The Lady and the Pirate

"Ahoy there, Peterson!" he cried. "Stop! Hold on there! Wait! Where

are you going there!"

Peterson turned toward me an inquiring gaze, but I only pointed a hand

down-stream, and he obeyed me! I reached my hand to the cord and gave

Peterson, Davidson, Natchez and all the world, the salute of a long

and vibrant whistle of defiance. It came back to us in echoes from the

giant bluffs, swept across the lowlands on the opposite side.

"Full speed ahead, Peterson," said I quietly.

"Where are we going, Mr. Harry?" he demanded anxiously.

"I don't know," said I. "It all depends--maybe around the world. I

don't know and I don't care."

"I'm scared about this--it don't look right. What's come into you, Mr.

Harry?" asked the old man solicitously.

"Nothing, Peterson," said I, "except that the bird of time is on the

wing. I am a pirate, Peterson----"

"I never knew you so far gone in drink before, Mr. Harry," said he, as

he threw over the wheel to pick up the first starboard channel light.

"Yes, I have been drinking, Peterson," said I. "I have been drinking

the wine of life. It oozes drop by drop, and is all, too soon, gone if

we delay. Full speed ahead, Peterson. I am in command."

"Jean!" I called to my able lieutenant. "Reach over into the long boat

and bring Partial on board. He is my friend. And bring also our flag.

Run it aloft above our prize."

"Aye, aye, Sir," came the reply of Jean Lafitte. And a few moments

later our long boat was riding astern more easily. Jean Lafitte on his

return busied himself with our burgee. And at that moment, Partial,

overjoyed at also having a hand in these affairs, barked joyously at

his discovery of the neglected end of the cook's cue projecting

through the hinges of the door. On this he laid hold cheerfully,

worrying it until poor John shrieked anew in terror; and until I freed

him; and ordered tea.

I next went over to the hatches of the engine-room, and having opened

them, bent over to speak to Williams, the engineer.

"It's all right, Williams," said I. "I am going to take her over now

and run her perhaps to the Gulf. We hadn't time to tell you at first.

There has been a legal difficulty. Peterson is on deck, of course."

"All right, Mr. Harry," said Williams, who recognized me as he leaned

out from his levers to look up through the open hatch. "At first I

didn't know what in hell was up. It sounded like a mutiny----"

"It was a mutiny, Williams," said I, "and I am the head mutineer. But

you're sure of your pay, so let her go."