The Press., 1914-07-08
:aptor Invited me to join him. and

captor Invited me to join him. and I accepted his invitation.
 A scheme was forming in my mind. There was but little chance 1t would win, but it was not hopeless. We were five unarmed prisoners. guarded by eight pirates. With death staring us in the face we were all ready for any desperate enterprise hoped a pos sibility for such might arise during the night and would have liked to speak to my mates about 1t. but dared not be seen talking with any of them. l therefore went in to supper with the captain without having been able to tell them to be on the lookout.
 There was hard drinking in those days. and many a villain who would have been invincible while sober got his deserts from his thirst for liquor It was soon plain to me that the cap tain was bound to drink hard. but he was smart enough not to get drunk. leaving me sober, He would not begin a fresh bottle himself without forcing me to finish the one before me.
 Suddenly l remembered the expert ence with olive oil that my father had given me. There was none on the table. but a-plenty Tn the ship. that had been taken aboard when we took on the wine. told the captain that with his permission I would make him a salad such as he had never before tasted, but to do so must go for some oil. He consented, and. taking small pitcher, filled it and drank half of it Then. replacing what l had taken. l carried it. with a head of lettuce taken on with supplies at Kingston. and went back to my host. l then pre- pared salad of the lettuce and fruits which the captain. pronounced excel lent. ~ .,.r ...,... ....-. Z. zss After this 1 kept up with the captain in finishing my bottle, then began to get ahead of him. It piqued him to be beaten by a beardless boy, and he poured down bottle after bottle. do ing the same, but feeling 'compara lively little effect from the fumes of the wine. s- "-
 Suddenly heard a loud laugh for ard. It was followed by 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 it to their own use. The captain heard the noise, and 1t tended to sober him since he knew what it meant. He started to rise from the table, but was unable to do SO. passed him his bottle and filled his glass. He forgot what he had intended to do and drained it.
 now waited for the captain to fall into stupor and the men outside to follow his example. Their: shouts grew louder for awhile, then fainter as one after another they dropped off into un consciousness. Meanwhile the captain was snoring under the table.
 SeiZing q pair of pistols, l went out battered in the door of the cubbyhole in which my mates were confined and released them. As soon as they were armed we held a consultation as to what to do next. We decided to bind the captain and his men with view if we could get away-to take them to England for, trial Rope is easily found on a. ship. and without awaken ing the pirates we bound them and put each one in a separate compartment.
 Our next problem was to get away from the pirate vessel, which was standing near us. We must not hoist a sail for fear of being heard. Besides. there was scant breeze. The night was cloudy, with no moon. We low cred a boat, muffled the oars, attached a hawser to the capstan, took the other end to the boat and pulled away. We could see. the pirate, but not plainly. and hoped that our movement would not be noticed.
 It was not long before we lost sight of her. Then we redoubled our eff forts and after an hours pull returned to, our ship, hoisted a jib and with this slender motive power sailed till we dared hoist more canvas. When day came the pirate was hull down on the southern horizon.
 Our crew was small, but we man aged to get the vessel safely to Eng land. l made a. search for the treasure box and found it under the flooring in the captains cabin. We concluded that since we could not return it to its own CTS we were justified in keeping it our selves. So we divided it among us. and every man jack of us was made rich.
 The only person told how l had made my money was my father. who had furnished me with the information that had enabled me not only to make it, but to save my life. gave the old man every comfort for the rest of his life. -5
 Was ever man saved from death and made rich by being told how to put another under the table?