The Cairo bulletin., 1914-08-09
the Distinguished Playwright.

pearance to a degree that permitted him
to walk about among people without caus-
ing crowd 70 collect. Hicks, too, at
Ovens suggestion, had adopted Queter at
tire.
Just as the gangplank was about to be
pulled IN the deckhands waited TO permit
very feeble and bent old man TO hohble
up and get aboard. He had long white
hair and his face was mostly gray whisk-
ers, except a pair of dark spectacles A
porter followed him bearing two brand
new suitcasas.
The adventurous four were soon COM
fortably perched in steamer chairs watch
ing New York harbor slip by them. They
had barely reached the Statue of Liberty
when the pirate" launched forth on one
Of his Munchausenlike tales of the sea.
Highly colored, picturesque, untrue and
absurd as a stained glass window never
theless these yarns took on a semblance
Of reality from the character Of the mar
ratOr himself. In all his stories the
pirate" was the hero. Nobody noticed
that d steward had placed a fifth steamer
chair beside the sailor until that worthy
reached one of the main climaxes OF his
narrative. At that point he felt a hand
on his shoulder and looked around into
the whiskers and black spectacles OF the
old passenger. The cackling voice re-
marked:
ITS lie. It's a lie. It's lie"
Every one was astonished, but even the
''pirate" had a trace of respect for such
great age. and said nothing in reply. After
a While he continued, only to be inter
rupted by the same words.
This was TOO much to endure. and though
the pirate" held his tongue they rebuked
the old dotard BY walking away and lean
ing over the rail. The conversation wan
dered to the subject of sharks, and Pauline
asked IL they were as stupid as they
looked
Don't you believe IT," the pirate" as.
assured her Them sharks look stupid lust
to fool you. Why I remember a time not
so long ago down in Choco Bay, on the
coast Of Colombia, there was an old devil
who used to sneak up alongside sailin yes
sells in fog, lie carried in his mouth
the big iron shank Of an anchor he'd
picked up from the wreck"
What did he do that for?" asked Hicks.
$50 the iron would defect the compass
and make them run the ship onto the Kelp
Lodges, off the Pinudas Islands. If ship
went down he stood a good chance OF eat
ing one or two q the passengers But
don't mind sharks. If you want to know
what really annoys me. it's them killer
hales in the Antarctic that come
crowdn' and buttin' up against ye"--
ITS lie. It's a lie. It's lie" cackled
the same old voice There stood "whisk-
ers' leaning on the rail beside them.
Pauline managed to prevent the pirate"
from telling the old man few things, and
off they went again. Once more that day
the old man popped out from behind a
ifeboat and spoiled one OF the sailors
yarns. After that they kept watch for
him, and Boyd maintained an indignant
silence in his presence.
At dinner the pirate" awed by the
captains presence, confined his attention
strictly to eating until the commander left
the table. Pauline asked If the wicked
shark could still be seen in Choco Bay.
NO, he's gone now" said the pirate"
There were so many wrecks laid to him
that LLoyds sent man down to catch
him. He had hard time getting the willy
old beggar. He wouldn't bite on a shark
hook or any Of that stuff.
"LlOydss man finally had to charter a
sailing vessel and wait for fog The first
foggy night lie sailed between the islands
with ishin' outfit rugged special for this
shark. He swung the biggest magnet he
could find from a boom at the sChoOner's
catheads He dashed small charge of
dynamite to the magnet and ran wire to
battery on board. Then he lowered the
magnet and dynamite about fathCn
under water and waited
We'll, sir, out came that shark as usual
with the iron In his mouth and snuggled
up alongside. But the first thing the shark
knew the magnet pulled him, iron and all,
up to It. 1t was SO gentle he didn't sus.
pect nothin', but the Lloyds man felt a
little twitch like a bite and he pushed the
button that touched off the dynamite. It
got him There he was, 1oatin' belly up,
next day And would you believe it. on
my oath as an honest sailor man, they
found In that maneater's stomach
ITS an internal monumental, epoch.
making lie" caCkled a voice behind him,
Every one looked, and there was the old
man taking a seat beside the pirate"
Three indignant men and one girl who
couldn't quite keep from laughing promptly
left the table
The pirate" was now thoroughly ex-
asperated. II he couldn't tell q story With
out being interrupted in this manner life
wasn't worth living. He announced that
he would find the old man and thrash him.
Owen and Hicks were annoyed but they
feared the result of the sailors fury on
the old man, They might all be arrested
on arriving at Nassau This would inter-
tere with plans, and must not be thought
Of To appease the wrathful pirate"
owen offered to have the old man thrashed
so soundly that he would probably be.glad
to stay out of sight the rest OF the VOYAGE.
There were some rascally looking men
OF Spanish blood among the second cabin
passengers Who. as Owen and Hicks ob.
served looked needy and INSCRIPTIONS
The secretary found no great embarrass-
ment in explaining that he wished the Old
man thrashed quietly and privately. Tie
Spaniards agreed 10 heat him thoroughly
for the triiing consideration OF ten dol