The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-10-24
THE PHANTOM
PIRATE
A Harmless Mistake
By cLARISSA MACKlE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

the long pier nSnlng TOT mdcherei'
The noon whistle from the mill cut
the stiffness, and Abel pulled in AIS
lines and bent to grasp his basket OF
fish. He listened down the pier toward
home. Then il was that voice hailed
him from the anchorage.
eli. there. Abel!"
Abel stopped and leaned over the
rail. Standing in a small. clean cut
cabined motor launch was short
stout man, red OF face and blue OF eye
and very bleached as to hair and mus
tache. His visored cap had a nautical
tilt, and single brass button dangled
from his blue pilot coat
"Come down here after dinner IL you
haven't got anything else to do. I've
got n job for you"
what is it," asked Abel suspicious
". He had been a victim of Myron
Fladd's enthusiasm in the past, and he
resolved to proceed with caution.
Been reading the papers latelyY'
demanded Mr. Fladd impatiently.
cor course"
"Read about that Teller that's been
playing pirate down in the East river
/ thought maybe you had. Well, there's
reward out for his capture-$3VO.
Want half Of it,"
II don't mind IL do. You going
down after him."
10 Of m
around the harbor here" grinned Mr..
Fladd. with sudden amiability.
"Here?" gasped Abel wildly. why.
have you seen him"
The other nodded.
81 was coming in last night just OF
dark. You know there was a fog, and
/ could scarcely see boats length
ahead. when all of a sudden | heard n
la'nch coming up astern. Her engine
was mutIled, and If it hadn't been for
the faint 'spit-spit' of her exhaust she
might have passed me without my
catching n glimpse of her. She whizzed
by, and / had look ut the chap that
was running her" Myron Fladd paus-
ed to stuff a pinch of tobacco into his
pipe.
Abel drew deep breath. "What
was he likeT he asked In an awed
voice.
Myron scratched match on a bar
nacled timber. HE had his back TO
me, so | couldn't see nothing" he re-
piled calmly.
81 want t. know" rasped Abel i'm
patiently. 'If you didn't see him
how'd you know who he was? Mebbe
it was me in my la'nch."
"Was it your asked Mr.. Fladd in
quisitively.
II wasn't out yesterday" admitted
Abel sheepishly.
II know 1t was him, the phantom
pirate, because the description fits the
la'nch that passed me, and the way
he come In was sneaky-there wasn't
sound, and he didn't even look
around. He made right for the creek
that runs In among the cedars. be-
cause / followed him till he disap-
peared there. Today l strolled around
there on top Of the bluff. and | could
see him down there in the creek" Mr..
Fladd paused dramatically.
"Well. what you going to do about
itT" demanded Abel.
I'm going to keep watch of the
creek all the afternoon and evening,
and when she comes out I'll capture
her. I'll need you. When can you
come down? OF course you've had
your dinner"
The word dinner" galvanized Abel
into sudden recollection of the meal
that was awaiting him and of the ac.
cumulatcd wrath of Deborah when he
appeared Mt last. Gosh. l haven't
had my dinner-I forgot it," he said
In an uneasy tone. Just then the
o'clock whistle shrilled over the water,
and he picked up his basket of fish
and hurried away.
Come right back again." yelled Ny
ron Fladd.
"All right" replied Abel, although he
knew he had promised Deborah to take
her rag balls over to the carpet weav.
ers that afternoon.
Deborah Watkins was ION her ear"
Went fast asleep on the pier, sup.
pose," she said sharply.
IL wasn't asleep" protested Abel
holly. 1--WE caught ninety-three young
mackerel for you to pickle, and-Pve
got n chance to make hundred and
fifty dollarsr' he ended triumphantly.
You've got chance TO go without
your dinnerw snapped Deborah as she
tramped into the next room and slam.
med the door.
For one instant Abel paused: then
without a word he turned and left the
house, making his way down to the
pier, where Myron Fladd's launch still
bobbed against the piles. Myron hail
ed him gladly.
Good for you. Abel. You made n
short job OF It. Get aboard now, and
Wen run down the east shore and
anchor in the lee of that old wreck.
If we see that pirate coming out of the
creek we can run out and capture him
easy as pie"
Abel let himself down the gangway
to the float where the launch was tied
and Joined Mr.. Fladd In the tiny cab
In. He looked hungriy around.
IL haven't had any dinner" he an.
nounced woerully. Deborah was so
mn n