The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-10-02

nt8tWt NAAN4 W0A ~WNNeNA&Af "NA"f++'t
~. when be saw them Then there
was no mistake" The boats were af
once swung up, and next moment the
electric signal rang out tingtingting,
and we moved on. leaving the dis
abled steamer lying helpless as a log.
stood BY while the men broke open
the cases on deck. and was amazed
to see that they we're filled full or
English sovereigns.
This is piracyl" I remarked. e.
citedly, 70 the captain.
Well. mister. you needn't call Il by
that name. seains that you're boss o
this bloomin' tub. observed the. black
bearded skipper, who. until then. had
affected utter Ignorance Of either
French or English.
'I-boss OF this ship. What do yOa
meang" l gasped
The guv'nOr sold 'er to you IN
Monte Carlo. didn't he? 'E told us yon
were a bit mad-like. and nov it's quite
plain. From the time You woke up
after that bust o champagne. you've
gone about like a chlnaman wot's 'ad
his pigtail cut on.
Il don't understand you" I said
"You are captain OF this vessel. and
ought TO know wao your owner is
why. you are. Of course You gave
50, 900 quid for the boat-the receipts
in my cabin. The old in told me to
give IL to you when you woke up."
In obedience to my demand he
brought Il and handed It to me. Il
was written ON a sheet Of note paper
head. IS. Y. Garbin0." and stated that
/ had bought the vessel for E50000,
and was signed Archibald Grant"
Who Is this man Grant, I de-
manded. amazed at finding myself
owner Of this piratical craft.
&c was our boss; and darned
good boss. too" the captain replied
We've 'ad lot Of fun around Cape
Judy. but the game amt quite safe
Just at present. because Of the Italian
gunboats. The old boy must ave
made over a million out OF the stun
we took. for my share alone in
couple Of years was 10000 golden
quids. and an the men 'ad a thousand
a year each"
~But / haven't given your owner six
pence for the boat. ! declared. There
must be some extraordinary mistake"
"No mistake on his part. you bet
the skipper replied. &c showed as
the newspaper in which II was said
that the Macclesneld was carrying bul-
lion consigned 70 the Turkish govern
ment. and explained that although you
we're bit touched you had conceived
an idea OF getting hold Of It by flying
the French dag. giving 'em bit Of
bounce, and stating that war had been
declared"
But / was ignorant Of the whole
thingl"
We'll. we've got the money. any
how" the man said. placing his cap
at the approved nautical angle. What
shall we DO with it2"
Il don't care" answered. Sink
the lot il you like. I'll land at the
nearest port. and wash my hands Of
the whole thing. It's very ugly mat
ter, this"
The remainder Of the day was spent
in slowing away the guns and warlike
appliances-some Of which | dis
covered were merely OF painted wooe
and that evening Swale and myself
dined together In the saloon. when h
admitted to me that the mysterioui
Grant. who always had marvellous luci
al Monte Carlo, had sailed in that boa
for several years. committing all sort
of acts OF piracy. disposing Of the car
tured merchandise in the smaiie
towns along the west African eoasl
and gaining enormous sums yeari,
Next night. having bade farewell {
Swale and his rufianly gang. ! va
rowed ashore close to Marseilles. an
on landing stood watching the gree
light presently move away, and stan
far out to sea.
The attack on the Furness liner BY
supposed French gunb0at was mad
the subject Of very serious represent
tons on the part of the British an
bassador IN Paris, and the French go
efumt0ts HuAUAc W RA1fN +N~-~ -
gunboat Canges- was not in those va
ers on the day in question. were
tualIy compelled to pay very So
stantial indemnity.
Having no desire to be mixed up
the affair, I returned TO Monte Carl
and kept my own counsel made
ouiries about Archibald Grant, but I
discovered was to bis discredit al
went to bear out what the captain b
told me. One fact was. however. g
tain. that he won an enormous sum
roulette before my very eyes. Scr
months later /. however, read wi
more than passing interest how. in
dense fog of the Island Of Gorguna,
the Italian coast. a North Germ
LLOYD liner had been IN collision vi
an unknown yacht. which was 81
rev posed to have sunk with all hands
There was no doubt from the Il
1r." that a beat with the name Garhi
ain upon it was afterwards found. that I
vessel run down was Grants and