"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."