The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-08-05


ing something by going farther. he an
chOred again.
When darkness fell tn" .'nmlneS was
E:ill In her original pOsii io;. while the
Mary Blake was half !. nt.t away
from where Crocky Dixon supposed
she was. During the night Captain
Archer thought it expedient to inform
both his crew and his passengers of
the danger. Ii the schooner he had
seen was pirate. as soon as the fog
lifted he would come for them. And
II it did not soon lift he might not wait
for it to do So The captain therefore
directed that not light should appear
on the ship and there should be no
noise aboard to indicate to the pirates
that the two vessels were near each
other.
Not person aboard the Mary Blake
slept that night except the children
who were too young to understand the
terrible danger that threatened them.
The captain told them that there was
little danger Of being attacked at
night and that they had better get
what rest they could. since they might
need all their fortitude in the morning.
No change in the weather came with
the dawn. The fog remained and
there was no wind. Dixon ordered
out boats crew to pull the Semmes
toward where be had last seen the
Mary Blake. sBut the ship was not
where he had last seen her. Knowing
that since she could not have moved
up she must have moved down. he di-
rected the oarsmen to pull down.
stream.
1t was about o'clock in the
morning that officers, crew and passen-
gers Of the Mary Blake-the passen-
gers herded together in groups on deck
caught the sound of oars working in
rowlocks. Every cheek blanched. The
women gathered their children in their
arms as if to shield them. But no one
uttered even a moan lest the sound
should betray them. Captain Archer
leaned over the bulwarks. listening in
tently. What arms there were aboard
had been brought up and placed on
deck, with the intention that if board
ed the men would sell their lives as
dearly as possible. but as to making a
successful defense. 1t was not consid
cred. AS the sound grew more dis
tinct, indicating that the boat was ap-
preaching. the captain turned and, fac
ing the terror stricken people on deck.
put his finger on his lips to enjoin
silence
All could hear the sound Of oars
working slowly. indicating to the ex-
perienced ears of Captain Archer that
a boat was towing some craft larger
than itself. Then there was a sound
Of an oar slipping from rowlock.
Some greenhorn had caught a crab"
The next instant there came over the
water frightful oaths and the crack of
a pistol. Crocky had first sworn at
and then shot the man who had slip
ped his oar.
This was quite enough to indicate to
those on the Mary Blake the awful
fate in store for them in case they
were found by the pirate. The men
drew long breaths. The women put
wraps about the children's heads. fear
ing that they might cry. Not a sound
escaped, and in q few minutes it was
evident that the pirates had missed
them.
the search was ended. Crocky would
continue it as long as the fog lasted.
and when it lifted they would be at
his mercy. Many were the prayers
whispered that Providence might in
terpose between them and the horrors
awaiting them. All now hoped that the
fog would continue. that the expected
massacre or walking Of the plank.
whichever it might be. should be de-
ferred as long as possible. Then. too.
the longer the fog lasted the more hope
that something might occur to change
the situation.
There were no further indications of
the presence of the pirate for an hour.
The fog was getting thinner. and it
was plain that it might at any mo-
ment be possible to distinguish through
it objects at fair distance. Then
came another terror for those aboard
the Mary Blake The sound of oars
was again heard. this time more
rapid, indicating that they were not
towing. Then through the dissipating
mist was seen boat pulled by six
oarsmen. AS soon as they espied the
Mary Blake they set up a blood cur
ding shout. Resting on their oars,
they began to look about them for the
Semmes. which they had evidently left
in the prosecution of their search.
And now with the suddenness of up
lifting fOgs this one vanished. giving
place to bright sunshine. The rOwbOat
was a cables length from the Mary
Blake. the SemmeS was half a mile
beyond the rOwbOat. and two miles
above was a ship coming down with
the tide. which had just turned.
light breeze filed her sails. But the
most gladdening sight of all was the
square openings along her sides for
guns. indicating that she was a man.
of-war, and more cheering than all
was the stars and stripes streaming
from the peak
To the men in the boat the sight of
this new ship was as terrifying as it
was gratifying to those on the Mary
Blake. They pulled frantically to the
Semmes. whose crew, having seen the
sight, were getting up sail. Having
taken aboard the boats crew, they
slipped their cable and made off to the