Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-10-07

ing something hy going farther. l~ an.
choud again.
When darkness fell the Srmlinvs was
still in her original position. while the
Mary Blake WAS half Il mile away
from where CrU'ky Dixon supposed
she WAS. During the night Captain
Archer thought il eXl,cdicnt to inform
both his crew and his passengers Of
the danger Ii the sclluuler lie had
seen WAS 81 pirate. as soou as the fog
lifted he would come for them. And
il 1t did not soon lift he might not wait
for it to do so. The captain therefore
directed that not Il light should appear
on the ship and there should lie no
noise aboard to indicate to the pirates
that tile two vessels were near each
other
Not a 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 ut
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 a boats crew to pull the Semmes
toward where he had last seen the
Mary Blake But the ship was not
where lie had last seen her. Knowing
that since she could not have moved
up she must have moved down. he di-
stream
1t was about 4 o'clock in the
morning that officers, crew and passen-
gers of the Mary Blake-the passen-
gers herded together III groups OH deck
caught the sound Of oars working in
rowlocks. Every check blanchcd. The
women gathered their children in their
arms as if to shield them But no one
uttered even Il moan lest the sound
should betray them. Captain Archer
leaned over the bulwarks, listening i'll
tently. What arms there were aboard
had been brought up and placed on
deck. with the intention that If board
cd the men would sell their lives as
dearly as possible but as to making
successful defense. it was not consfd-
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 cnjoin
silence.
All could hear the sound Of oars
working slowly. indicating to the ex-
periencell ears Of Captain Archer that
a boat was towing some craft larger
than itself. Then there was sound
Of an oar slipping from a rowlock.
Some grccnhorn had Caught 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 OH 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 childrcn's heads, fear
ing that they might cry. Not a sound
escaped. and in few minutes it was
evident that the pirates had missed
them.
But it was not to be expected that
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 dc.
ferred as long as possible. Then. too.
the longer the fog lasted the more hope
that something might occur to change
the situation.
There We're no further indications of
the presence Of the pirate for an hour
The fog was getting thinner. and it
was plain that 1t might at any mo-
ment be possible to distinguish through
1t objects ut fair distance. Then
came another terror for those aboard
| Tie MARY DIike. lie SOIIlu OI OARS
was again heard. this time more
rapid. indicating that they were not
towing. Then through the dissipating
mist WAS seen Il boat pulled by six
oarsmen. AS soon as they cspied the
Mary Blake they set up blood cur
ding shout. Resting on their oars
they began to look about them for the
Semnles. which they had evidently left
in the prosecution of their search.
And now with the sutldenness Of up
lifting fogs this one vanished. giving
| place to bright sunshine. The rowboat
was Il cables length from the Mary
Blake. the Scmmcs WAS half mile
beyond the rowlOat. and two miles
above was Il ship coming down With
the tide. which had just turned. A
light breeze filled her sails But the
most gladtlening sight Of all was the
square openings along her sides for
guns. indicating that she was a maH-
of-war. and more cheering than all
| WAS the StarS and Strine.s Strea miniy