The Carlisle independent., 1906-10-18

not being much as sailors anyway, had lost the thing.
 Naturally, I jest fell right back on my rights as free-born American cit izen. I hain't been sailorman for 40 year without knowing international and maritime law, no, sir. Not much, by the Great Jehookibus. jest sings out to Bill: Bill sez I, you hustle down below and get me the glorious Stars and Stripes, and at the same time you bring up my grandfather Greens old musket that's down there.' ! T ran down, too and got my silk hat-oue 1 always carry, cause you never know when you're away from home when you may be required to put on full dress, so to speak So l elaps the hat on my head and gifts out onto the deck of that submarine and jest fastens the flag of this free and glorious country to a boat hook and sticks it up on the deck. Then l sets down there, holding that old musket in my hands and I wait for the boat from that steamer to get along.
 When they got near enough I see tudI Illclt do d CIldD III llIt ol6l II who seemed to be of a different cut from most of them Dagoes. I knew he was a Rooshian the minute I set eyes on him. He had the same beard that every one of 'em has, including the czar and all the rest. Of course, l stood ready with the old musket in my hands and the flag of freedom flutter in 1cf ahOYrn Cnndotr hot wa prepared to repel boarders, but the boat stopped when she was in good hailing distance and the chap in the stern stood up and shouted to me in English.
 Is ze gentleman he says, that I has ze honor to address, ze captain of ze schooner?'
 q turns to the Rooshian and in an swer to his question I says briefly: I be- You see at that stage of the game l didn't propose to waste no words and say something I might be sorry for afterward Thereupon the man in the boat begins again. I have ze honor to inform ze cap tain,' he says, I have Ze honor to in- form ze captain (meaning me, you un- derstand zat ze submarine boat to ze night is in my charge. I present my compliments to ze captain, and re- quest that he will delivaire ze sub- marine boat to me, it's rightful pos i sessor.'
 Well, now I said, have the hon. or to inform you-by Jehoolibus, we can be just as polite down ill Friend ship, Maine, as any foreigner that ever sailed the Seven Seas-so I sez to him, I have the honor to inform you that having found the aforesaid submarine derelick on the high seas, l, Solomon B. Peabbles of the town of Friendship, in the grand old state of Maine have legally taken possession of the said derelick, and anybody desiring to prove claims can do so by appearing before the proper authorities in the courts of this great and glorious coun- try
 And then by way of a wind-up just shouted at him, so that he would know that I knew what I was talking about, And God save the United States of America!
 "Then the man in the boat spoke once more.
 "'Would ze Captain Pibbles nego- tiate as between friends without talk ing ze matter into ze courts?'
 "Thets where them foreign chaps has the advantage of us. They're mighty smooth spoken. Of course, he see the game from the start. I met him halfway, but I warn't taking no chances. So l sez to Bill: You get aboard this craft and keep the flag a-fying while 1 receive this gent on the Polly P
 When we'd changed places, I sez to the Rooshian: Step aboard I sez, and he warnt slow about stepping. I showed him into the cabin and we set down. He begun his little chanty the moment he got aboard, but I stopped him. There warn't going to be northen' irregular about them nego- tiations.
 "Before we proceed, I sez, I must respectfully remind you thet ye didn't let ore of your visiting cards float down on the tide
 '1t would pretty near killed you to hev' seen him then. He bowed and scraped like a dancing master. Thou sand pardons,' he sez, but is it neces- sary thet 1 reveal ze incognitto? Well I sez, you can keep that if you want to, but I guess ye'd better say who ye be-
 "He looked at me minute. right in the eyes, and then he see l meant business and he give in. He kinder grinned and said he was Lieut. Razor