Barney Blake, The Boy Privateer

are fun to the initiated, but to those who have the process in prosp

thus far, been eminently successful. We had captured upward of twelve vessels since our departure from Boston-a period of not more than two months. The prospect was that, if we should bring the cruise to a su

rake and Mr. Adolphus de Courcy, in strange contrast to the general cheerfulness of every one else. The latter of these individuals, it is true, would pretend to be exceedingly careless and free-and-easy. He would

it became known that the equinox was to be passed, and continued to grow worse from day to day, until the despondency of the poor lad

not also "liable." But they had succeeded in proving to the satisfaction of Captain Joker, that they h

ally took the thing philosophically. One of them, a little Irishman, by the name of Teddy Tight, swore tha

Bluefish was chosen for Amphitrite, the wife of the Ruler of the Waves, and, though he had an unladylike habit of hitching up his skirts whenever he wanted to use his jack-knife, it was thought that he would go off very creditably. I was one of the Tritons, whose princ

m the depths

ptune is

s, with thei

with wha

the flag of

d the Stripe

the flag o

the flag o

but am compelled to admit that I should keep exc

ven worse than that

eptune, h

ads, dri

p. hates

t the bottom

ds, drink,

lag must

p. hates

e bottom o

have been an Irishman; at any rate

day at len

till the performance was ready to commence. The little captain

a great crown of shells and sea-weed strung round his brows. He had a conch-shell for a breast-pin

ted into grotesque ringlets, while her long, blue paper-muslin robe was intended to have a resemblance to the sea she ruled. The Nereids were grouped around, looking excessively feminine and bewitching

from the Ruler of the Waves, dove down below, and appeare

he various contrivances, which had been prepared for

Neptune, in a voice of thunder; and we le

was the lofty quest

lors for yer Majesty's dominions. It's true I never crossed the line, yer know, but yer see, I almost did it onc't. It all as happened in this 'ere way. Ole Si Jinkins and I, we sta

Neptune in a v

Majesty, bu

ea

d! but, as I was a

Jones's locker!" was the dignified i

the plank!" was the

y rose up before the wretched youth, and

perlite. Onc't on a time, I see'd a feller spit inter the sea, an' I remonstrated

nd shave him!" roared the implaca

e fore and mainmasts of the ship. Over this was drawn a light plank of pine. An

m shut). Then, as my comrade held him fast, I proceeded to scrape his face with the piece of an iron hoop, which I had picked up and somewhat sharpened for the purpose. I laid it on as lightly as I could, but, neverthel

er, and poor Dicky thought that he had got

om under him, and down he went into the cold sea-water, where he f

with a keel-haul. There are two ways of doing this. The old way consisted in making the victim fast by either ankle, and then flinging him overboard at the bow, dragging him under the keel, with a rope on either side of the ship. But this was never resorted to as pastime; in fact, it was considered the worst of nautical punishments. Victims freque

ling simply consisted in making the victim fast by the ankles, and shooting him out far behind in the wake of the vessel (always

l instinctively revolted from keel-hauling-though, to tell the tru

eight knots an hour-as Dicky touched the water at her foaming wake. We let out lively on the lines, and away he sped, a good fif

tism therein. The victim was then permitted to dress himself, was given a rousing glass of grog, and in a few moments felt as merry as a king, quite anxious to laugh at the next

last, because we expected to have the most fun out of him; end the former was kept as next to last, because we half suspec

n came nearer and nearer, Teddy's courage began to sink until, at last, it was at zero. When

ve blarney began to overflow, and excuse after excuse began to be poured out

nor, ye must surely remimber me father. He was owld Barney Tight of Killarney. The way he would lick any one who would dare to say onything ag'in' yer Honor's character was a caution to the woorld. An' there was me uncle. Och, an'

hough he kicked and squirmed like an ugly worm on a bodkin, was put th

y to strip himself, with the exception of a pair of old pantaloons, and now appeared on

?" was the gruff q

ruler of the waves with a lofty air of sco

king, seizing his scepte

has I hain't got hanything of that kind habo

to usurp our throne," exclai

ost taken away by the novelty of the charge. "I-I husurp your

utioners, do your duty!" ro

emonstrating, "let me warn you not to go han' do hany

son of-the Lord Knows

you fellows, hinhasmuch has I was brought hup a gentleman, hand was born hin dear hold Hingland, the Hempress of the Hocean. Now, certainly, your Hexcellency won't be so

ght the argument to be conclusive. But he roused a new enemy in an unexpected quarter. Scarcely had he finished h

p?" she shrieked in his ear. "Ha! villain, thou art convicted out o

lishman on the 'igh seas! Captain, I happeal to you! This hou

teeth, almost choking him, and completely gagging him for some time to come. Then the plank was whipped from under him, and down he wen

when the ropes were being adjusted for the final part of t

ing amazingly. "Captain, I 'ave a natural hantipathy to hanything but 'ot water. A bath hin my present state of perspiration will

e had been rushing our English victim, had made the sweat come from every pore of his skin. The revulsion, therefore, as his body hit the coolness of the rushing ocean stream, must have been very great. As it was, he gave an awful scream, and flound

njoyed hit himmens

iff glass of grog in his hold, he really

r the sun had set and the bright tropic moon had risen, Snollygoster brought out his violin, and we had a glorious da