The daily Alaskan., 1913-04-14

were NNhANH hNHhA Mthh "tn t'tt'' Smoke, mingled with Che mist aoated toward them.
 The pirates wondered at all this, and the more supersut.ous among them, hearing One snoruug and the flashing Of the waters. thought they were near some sen monster which. like che drag. 0us of old. yOmited Are and smoke. But che pirate captain, hearing the fumil- far sound of a turning capstan, knew that a ship was near him, and if she were not a m0n-of.wor he determined to make a prize Of her. So he ordered his anchor hauled up iu order to be ready to give chase the moment tue fog lifted.
 But thc fog was in no hurry to litt, Nevertheless Che lcvi8th0n, or what. ever she was. continued to snort and swish her mil, the sounds slowly re- cedlug. The pirate. not willing to let her go without a better knowledge ot her character, decided Co follow, Since there was no breeze a boat was low. cred, a hawscr attached to it and the ship and she was pulled along lu the wake of the monster which threw back thc waters with her tall with which she seemed to be propeIIing herself
 Presently the fog th.uued and the pirates could discern a dim body ahead 0f them vomiting smoke.
 She's a mountain ot a swan" cX- claimed one She's poddIiug with her web feet that take Che place of sails"
 "Whocver heard ota swan breathing smoker gucried another turning pale.
 "Or sgu0wkjag chug, chug chug cbugg said another
 By thrs time there was some wind, which blew Che fog with it and, though lt did not render Che form Of the mon stcr pIuincr Che captain, who had more courage than his crew, ordered sails hu.sged tbat bo might get nearer He succeeded in approaching her stern but tGe current Of water she kicked back with her feet was stronger there, her suortiur sounded louder. and the terrified crew protested SO strongly against getting any nearer that the captain was obliged to drop back to a safer position
 Suppose she should turn and blow fire ut usr' exclaimed one "She would burn us Go ashes.
 "Or if she should come beside us and close one of her wings over us she would send us to Che bottom"
 At that moment the smoke from the monster ahead, yeer.ug, envcloped Che pirate Most of the crew fell on their knees. and Che others, running Co che halyards. let down the sails. The cap- tain swore at them for cowarlice, but bis own features indicated fcar They dropped behind Che mammoth swan. her chuggIug sounded more f0intly and at last they lost her altogether
 Half an hour passed, during which the pirate captain served a double dose uf geog to iufusc courage Into bis men, for he had heard voices and the turning of the capstan. and since danger far is much less terrible than danger near he had recovered and regained the belief ,bot the sea griffin was in reality a ship. Then suddenly the fog lifted, l and there on the sarboard quarter wi,s l a ship Her masts were puuy things, not capable Of carrying suiIs to give her a headwuy oC five knots But she didn't look like a ship any of them had ever seen She had no s1ils set and yet sac moved Indeed. a white line of | foam extended astem from midshID, and it appeared to the pirates at once chat she wus paddllng with feet not seen because they were under water. ! She was moving on a course that would take her directly across the pirates ! bow, and the captain of the latter gave orders to hoist an sail and stand to- ward her.
 The order was obcyed by the crew, which had been br0Ccd by the grog. and it looked as if she would be an easy prey, when suddenly from a col umn omIdships poured forth a thick smoke that changed the situation, The ! pirate crew looked on with horror
 "It comes from her back" cried a sailor 0ghast
 There's Ire in her belly" exclaimed another
 Then. right where that belly was sup. posed to be. there burst a glare that sent every pirate to his knees praying to his God or his gods not to let Che fire poddleshlp destroy him. But the ! captain seized the uner to keep his | ship on her course, vowIng that he was
 ready to light satan himself and would make him walk the plank. But the
 wind fell, and the paddleship went on, | her speed not a whit decreased, and he had Che modification to see her pass away u1h0rmed.
 The monster was the first ship driven l by seam in the eastern hemisphere.