White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-08-16
COUNT LUCKNER
THE SEA DEVIL


and the cruisers would come flocking.
The American naval ships didn't mean
much, either. They would doubtless
be kept nearly all of them, to guard
the Atlantic shipping lanes for the
passage of American troop transports
and leave what patrol of the Pacific
was necessary to the British and Jap
anese. The principal change Of cir.
cumstance for US was that now we
could take American prizes.
We steered across the Pacific past
the Marquesas, far to the south of
Hawaii. We made the waters near
Christmas island our cruising ground.
There, near the equator, the east.
bound and west-bound routes for sail
Ing ships crossed. We sailed back.
ward and forward, crossing the equa-
tor two and three times each day.
We captured three American ships
In these waters, the A. B. Johnson,
the Il. O. Slade, and the Manila. Our
prisoners npmbered forty-five men. one
woman, and pet opossum.
The captains were not half so as.
tonished and bewildered as the for.
mer captains when we unmasked our
selves as buccaneer. They knew
that the sailing ship raider was
abroad. So we were deprived of
some of our former amusement of
astounding and befuddling officers
and crews by suddenly hoisting the
German flag, unmasking our cannon,
firing machine gun into their rig.
ging. and similar pleasantries. Ev.
erything went off according to rou.
tine.
On one occasion we ran into most
Intricate complication. We had ex-
pected the complications of war and
piratical strategy. That was part of
the game. But at the time to which
l refer we were faced with a new and
tender complication, a romatic com.
plication.
"He's got his wife along" Boarding
Officer Preiss informed me.
He referred to an officer of one of
the ships. Indeed, we had noticed
woman aboard the captured ship.
The officer in question presently in
troduced me to his helpmate, and
knockout she was, pretty, petite, and
well, just bit roguish.
"By Joe," l thought, "the sailors
of these days are marvellous fellows
Where do they get these swell-looking
wives? When l was in the forecas.
tie, it was different"
In those days an officers wife was
something to run away from-usual-
ly fat, usually savage, and always
sloppiy dressed. l thought of all the
windiammer captains under whom
had sailed, and l couldn't think of
one who had wife that looked like
chorus girl. Well, times do changel
There was the captain we had cap.
tured in the Atlantic who had such
pleasant little bride, and now here
was this officer and his sprightly
beauty.
guess can also ad. myself to
the list. Here am, skipper of a
peace full windjammer now, taking my
three-master the Vaterland around
the orld, and have my wife along.
have already described Irma. the
fairy princess of my green island in
the Canaries. Yes, sailors wives have
improved in looks these days.
Aboard the Seeadler we greeted the
pretty little lady with great cordially.
Our former fair company had been
so pleasant that we anticipated an.
other similar Frightening of the dull
monotony aboard. The monotony was
indeed broken somewhat But in a
decidedly different way than we had
expected. The officer had not been
long aboard before he took me aside
and made an awkward and somewhat
embarrassed confession. He had been
thinking things over.
Count" he said, "in your reports
you may say something about my hav-
ing my wife along"
EYES," replied.
"Well, by Joe," he continued, Il
wish you wouldn't say anything about
it. Don't say anything about my hav.
ing wife along. My real wife might
find 1t out, and then there would be
hill to pay"
"Oho," exclaimed, 80 that's the
way the wind blows, eh?"