Arizona state miner., 1926-02-27


and stumped across the square, bel
lowing his answer in tones which
brought shopkeepers to their doors
and womens heads from upper win
dows.
Chased? That I was, Master Or
as flouts the kings majesty i the
Here he perceived who accompanied
my father. Off came his hat, and he
made an awkward bow.
"Your sarvent, your excellency! My
duty Master Golden! But / have no
see who was near by to hear me. Aye,
there is more to be said, much more ;
and matters have come to pretty
pass when the rascals come north to
these ports"
Peter COrlaer and I joined the little
group of merchants who were with the
governor, and the other curious per-
sons hovered as close as they dared.
"But l find this hard to give ere
dence to, captain" said Governor Clin-
ton pleasantly enough. pirates? In
these ATTITUDES? We have not been
bothered by such of late. Did you
have sight of the ship which pursued
yOu?"
"Sight? Marry, that did; and un-
comfortable close, your excellency.
She came up with a sO'easter two
days past, and at the first l made her
out for a frigate by the top hamper
she carried"
ga frigate?" protested Master Col
den. $50 big as that?"
"Aye, sir, my master! And If l
have any eye for a ships lines and
canvas she was none other than the
Royal James that chased me three
days together when 1 was home bound
from the West Indies in '43."
''That would be the vessel of the
fellow known usually as Captain Rip
Rap" spoke up my father and there
was a quality in his voice which led
me to regard him closely.
1t was manifest that he labored in
the grip of some strong emotion; but
the only indication of this in his face
was a slight rigidity of feature, and
none of the others marked it. l was
the more amazed because my father
was a man of iron nerves, and also.
though his earlier years had been
starred with a series of extraordinary
adventures, so far as knew he had
had nothing to do with the sea.
"True for you, Master Ormerod,"
answered Captain Farraday; land
since Henry Morgan died there hath
not lived a more complete rogue. One
of my mates was taken by him off
Jamaica ten years gone and cites him
for a man of exquisite dress and man
ners that would befit London maca-
roni, God save Us! And, moreover,
is as arrant a JacObite as ever was.
Witness the name of his ship"
"I have heard he sails usually in
company" remarked my father.
'He works with John Flint, who is
no less Of rascal, albeit rougher,
according to those unfortunates who
have fallen in his path Flint sails in
the Walrus, a tall ship out of Plym-
outh that was on the Smyrna run be-
fore she fell into his hands. Betwixt
them they are a pretty pair
Captain Farraday stopped perforce
for breath, and Governor Clinton
seized the opportunity to ask with a
smile:
Captain Rip-Rap, did you call your
pursuer? What manner of name is
this?"
The merchantmen shrugged his
shoulders.
Nobody knows, sir. But 'tis the
only name he goes by | ha' heard
that years past-oh, it may be twenty
or more-he stopped home-bound
Chesapeake packet, and when the
master was hailed aboard the first
question he asked was did he have
any rfp-rap in his cargo? For it
seems he is singularIy partial to that
mixture Of stuff. And now, ha' been
told, his own men give him this name,
for even they do not know for certain
that to which he was born
"'Tis said he was a gentleman who
suffered for his political convictions,
but that is as like TO be a lie as the
truth. All 1 know is that he chased
me in past the Hook, though the Anne
showed him clean pair O. heels and
had run him topsls down WI sunrise
this morning. And when l made the
harbOr, twas to find there was not a
kings ship to send after him."
YES" nodded the governor; "the
Thetis frigate sailed for home with
dispatches week ago. But l will
send express to Boston. where Com