The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-07-04

ed for Liverpool to see what was going on in
that part OF the world. We were caught In a
heavy gale and were forced to run into Var.
mouth Nova Scotia where we arrived In u
sinking condition.
On the false charge that my papers were
forged, the agent for Loyds', with whom the
ship was insured seized the vessel as l was
having her repaired and had me arrested for
barratry. l taken to Halifax. where
was put TO considerable Inconvenience In Sc
curing bail
! pleaded my own case and, soou as |
could get a hearing, was released, but In the
meantime the agent for the underwriters bad
llbeed my eSIp and sold her at auction, and
her new ovnera bad Rapt her away to South
America.
My last real adventure had ended with the
burial Of the Leckwli7, wi!ch sank in the Red
Sea- and ! was hungry ~. snme new excite
mcnt-the very essence and sole -S2toyment of
my life. While casting about for something to
satisfy my appetite, the recollection of the
Yarmouth outrage came over me and decided
TO steal n ship and let the underwriters pay
for her as partial compensation for the one
they had stolen from me.
After survey Of the available supply I hit
on the Ferret, handsome and fairly fast lit
tie passenger steamer belonging to tho High
land Railway Company, which was lying at
HOuTOCk bay on the Olyut. lHty "ouu nut
let her out on general charter, which was
what wanted. SO ! concluded to charter her
for n year for n cruise in the Mediterra-
mean with the option Of purchase for fourteen
thousand pounds at the end of that time All
of the negotiations we're conducted and the
deal closed by Joe Wilson, my trusted aide.
and was careful to impress him with the ne
cesslty for the insertion OF the optlon-ofpur.
chase clause. I had so much confidence in him
tla rtn
pers and not until 1t was too late did dis
cover that he had neglected the one vital point.
My plan was to go back out East and dig
I'D the guns Frank Norton and | had buried
on n little island when We left the China Sea,
and perhaps resume the unhoy occupation OF
preying on the pirates between Singapore and
Hong Kong. ! wanted the opton-of-purchase
clause inserted in the charter partly as a sop
to my conscience and partly with the idea
that II we were by any remote chance, appre'
hended before we reached the China Sea
could announce that had exercised my option
and was prepared to pay fos the ship.
with the delivery of the charter. In proper
form, as | supposed made great show OF
fitting the ship out for a yachting cruise, at
the same time smuggling on board two small
cannon and a lot Of rifles and ammunition
Lorensen my old captain. was seriously ILL.,
80 / took on as sailing master a man named
Watkins. He was well recommended, but 1t
later developed that he had strain OF negro
blood and a well.defned streak OF yellow. Tom
Leigh one of my old men. was first officer.
and next to him was George Ross. another
new one.
We coaled at Cardiff and cleared for Malaga.
We passed Gibraltar late In the afternoon. as
YVES intended and signaied "Al Well to the
observer for Lloyds'. As soon as 1t was dark
we headed over toward the other shore for
twelve or fifteen miles and then stood straight
out to sea again. As we made the second
change In our course stove In couple OF
our boats and threw them overheard. along
with n lot OF life-preservers. wanted to make
# appear that the Ferret had foundered and
we ran into a heavy blow which dovetailed
beautifully into my scheme. At daylight we
were well clear OF Gibraltar but within sight
of the Moroccan coast. l called the crew aft
and addressed them to this effect:
Taking advantage Of the option-ofpurchase
clause in the charter now declare myself the
owner Of this ship and will pay for her. as
stimulated at the end Of the period for which
she is chartered. We are going on very diff
ferent trip from that for which you signed
II will be attended by some danger but, prob
ably, by profits which will more than compen
sate YOU for the risk you run. Those of you
who wish to 30 with me will receive double
pay, a bonus OF fifty dollars for signing new
papers and a share OF the profits from the
trip Those who do not care to go may take
a boat and go ashore"
Every man agreed to stay with me- there
upon rechristened the ship the lndia-.a name
iegitimately held by a vessel on the other side
of the world as was indicated by Lloyds
register--fired gun and dipped the flag AMI
declared her In commission. At the same tint
! rechristened myself ceremony to which
was equally accustomed. and took the nam
Of James Stuart Henderson. ] presented tn
ship with new log and certificate OF resistr'
and other necessary papers from the counter