The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-01-12
THE IRON PIRATE
"A Plain Tale Of Strange
Happenings on tie Sea
By MAX PEMBHRTON

years ago, and was educated for . few
years at the well-known institute in that
city. They taught me there that con-
sciousness of ignorance which II half an
and being the son Of man
who starved on fine ability for model
ling things in clay, and plaster moulding,
I went out presently to make my living.
First to America, to get the experience
Of coming home again then to the Cape,
to watch other men dig diamonds: to
Rome, to Naples, to Genoa, that might
know what it was to want food; to South
America AZ an able seaman; to Australia
IN the stoke-hole Of South Sea liner;
home again to my poor father, who lay
dead when reached Liverpool.
Il was twenty-five years old then, and
glutted with life. BY what chance it was
I cannot tell, but drifted like living
log into the detective force Of my city,
and after working up for q few years
through the grades, they put me ON the
at Liverpool, to watch for
men who wished to emigrate. 1t was mis-
cradle employment, but educating, for 1t
taught me to read faces that were dis
guised, old men become beardless, young
men made old. suppose l had more
been 30 employed for Eve years was
sent to London By our people, and there
commanded to go to the Admiralty and
get new instructions. Regard this, please.
a the first mark in this record am max
ing. OF my work for our own people I
may not tell even you, since engaged
upon it under solemn bond Of secrecy; but
I can indicate that was SAINT to Italy
to pick up facts in the dock yards there.
and that our people relied on my gifts
Of disguise, and on my knowledge Of Ital-
ian. In short, was expected to provide
plans and accounts Of many things mate
rial to our own service, and entered on
the business with alacrity, gained admit
lance to the public dock yards, and knew
IN a twelvemonth ell that any man could
learn who had his wits only to guide him.
It was In Italy during my second year
Of work that had cause to be at Spezia,
inspecting there . new type Of gunboat
about which there was much talk and
many opinions. 1t was an evening late
in the year, and the sun was just setting.
I watched the changing hues Of the peaks
as the light spread from point 10 point
upon the castle roof, upon the steel bulls
of great ships. And then I saw q strange
thing, for amongst all the vessels I saw
one that stood ont beyond them all, Q
great globe, not Of silver, but Of golden
fire. There was no doubt about It 1t all !;
I rubbed my eyes, I used the glass I al
ways carried with me; viewed the hull
Il
heights; and was sure that what saw
was no effect of evening light or strange
refraction. The ship I looked on was
built either of brass, or Of some alloy of
brass, a. it seemed to me, for the notion
that she could be plated with gold was
preposterous; and yet the more I exam
ined her, the more clearly did make out
that her hull was constructed of q metal
infinitely gold-like, and Of 30 beautiful a
color in the redeemed stream which shone
upon it that the Whole ship had the aspect
of a mirror of the purest gold had ever
seen.
The dark fell. l returned to the town
quickly. went straight to the sea front
and began, if I could, to find where the
water lay wherein this extraordinary
steamer was locked. I had taken the
bearings Of it from the hills, and l was
very quickly at that spot where thought
to have seen the strange vessel. There,
truly enough, was a dock in which two
small coasting steamers were moored, but
of sign of that which 1 sought there
was none. / should have had the matter
out there and then, searching the place
to its extremity; but I had not been at
my work ten minutes when / knew that
was watched. A man, dressed as a rough
sailor, and remarkable for the hideousness
Of his face and curious malformation of
one tooth, lurked behind the heaps of sea
lumber, and followed me from point to
point. returned in a good disguise of
a common English seaman on the follow
ing evening, and again entered the dock
yard. The same man was watching, but
he had no suspicion of me.
"'Any job goingY 1 asked, and the
question seemed to interest him.
II reckon that depends on the man.
he replied, sticking his hands deep into
his pockets. What's little wien chan
like you good for, except to get yer neck
broken?'
"'All in my line answered jauntily.
having fixed my plan; I'm starving
amongst these cutthroats here, and I'm
ready for anything
I chatted with him, and later on with
his companions, about as fine dozen of
self-stamped rascals as ever l wish to
see. Next day, came again to the dock
yards, convinced that was al the foot OF
a mystery, and, to my delight, i got en-
ployment from the chief of the gang,
named Roaring John by his friends and
was soon at work on the simple and mat
ter-of-fact business of cutting. planks. This
gave me an entry to the dock yard-all
wished at the moment.
Il had got admission to the dock, but
had learnt nothing Of the vessel. was
admitted only to the outer basin, where
the coastinG steamers lay, and Roaring
John threatened me If passed the gate
which opened into the dock beyond. Min
ute BY minute and hour by hour, wait
ed my opportunity. It came to mo on
the morning Of the eighth day. when /
reached the yard at four O'Clock and the
ssts being unopen, I lurksd In hiding
until the frst men should come. He va
no other than the one who had eneagsd
me: and when hs had gone In he did not
clos H. second door after him, there
6edng no men then 1t their work. I nsed
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