks with hope. then ordered no one barrel but a dozen brought up an' stove at different parts Of the deck. Th, ratlines, the bulwarks, every bit Of sur face was shining with oil. Then th
 men were gathered with the small arm
 on the poop" Ky this time the ''skul and croSSbOnes" were raised on th
 pirate, and in few minutes more sh
 was within hailing distance, Sine there was no appearance of resistance
 she sent out the boats, loaded wit conner colored villains, leaving only small crew aboard. There was cOnSid erable sea on. and we were rolling heay ily. One boat made for the bow, th
 other for the waist, and the crew climbed up on to the deck. The frs man to reach it slid on to it from tn
 oiled gunwale. His feet shot out fror under him, and he coasted Into tn ! scuppers. In few moments som twenty men were sliding about as th . shin rolled. while we, taking out ou guns which we had concealed unde our jackets, opened fire. Before th pirates could get their legs we ha,
 peppered every one Of them excep
 those who had not left the boats. They seeing the disaster, pulled for thel vessel, but we picked them on as the rowed. The men on the pirate, telro stricken at what they could not unGei l stand. put their ship before the win \ and sailed away.
 We found some shoemakers wa aboard, with which we covered uh soles of our shoes. Then when he ha beaved overheard the dead and wound ei pirates we made sail for the shi they had left. She proved fat priz f and we took her in tow. When we e home the captain and crew, after co lectins the prize money, were so grau e,,, to mo for the suggestion that ha