Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-10
The Daily Story
Ar 1nnoR1.E sEcRET-BY CHARLES LEWIS PHELPS.
~ ro,yY,sbted, Associated Literary Bureau

~ W biS- Lib iS"oou was DI1ln
might help him in the matter 80
treasure and might stand in III -, -
From what had told him he be,,,.sg..
that a box Of gold coins-pros..,'
pieces of eight-bad been 49,
aboard to be taken TO Englans
pirate ships were fitted out ther.
investors must get their share :. .
plumber. When supper was resdr
captor invited me TO join him. AVA
accepted his invitation.
A scheme was forming In nv -,
There was but little chance II ro-.
win, but it was not hopeless. We -
FIVE unarmed prisoners, guardaa I,
eight pirates. With death starn1
in the face we were all ready for j,
desperate enterprise 1 hoped ).
sibility foS such might arise durjn, :.
night and would have liked to spest 7
my mates about 1t, but dared not !.
seen talking with any Of them
therefore went in to supper with A.
captain without having been sbIs !.
tell them to be on the lookout
There was hard drinking in ,so..
days. and many n villain who vor,,
have been invincible while sober =.
his deserts from his thirst for lIos.-
1t was soon plain to me that the -,
tain was bound to drink hard buf /.
was smart enough not 10 get drurk
leaving me sober. He would NOT beJ,
fresh bottle himself without forcip,
me TO finish the one before me.
Suddenly l remembered the exusr
ence with olive oil that my father b,s
given me. There was none an q.
table, but a-plenty m the ship. that h,t
been taken aboard when we took a.
the wine. / told the captain that win
his permission / would make him
salad such as he had never befo,
tasted. but TO do so / must 90 for som,
oil. He consented, and. taking susu
pitcher. / filed it and drank half Of II
Then, replacing what l had taken.
carried ii, with a head of lettuce takes
on with supplies at Kingston, and
went back to my host. l then pre-
pared a salad of the lettuce and fruit.
which the captain pronounced exec.
lent.
After this / kept up with the capzia
in finishing my bottle, then began I,
get ahead of him. 1t piqued him to ).
beaten by a beardess boy, and Be
poured down bottle after bottle, Do
ing the same, but feeling compan.
lively little effect from the fumes Of
the wine.
Suddenly I heard a loud laugh for
ard. 1t was followed by a shout. then
a yelp. My heart bounded with de-
light. The crew had doubtless seen
me drawing the wine from the cask
and had appropriated more Of II to
their own use. The captain heard the
noise, and it tended to sober him since
he knew what it meant. He started to
rise from the table. but was unable 20
do so. I passed him his bottle and
filed his glass. He forgot what be
had intended to do and drained It.
now waited for the captain to fall
into a stupor and the men outside 70
follow his example. Their shouts grew
louder for awhile, then fainter as one
after another they dropped OF into IN
consciousness. Meanwhile the captain
was snoring under the table.
Selling pair of pistols. | went OUT
battered in the door of the cubbynoe
in which my mates were confined ana
released them. As soon rs they were
armed we held a consultation as
what 70 do next. We decided TO pina
the cartain and his men with view
England for trial. Rope is easig
found on a ship. and without awaken
ing the pirates we bound them and pW
each one in Il separate compartnsnl
Our next problem was 10 get avH
from the pirate vessel, when we
standing near us. We must not ne's'
a sail for fear of being heard. Besioes
there was a scant breeze. me hlsp
WAS cloudy. with no moon. we ~
cred a boat. muf1led the oars, attacnee
n hawser TO the capstan. took the our
end to the boat and pulled away
could see the pirate, but not pialns,
and hoped that our movement sVs-
not be noticed.
1t was not long before we LOST sisl'
OF her lnen we Teu'Hc'et~
forts and after an hours pun retuin.s
TO our ship. hoisted jib and WIZ ~.
slender motive power sailed th y
dared hoist more canvas. Nheh y.
came the pirate was hull down Oh w
southern horizon.
Our crew was small. but we p,A-
aged to get the vessel safely 70 i.n.
land. l made search for the tteasa..
box and found it under the noeuhs
the captains cabin. We conciuoeu '1.
since we could not return it to rs oe-
ers we were justified in keeping y y.
selves. So we divided IL amcDs
and every man jack of us was No.
rich. -
The only perso1t I told nov .-sa
made my money was my fatpe ,,o,
had furnished me with the inio''p,
that had enabled NE not only 70 "a
1T. but to save my life. l gave tps :.
man every comfort Tor the rest y =
life. "a
Was ever man saved from aealn =.
made rich by being told how ~
another under the table: