properly; forming themselves into committees, the citizens
opened _Court_ and practised Judge Lynch's _code_ upon a multitude of
just occasions. At the time of which we write, Mill's Point, on the
Mississippi, was no great shakes of a _town_, but a spot where a very
considerable amount of whiskey was drank, and a corresponding quantity
of crime and desperate doings were enacted; indeed, some of the worst
scenes in Southern Kentucky's tragic dramas were performed there. It so
fell out, that some of the land pirates had been actively engaged in
levying upon the negroes and mules around Mill's Point, and the
protective committee were on the alert to capture and administer the law
upon these fellows. It was discovered, one evening, as the shades of a
black and rather tempestuous night were closing upon the mighty "father
of waters" and his ancient banks, that a mysterious _voyageur_, or sort
of piratical _vidette_, was seen in his light canoe, hugging the shore,
either for shelter or some insidious purpose.

The canoe and its navigator were diligently watched; but the coming
storm and darkness soon closed observation, and the parties noticing the
transaction hurried forward to the _Point_, and announced one or more of
the land pirates in the neighborhood! Of course, the town--of some four
houses, six "groceries," a _store_ and blacksmithery--was aroused,
indignant! Impatient for a victim, the _posse comitatus_ "fired up,"
armed to the teeth with pistol, bludgeon, blunderbuss, gun, bowie-knife,
and--whiskey, started up the river to reconnoitre and intercept the
pirate and his crew.

Each nook and corner along shore, for some three miles, was
carefully--as much so as the darkness would admit--scoured. The
Storm-King rode by, the stars again twinkled in the azure-arched
heavens, and soon, too, the bright silver moon beamed forth, and
suddenly one of the vigilant committee espies the land-pirate and his
canoe noiselessly floating down the rapid stream! No time was to be
lost; the committee man, rather pleased with the fact of his being the
first to make the discovery, apprised a comrade, and the two hurried
back to the Point, to get a canoe and start out to capture the enemy.
The canoe was obtained, three courageous men, armed to the teeth, as the
saying goes, paddled off, and indeed they had not far to paddle, for
right ahead they saw the mysterious canoe of the enemy! Where was the
pirate? Asleep! Lying down in his frail ves