The Lamar register., 1913-10-22
By CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY


A very hard headed, practical person
was Master Ficklin. I had stern ideas
Of duty. too, and Master Ficklin's
good sense ever appealed to me. Yet
when did mere good sense ever appeal
to a woman against her wish? My
lady had the gambling instinct, tool
wonder she did not have 1t stronger.
since twas in her blood!-and she
would fain challenge fortune.
The end of 1t was she made over her
$1,000 to me without requiring me to
give any bond. which Master Flick
I'm would fain have insisted upon
and which would have been embarrns-
sing indeed for me. for my bond would
have been my own capital, which I
was going to embark in the enterprise
In secret l had saved up that money
with no one knows what foolish
dreams. I realized those dreams would
come to naught. I had no one depend
emit upon me. Brother or sister never
enjoyed. and father and mother were
both dead. What need had for
money! Let her have It whose need
was great and whose desire was great
o.. I might have bargnined for a share
Of the treasure did we find any. but l
scorned to do 1t. would give all and
expect nothing for 1t.
At any rate. not being in any hurry.
although l was fraptically urged by
my lady. who could scarcely possess
her soul In patience before she began
her treasure hunting. looked about
Q good deal in order to get just what
wanted. Finally from a merchant Of
Plymouth l purchased a stout little
ship of three hundred and dfty tons
burden called the Rose Of Devon,
which had been engaged In the West
Indian and the American colonial
trade.
1t was my first design to have gone
a. master OF her myself. and my lady
would fain have had 1t So but after
reflection i decided 1t were better to
have a much older man than to CON-
mand SO long as she went as a pas
senger, and SO l engaged worthy
seaman, one Samuel Matthews, old
enough to be my father. with whom l
had often sailed; In fact, the man
under whom l made my first cruise.
! did engage myself Us mate. however.
and l even tried In vain to induce
Master Ficklin and his sister to go
with US.
It seemed proper In venturing among
Islands filed according to common re-
port with savage peoples to provide
for lighting. Therefore. after consulting
with Captain Matthews. whom l fully
acquainted with the entire project in
all its details. l shipped a crew of
thirty men and provided in the equip
ment plenty of muskets. pistols and
and ball, and in addition small brass
cannon which / mounted on the fore
castle. Nor did our cargo lack means
for friendly trading and barter should
such be found practicable.
Naturally the unusualness of these
preparations attracted attention, and
Captain Matthews and l were over
whelmed with applications from ad-
venturous men who desired to make
the voyage. surmising that 1t was after
treasure of some sort
left the work of engaging the crew
to Captain Matthews. He had as boat.
swain a seaman named Pimball, In
whom he placed great confidence. He
was a villainous looking man with a
white scar running from his left eye
across his cheek. caused by a cut he
had received in some fight, and the
line of white showing against the
bronzed, weather beaten cheek be
sported did not improve his appear.
ance. But that he was a prime sea.
man was evident Captain Matthews
seemed to have great confidence in him.
To anticipate. when we boarded the
ship liked the crew not much better
than the boatswain. will say this for