The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1908-09-18

Monte Carlo, didn't he? e told US you
were bit 3mad-like, and now It's quite
plain. From the time you woke up
after that bust o champagne, you've
gone about like Chinaman wot's 'ad
his pigtail cut OF. ''s<af @'9 81
IT don't understand you" said.
"You are captain Of this vessel, and
ought to- know who your owner is."~-=
why, you are, of course. You gave
$4,000 quid for the boat-the receipts
In my cabin. The old 'un told me to
give 1t to you when you woke up"
In. obedience to my demand he
brought it and handed it to me. 1t
was written on sheet Of note paper
head, IS. Y. Garbino," and stated that
1 had bought the vessel for $4,000,
and was signed archibald Grant"
'Who is this man Grant?" de-
manded, amazed at finding myself
owner of this piratical craft.
"'E was our boss; and a 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 stuff
we took, for my share alone in a
couple Of years was 10000 golden
guilds, and all 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"
mo mistake on his part you bet,"
the skipper replied. ".'E showed US
the newspaper in which it was said
that the Macclesf1eld was carrying bull
lion consigned to the Turkish govern
ment, and explained that although you
were bit touched you had conceived
an idea of getting hold of it by flying
the French flag, giving 'em a bit of
bounce, and stating that war had been
declared"
But I was ignorant of the whole
thing!"
well. we've got the money, any
how the man said, placing his cap
at the approved nautical angle. What
shall we do with it,"
Il don't care" I answered. "Sink
the lot if you like. I'll land at the
nearest port, and wash my hands of
the whole thing. It's a very ugly mat
ter, this"
Very we'll, make us a New Years
present Of it." he laughed. Well know
what to do with the brass, you bet,
mister" and he winked knowingly. 1T
amt the first bit O. bullion that's
been aboard this ERE craft. You've
card in the papers of the Cape JUDY
pirates, and now you can congratulate
yourself that you've made their &C.
Quaintance. They're supposed to be
Moors; but you'll be able to relate
some adventures when you get back
to Monte. Tell the folks that Sam
Swale, the skipper, drinks their 'ealth
in drop of rum 'ot And you might
add, too, that he looks regular knock
Rundown in the French naval uni.
FORM"
l laughed at the mans imperturba-
BILE good humor as he struck an atti-
tude to show off his new suit He was
a merry-going rover of the sea, and
could not complain of the treatment
l had received on board.
"Then you'll put me ashore?" I in
quired.
Eyes, if you wish-at Marseilles at
midnight tomorrow" he answered.
THAT is If you don't care for our CON-
pany any longer"
WELL" I said with a smile, truth
to tell, I don't"
The remainder of the day was spent
in slowing away the guns and warlike
appliances-some of which l dis
covered were merely of painted wood
and that evening Swale and myself
dined together in the saloon, when he
admitted to me that the mysterious
Grant, who always had marvellous luck
at Monte Carlo, had sailed in that boat
for several years, committing all sorts
OF acts of piracy, disposing OF the cap
tured merchandise in the smaller
towns along the west African coast.
and gaining enormous sums yearly.
He was known as The Demon Yachts
man, because, although others had
been detected and punished, he had
always managed to escape and keep
in the background. His luck, Swale
said, was the devils own, and in that
I agreed when l recollected how per-
sistently he had won at Monte Carlo.
Next night, having babe farewell to
swale and his ruf1lanly gang, l was
rowed ashore close to Marseilles, and
on landing stood watching the green
light presently move away, and stand
far out to sea.
The attack on the Furness liner by
supposed French gunboat was made
the subject of very serious representa-
tons on the part of the British am
bassador in Paris, and the French gov
eminent, unable to prove that their
gunboat Gauges was not in those wat
ers on the day in question, were &C.
tually compelled to pay very sub
stantial indemnity.
Having no desire to be mixed up in
the affair, l returned to Monte Carlo,
and kept my own counsel. l made in
quiries about Archibald Grant, but all
1 discovered was to his discredit and