Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-12-26
CHAPTER IN
a Question Of Diplomacy.

|, &ueStlon or Diplomacy
| 1ney had been a roaring, unrr,y LOT
forward until Beluche, as second of.
ncer' with Bohon and Nez Coupe. had
| drought discipline, at times with the
threat of fist or marlinspike. Ths
"atches were picked and the mess or.
canned, and the desultory plundering
VI stores and the fnery left in disor.
uer Dy the gentlemen crew of the Ma.
poieon snip was sternly stopped. In
ueeo, three fellows who had a set-to
win the rum at once, were in the brig
ny nlghtfall; and trio more had
| broken heads. But when the CAPTAIN
jean, with Monsieur de Almonaster and
dominique, went on inspection during
tue second watch, they were greeted
| WIN cheerful and subdued respect,
Inc former second officer of the
DiacK Petral muttered to his chief.
lnere be sixty-four in all. Some
ola artillerymen of Jackson's day at
Cnalmette; some fo'cas'le lads who've
sailed WI David Porter and WI Deca-
tur against the Tripolitans: some es-
capped Britishers from press gangs
ana there be score of our old fell
lows, Jean. Men OF Grand Terre, and
OF Galveston Island, some WI the
residents pardon-some not"
The gaunt, shifty-eyed John Crack
ley, stepped from the line. "We have
made bold to ask, sir-under what
flag this ship"
A rumble of laughter stopped him.
AIT, by the captains companion, hung
a stiff, painted banner already fraying
In the gale. And by it, fast asleep.
sprawled the artist-jester who had
painted the thing to amuse the city
of the Creoles.
But Laf1tte stopped the levity. eve
shall attend to that. We are on a ven
ture the end of which will be dis
closed to you in due time"
But when he had dismissed them to
quarters, old Beluche voiced his
doubts. "Not a ruffian of them all
out thinks we are privateering again.
AS to Napoleon, they would roar with
laughter; and as to this rescue Of the
English woman, well-you can lead
them to that, but 1t is plumber that Is
in their minds"
The chief looked thoughtfully at De
Almonaster. When they sat again over
their brandy and coffee In the tapes
tried luxury of the emperor's suite,
the young man adverted to 1t.
I'VE have the excuse, sir, that
Mademoiselle Lestron was unlawfully
seized out of the city. Only violent
action could save her. She must ex-
plain the mystery of her abduction to
clear us with the admiralties-"
1.-THE watch already reports a vessel
making SOUTH" grunted Beluche. "And
the Genaron will be clumsy lout In
weather that this clipper loves. The
mists kept the Englishman hid in the
passes, but out to sea we can pick him
up at our pleasure"
Old Dominique twirIed his thumbs
upon his stomach. He had declined
to take any active part in the ships
hurried organization, pleading his govt
and corpulence, but they had gibed
him well.
IF trouble comes Of it-as 1t will"
grinned Beluche sourly. you will still
be the worthy councillor of New Or
leans Ell? Pummeled aboard and off
against your will! Ho, Dominique!"
"And you may yet need an honest
councillor to plead your cause" re-
torted Dominique. "And you get your
selves into admiralty court, the big
wigs will be hard to convince this Is
not open lawless piracy. The Captain
jeans love-affairs-eh, we'll! Can you
get an advocate to speak them to the
magistrates of Jamaica, or even In
Charleston or New York %
A lanky tousled form came Keeling
under the rocking cabin lamp
"a magistrate y chuckled Jarvis, "the
rum old gabbler-that is the prime
| magistrate! Since when did Domj-
nique mewl of the laws"
BE STILL Jarvis ~ said LATTE, ''this
| Ii q serious council. The lady Of the