The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-09-27

struggled half way up the schooner's
mizzen-peak and then was lowered so
rapidly as to indicate that whoever
had hoisted it had been overpowered.
There was a hurried chorus of bells,
pipes and bugles aboard the cutter, her
engines stopped, and in a trice gig
went over her side, stream of men
slid down the falls, and long before
the cutter lost her headway their quick
and steady regulation stroke had pull
ed them half way to the schooner. AS
they neared the distressed vessel it
was evident that a desperate state of
affairs existed on board. The skipper,
welding a Delaying pin, held a crowd
of mutineers at bay on the quarter
deck, while one of the mates, cut off
by two desperadoes, was defending
himself with capstan bar on the fore
castle head, the other mate, not being
in sight, was presumably killed AS
the gig swung on broadside for board
ing one cutthroat rushed out of the
galley brandishing a flatiron and a
kettle and launched both proiectiles
with great precision and velocity into
the midst of the oncoming champions
of law and order.
A moment later they were along
side and dozen bluejackets swarmed
over the schooner's bulwarks en-
masse. Their lieutenant drew his
sword and charged across the deck
with great gallantry to the rescue of
the skipper, while detachment of his
forces delivered the second mate from
his perilous position forward.
Discipline carried the day against
lawless force, and, three minutes after
he came over the rail, the revenue
lieutenant had cleared the schooner's
lating himself on having so quickly
stamped out the whole riot, the first
mate and a picked band began the eli
max of the days festivities in the after
lazaret or storeroom. A burst of
yells and blows arose from this quart
er, and Capt. Curtis sprang toward
the hatch crying, Come on, sir, they're
my first mate" The lieute-
nant, anxious for more worlds to con-
quer, tore off the small hatch of the
lazaret, and, swinging down over the
coamings, dropped into the semi-dark-
ness below, followed by half his men.
There was brief and confused melee
of cutlasses, Delaying pins, and flying
vegetables, and then the mate was eX-
tricated from beneath half-dozen
revenue men and mutineers,
and this last flash of resistance was
quenched.
The lieutenant waited below until
the rescued mate and his assailants
had been passed up on deck, and, as
he himself turned towards the ladder,
something certainly not intended to
be seen, but partially unearthed in the
late struggle caught his eye. Sticking
out from under pile of boxes and
cordage was the corner of a rough
bale made up in the peculiar style
characteristic of certain islands of the
West Indies. Throwing aside the in
nocent impediments with which they
were concealed, the jealous officer dis
covered three more similar bales, and
under one of them bundle of water
tight bags, serviceable, but not neatly
made from discarded rubber coats and
oil-skins.
The lieutenant whistled softly to
himself, and went on deck even more
rapidly than he had come down.
Captain" said he, 81 want to see
your manifest" Capt. Curtis with evil
dent hesitation asked him why. mo
matter" answered the lieutenant.
sharply, "trot it out"
Capt. Curtis's face showed some
alarm, but this was a command that
must be obeyed, and leading the officer
N the cutter aft, he opened the desk of
his cabin, and handed him his papers
from the South American port. togeth-
er with the ships log.
The lieutenant glanced through them
rapidly. This only speaks about as
phalt," said he, holding up the ships
manifest, "how about four bales Of
tobacco?"
There is no tobacco aboard, sir"
said Curtis.
You're a liar" snapped the lieute-
nant, 81 saw it myself in your lazaret
after your pirate crew had turned the
place inside out"
VERY we'll sir" said Curtis, evident
ly resigned to fate.
There IS nothing about it in your
which is bad enough, and no
entry in your log to show where you
got 1t, which is a great deal worse"
continued the lieutenant; ''you may
consider yourself and your ship under
arrest"
With this the lieutenant walked for
ward, climbed into the foremost
shrouds, and, drawing out white
handkerchief, engaged in a rapid wig
wag conversation with his commander
on the cutter. The vessel was seen
to get under way, and presently bore
down on the schooner coming close
40 - h