The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-08-01


in Hong.ong, & native junkman from
the Chinese city Of Swatow, aDoA,
two hundred miles northeast OF the
English c.:y. The !GnEmaG DTolsa.
a letter 70 the doctor from an OLD
acquaintance. the Rev. James Burrcn,
a missionary in the vicinity OF SVa'
tow; and the latter legged Curtin 10
come and attend the mis5ionaT: )
young son, vino was suffering from
pulling and lingering illness.
AS none Of his patients in Hong
kong demanded his immediate at
tention, Curtin was free to respond
TO the call. The Silver Noon, the
trading junk that had brought the
letter Of appeal. was TO leave on the
return voyage the next day At noon;
and as this junk offered the only
means Of reaching Swatow for se'eTa.
days, Curtin engaged passage on the
slow.sa!ling. clumsy vessel.
There had been much activity that
summer among the native pirates that
iniest the coas. waters O. the China
Sea; and although the doctor G!t no,
expect 10 encounter any .. these gen
try, he took the p..c2u..oa Of placing
in his yai.se TWO .ear" navy revolver;
and a quantity Of ca-t.. .--s.
The silver Noon sailed on the NOR.
row At midday, as scheduled. and
driven hy a wide spread Of caaTa$,
slipgcl through Tho deep blue, tapping
water Of this Eastern sea d. much
bette. speed than The loctor expected.
That evening a.ar!. full! "7on aaa''
cd in tie clear sig, a.d gave 4 s.o:"
TO the ocean thai Curtin had new.
seen surpassed. lie sat o. leca III Il
late. and when he did 20 down 70 his
crampe1 berth IN II" cabin below,
be dropped into sleep - profound
that his first iurimatiCu o.; danger was
when he was awakened by acrcc, wild
cries and the scurrging and trampl.ag
OF many feet On the dec" overhead.
He spraHg 10 got his reviewers. But
while ne fumbcd wiki the catches Of
the case, there was rush Of foot
steps down the pGssagc~uy Outside;
and the next moment the l-a!l door
burst in with q crash before Inc attack
Of half dozen nearly naked China
men, who had American revoivcrs and
short curved swords. The Silver
Moon had fallen prey to p.ra,ca, and
Curtin calmly submitted himself to tho
invaders.
He was allowed TO dress. In the
meantime the pirates r1mmaged
through his baggage, including the
rather portly black leather case in
which he carried his medicines and
surgical instruments. When he was
hustled on deck few Taoment later
he found lying alongside the Silver
Moon huge junk, and swarAing over
the captured vessel mC-!ev horde
of eyil,!ooking barbaylans. The crew
of the Silver Moon, awei ana cring.
ing, was huldled forward under guard.
But Curtin was not placed with
the other captures. At q word from
the thin, wiry man who appeared to
be the leader, two or the pirates
marched the doctor straight aboard
the strange junk, whore they proceed.
ed to bind his arms and legs with
ropes, and left him near the fore.
mast TO sprawl or sit on the hard
deck, as he chose. AS soon as every.
thing OF value Oh the Silver ,ivon had
been transferred TO the robber junk,
the crew returned to their own yes.
sci, and cast off, leaving their coun.
trymen to go their way in peace. The
pirate junk now headed 10 the north
east, following the coast.
Curtin, sprawling on the bare deck
in his bonds, could only conjecture
what was TO be his fate. He knew
that the native pirates often made q
practice of holding prisoners for ran.
som, and he fancied that his captors
intended 10 do so in his case, other.
wise they would not have singled him
out from all those on the captured
junk. It did not reassure him TO re.
feet that his bank-account in Hong.
kong was an extremely modest one,
and that he had few friends in the
city who could place any large sum at
his disposal.
Abour the middle of the forenoon
his attention was attracted to one of
the pirate crew-a big man who was
restlessly pacing up and down the
sun-scorched deck not far away, ap.
parently in intense agony. On observ.
ing the fellow closely, the doctor saw
that there was an angry, unhealed
wound In the muscles OF his bare left