Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-12

sea midway between tne MaldS pehiH-
suIa and the island of Borneo when |
low. rakish looking vessel appeared on |
the eastern horizon that especially ar
rested Captain Robert GreenwilIs AT |
tention. The old man sat on deck in |
his chair. absorbed. as usual, in the |
of the scene. The captain |
went below, and when he returned |
noises We're heard underneath. |
What are those sounds. Robert!' !
asked the father.
Gums being hauled into position be-
hind masked openings. DO you see
that vessel? She's Il pirate
But, Robert exclaimed the old
man. rising in great trepidation, what
is thee going to do"
Fight
The father said nothing for some
time. then spoke earnestly:
Robert, thee knows my principles.
If thee fight. cannot help thee
You can go below, father, and await
the issue there
What arms have thee
1--WE always carried three guns on
each broadside, and have Il plentiful
supply of muskets and cutlasses."
Il never knew that, or | would not
have allowed it."
THAT l knew very well, father
An hour later the situation was as
follows: The Pelican and the pirate
We're within Il mile of each other, both
heading for the strait. The owner OF
the Pelican was i'll his StaterOom. To
enable him to keep his principles he
had locked himself in and thrown the
key out through portfolio. In doing
so he caught sight of the pirate just as
she broke" the skull and bones from
her peak. and few moments later she
fred Il shot across the Pelican's bows.
Mr.. Greenwill was expecting tn hear
some response from the Pelican'S guns.
but he did not. Since this WAS i'll ac-
cordance with his professed views he
should have been pleased. but he was
not. He started To go and see what
occaSioned the delay. but found the
door locked. y profane word was on
his lips, but he repreSSed it. Mounting
Il stool. he called through an opening
above the door:
why doesn't thee fire. Rohcrt:"
But Robert was too far away to hear,
besides being otherwise engaged. Jon
athan got down from the stool and
went to the portfolio just in time to
see the pirate fire Il gun that struck the
Pelican within twenty feet OF the open
ing through which he was looking. The
pirate was now near enough for him to
see the deck Swarming with the ugieSt
lot of yellow cutthroats he had ever
looked ut.
Again forgetting that the door was
locked, he tried to open it. At that mo
ment there were three simultaneous
bOOmings in his own ship. and he ran
back to the portfolio to get view. He
saw activity on the pirate and new
guns run out.
The fight was now well on. and be
tween the boomS were heard sounds of
the old mans boot against the door Of
the stateroom. which finally yielded
| and Jonathan Greenwill rushed on deck
| with cutlaSs that he had picked up
as he ran.
Give 'em-more balls. Robert, Why
| don't thee fire faster?'
"All hands ready to repel boarders!"
was the captains only reply, seeing
| that the pirate was hauling in toward
the Pelican.
Ten minutes later the pirate had
| graphing irons on the Pelican and Il
| lot of fiends We're climbing aboard. The
Pelican's crew were fewer in number,
/ lint nf a Stnnrinp ~
| deck was higher than the pirates, and
as the pirates put their hands on the
| gunwale they were chopped off by the
cutlasses of the Pelicans men. Never
theless Il number of them got aboard.
and both sides fought desperately
Finally, when half of those who had
boarded were killed. the pirate sheered
off and left the rest at the mercy of
the Pelican's crew
Then for the first time Robert Green
will got view of his father The old
man, covered with pirates blood. his
eyes slaring. was hacking away at the
remnant of the yellow fendS who had
sought to take his ship.
Hold on, father, Wen take them
ashore and let the authorities hang
them"
Either the old man did not hear OF
his blood was too hot to heed. He
went on hacking and stabbing. ano
the men, considering his example al
order. went on killing the pirates til
none was left alive Then. when there
was no more blood to feed Jonathan
Greenwilrs thirst, he suddenly came t.
himself. Dropping his cutiass, he wen
down the companionway. and soon hi:
voice was heard wrestling in prayer
for forgiveness for having sinned il
having not only used the sword, bu
having killed more pirates than an,
man aboard the ship.
FRANK p CHENEY