The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-23
cH.ApTER l-
ls. N9lalela l .Asa 5 caItiff.


 tte spots engaged in looking
 through my fly book for some taes lure tliat might perhaps mend 1i1y luck in the afternoon's fishing At. least I hzid within the moment been so engaged alfnough the truth is that the eFendng WIS so exceptionally fine and the apok always 50 ztra ord ina Til 2 attractive xo this particular angle of the streau where the tall birehes. stand, being sto my mind the most beal1- tifu1 bit on my whole estate that F had forgotten all about angling More 0vers q peculiarly fine specimen of. anopheaes (as T took 1t tozbel was at thaE Very moment lowering over my hand and [ was anxious to confirm my Jidgnlent as well as to enlarge my col lection Of Iaosq qIitoes Indeed say. [ N aa at that very moment as happy as. 2 man need be- or q { least as hapIz as eYen expected 6o De Ina gine=n my sui prise therefene at fhat.naoment tollear; voice "a rent1y antHnded for me, ezcIaiza- Halt eaiti if 2 The situation seemed to me singular. HAd the t1zle been some centuries ear Her, the place some where in the old world, s1uh speech mi have had bet ter fitting But The time as less than . year ago. the place was in America was on Tay own Ia 1ltls, in this one of our middle states This was my own river, or at least owned the broad acres On both sides of it for some niles As2dzI was a man of no slihking habits no repulsfye nien. SQf that | was as eured but successful American of IneanaS iately pro fessionaI man and now a man of leisure and not So fsr past thirty yestTa of NY garb was
  of thonged straw. bur on fhe contrary was turned out in good tWeeds, we'll cut by my London tailor. To be called onhand and with no more reason than there was proyocation .caitin. 2 even by q voice somewhat treble and ltrifie trembling. left me every teason in the world to be surprised. annoyed and
 feFed
 looked up Just at t1ae bend, arr rested now by hand anchorage to tie owerhangfng a1derss lay small boat, occupied by two boys. neither of more than fourteen years. the younger seemt ingly not more than twelve
 second g1ance gave me even more surprise for it showed that the boat. though not precisely long low and rak- iSin of build. evidently was of piraticai intent At leaff she was piFa t1eal in decoration. On eacII side of her bow there was painted in more or less ac- eurate design ia black the emblem of skElI ana erossbones. Above hex. sup4 ported by short staff perhaps cut from my owrn HiiIosTs. few q black Aag and. Nfaa terer may have been her stern chaser equipment, hes broadside batteries or her deck csifronades. her bow chaser was certainly in eoInnlis- zion and manned for act fozl he 1frate captain himself was at the anyard, and I pereeived that he now rested an extraordinarily large six sh5otez ins the fork of q short staff which was fx ed in the bow Along this with a three eornered gray eye he now sighted at the How wef button of mi waisteoat and h fashion that gave nae goosedesh slnderneath the button, in spite of afl my nangiR emotions
 Halt sirHah;sa began the pirate lead CT again. .'or will blow you out Of she water.
 I sat for moment regarding him, my chin fIl my hand.
 .sNo.'' said I at last; q already am out Of the water. my friend But. prithee, have care Of yonder lanyard else, EadzvoSs you may belike blow sne off the bank and into the water
 HIS sI1e1eH 0i nine SeemeA as much to disconcerf the pirate chieftain as had his me He stood erect, Shifting his long tom to the great ease of my waisteoat button.
 4ol1st you heaFe to and put of q small boat for a paviey 2 inquired
 hat E0. mates g danaanded the capta in in as grtzff, voice as be could compass esye heard his speech, and he has struck his flag
 Suppose the villain plays us false, rejoined the mates, or, rather. the uate, ina voice So high or quavering that for 2 moment t was difficult for me to repxess smile, although these three Ters pasf rarely had smiled