Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

would soon discover his deficiency. and
with more guns than Spencer feigned
to have and of higher caliber he could
make short work of the Pelican.
We'll light him. boys" said Spencer
to his crew. "and we have one ad-
vantage-we won't have to walk the
plank. AS soon as one Of her shots
strikes our blasting powder We'll go to
Davy Jones' locker"
But his active Yankee brain during
the whole of that fearful night never
ceased trying to find some way TO cir
cumvent the pirate that he might save
all the lives that were to be sacrificed
on the morrow. When daylight came
all of the crew of the Dole and many
of the passengers were on deck. There
was ghost of hope for them in the
Pelican, for they had been deceived
by her painted ports. The first object
that stirred on the pirate was a man
walking to the stern. When he reach
ed it he hauled up a ball of bunting
and broke the skull and crossbones.
Those on the Dole shuddered. Then
men appeared here and there. some OF
them carrying arms from point to
point One OF them. who appeared to
be the captain, stood on the poop deck
giving orders.
The Pelican lay perfectly still. bu.
presently men were seen raising her
anchor. This evidently attracted the
pirates attention. Suddenly a pun of
smoke broke from her bow. and shot
went skipping toward the schooner. A
gun doomed on the latter ship. Excla-
nations denotng hope came from those
on the Dole. Would there be a fight:
But no. The pirate fred several shots
and ELECTED no reply. The only CON-
fort for those on the Dole was that
the Pelican would be first destroyed.
The Pelican's single shot was in ac.
cordance with a plan laid by Captain
Spencer after midnight-a plan yet lit.
tie more than a hope. His object In
firing at the pirate was simply to indi.
cate that he had better dispose OF the
Pelican before attending to the Dole.
Such was Captain Crocker's decision.
Having got up his anchor and having
failed TO elicit any more firing from
the schooner, he prepared to so to her
and take possession. ..
Those on the Dole saw with agony
that the Pelican must soon be taken. All
on board would be dispatched or forced
to walk the plank. and then the pirate
would do the same by those on the
British ship. Some went below to tell
the others that there was no hope;
others remained to see a slaughter that
would soon be visited upon themselves.
The pirate hoisted jib and foretop.
sail. which gave her headway enough
to take her to her victim. The latter
had raised her anchor. but did not
hoist sail. The crew stood in group.
apparently waiting to die without re-
sistance. One mar was in the rigging
Had it not been for the hopelessnsss
of the situation perhaps his being
there might have excited attention.
Captain Seymour noticed an arm ex-
tending from where the man was To-
Gated. from the outer end Of which a
rope dropped TO the deck. but so full
of anguish was he that 1t made but
little impression upon him.
On went the pirate. like great bird
on its way to Dounce upon a fish. On
the doomed vessel not man moved
On the poop deck stood the captain.
now and again diverting his glance
from his coming enemy to the man in
the rigging.
Suddenly Seymour gave an order
and the crew ran to the halyar1s. Up
went the sails and the Pelican began
to move.
Then for a few minutes followed a
maneuvering. the pirate trying to get
near enough to his enemy to board
her, the Pelican aiming to keep her
off. The latter had an advantage in
having up more sail. The pirate. be-
ing sure of its victim. did not add to
its own canvas. Presently. when the
two vessels were bur half a dozen
yards apart. those on the Dole saw the
arm that has been mentioned by means
of the rope attached swung outward
by men on deck so that 1t was turned
toward the pirate. Then the man in
the rigging. holding something in his
hand that looked like a glass carboy.
climbed ont on the arm and. swinging
what he he'd. tossed 1t on to the pi-
rates deck.
The passengers on the Dole saw a
sight that filed them with a delrium
of surprise and Joy. They flew to each
others arms. laughing and weeping.
The pirate was blown to atoms.
few minutes later she went down,
and from the deck OF the Dole arose a
shout that was echoed from the Peli-
can. The pirate had taken the place
of its intended victims.
Captain Spencer had laid his plan
well. though there were many chances
against its success. Had he lain quiet
when his enemy came down on him,
instead Of maneuveTIng. he would prob
ably have blown up his own ship as
we'll as the pirate. During the night
he had thrown overheard ali his cargo
Of blasting powder except what he
needed for defense. and his own vessel
suffered bnt little from the explosion.
As for the crew OF the Pelican. when
they saw the big bomb swing of every
man dropped to the deck