The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-11-19
A Change Of
Commander
By DWIGHT NORWOOD


that the Atlantic WAS becoming poor
bunting ground on account OF the
number Of skull and bones flags on 1t,
concluded TO betnke himself TO the Pa
cinc Having weathered the Horn, he
turned bis course northwestward In the
hope OF falling In with merchantmen
among tile many islands lying directly
south or the equntor and eist Of Aus
traiia.
Ricketts,, though fifty years old. had
never sailed In any except Atlantic
waters He had been an officer In the
British navy and during the long PEE
riod when the duties OF British war
ships were to prey on Spanish com
merce with Spain's possessions In the
new world bad acquired taste for
piracy This induced him to go into
the business himself He knew the
north aud south Atlantic. their winds.
their currents. their periods of storms.
their fogs and protracfed Gains. But
the Pacific was TO him an UNEMPLOYED
tract
None OF his officers had had any
more experience In the Pacific than
The captain. but one of them had heard
from sailors who had spent much
time on II that many OF those indca-
tons which foretold change OF
weather were different from those on
the Atlantic The captain. who had
all Britisher's confidence In himself, |
secuted the idea that man who knew /
the Atlantic had anything TO learn on I
me Pacific. aud man who rules
pirate ship is not to be contradicted
While approaching the Marquesas
islands Ricketts, fell ia with a ship
which be appropriated and compelled
the crew to walk the plank. There
was a gentleman aboard from the col.
ony of New York named Fletcher. with
his wife and daughter. and being Brio
fish subjects, Ricketts, concluded to
spare them. There was also young
sailor. Dargan. whose vigorous appear
ance pleased the captain. and he gave
him his life on condition that he join
the pirate crew. Dargan was an
American. but all his time was spent
at sea In voyages between the East
Indies and Philadelphia
Dargan. by pretending TO sympathize
with the pirates and on account of a {
masterful way he hnd with him. ac'
quired an Influence over the pirate .
crew The captain was Il tyrant and
the men hated him. Nevertheless they {
were ignorant OF navigation. a knowl.
edge their captain possessed. and re- s
quired his superior intelligence to keep !
them from being swung at the end Of :
q rope, For these reasons Ricketts, |
maintained his ascendancy and felt so {
confident In Il that he did not notice
the influence Dargan was gaining over q
them.
one afternoon Ricketts, was pacing u
the quarterback. now and again sweep (.
Ing tie horizon with his glass in search !,
Df prey. when he heard voice amid !,
ships sting out In stentorian tones: =
MAN the weather braeesi
The captain turned with a scowl
to see who except himself dared give
nm order on the ship he command. y :.
I'd and saw Dargan and the men
for the braces Before Rick u
tits could recover from his anger and -
collect his faculties the braces were = :,
manned and the sailors stood ready y
or the next order. =
Drop those bracesr cried the cap ~
ain in fury
"lIold the braces" said Dargan :
almly. but firmly.
Every mans face turned from Oar.
yan TO Ricketts,. few dropped the
races: the rest held them Whipping
pistol from bis belt. the commander
Irei shot nj Dargan which grazed his
heck
There's a hurricane coming. men,
aid pargan IF you drop the braces
We are lost
This steadled the men amazingly
he captains pistol contained but one |
ali. 50 he could not fire another The x
Wind suddenly dropped, aud the sails E
apped Ricketts, looked at the water z
0 leeward aud saw black line com. h
~ +
Haul taui Haul. every man Of you, \
Or your livesr' cried Dargan y
The yards swung round SO as to take +
be coming wind Then suddenly the r
fitness was broken by shrieks IA the ID
ggine above and the pirate ship ca +
eencd tIll tAe water poured over the
'e gunwale Tie crew chung 70 what +
icy could eatch, the captain was pitch
d against the rail and lay still with r
br9ken lex
The storm was over Ia few snin
ties. aud the sun came cut. harbmger
( changed conditions for the pirate
nip Darean. who was obeyed as sui
agreed With the crew that OF
they would issent 20 taking the ship iur
TO port he wonld secure a pardon for loo
very mnn except the captain A ana
PURSE was then hid TO New Zealand. no,
here a surrender was made The New ~
orker and his family supported Oar ne.
ms story the crew were pardoned on
I'd the captain was hanged to the
irdarm.
When M- Fletcher found ship to 7
Ike him and his family to New York, th,
grateful vas he to Dargan for the a
ork which had been instrumental in