Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-07-28
THE OLD GUNNER'S SHOT.
A Thrilling story.

Our noble ship lay at anchor in the
bay of Tangler, a fortified city in the ex
treme northwest point of Africa. The
day had been extremely mild, with gen
tie breeze sweeping in from the north
ward and westward, but toward the close
of the afternoon the sea-breeze died
away and one of those sultry, oven-like
atmospheric breathings came up from
the sun-burnt Sahara. Half an hour be-
fore shutdown the captain gave the cheer
ing order for the boatswain " TO call all
hands to 90 in swimming" and in less
. than five minutes the forms of our hardy
tars We're seen leaping from the gang
ways, the ports, the MEETINGS, the bow
spirit, and some of the more venturesome
took their plunge from the arms Of the
lower yards.
One of the studding-sails had been
lowered into the water, with its corners
suspended from the main yard arm and
the swinging boom, and into this most Of
the swimmers made their way Among
those who seemed TO be enjoying the
sport most were two of the boys, Tim
Wallace and Fred Fairbanks, the latter
of whom was the son of the old gunner,
and in a laughing mood they started out
from the studding-sail on a race. There
was loud, ringing shout of Joy upon
their lips as they put off, and they darted
through the water like fishes. The sur
face of the sea was as smooth as glass,
though its bosom rose in long, heavy
swells that set in from the broad Atlantic
The ship was moored with long sweep
upon both cables, and the buoy of the
starboard anchor was far away on the
starboard quarter, where il rose and fell
with the lazy swells like drunken man.
Toward this buoy the two lads made their
way, Fred Fairbanks taking the lead;
but when they we're within about dozen
fathoms of the buoy, Tim shot ahead and
promised to win the race. The old gun
ner had watched the progress Of his lit
tie son with a vast degree of pride, and
when he saw him dropping behind he
leaped upon the poop. and was just upon
the point of urging him on by shout,
when a cry reached his ears that made
him start as though he had been struck
by a cannon ball d
"A shark shark" came from The
captain of the foreeastle, and at the
sound of those terrible words the men
who were in the water leaped and
plunged toward the ship.
Right abeam, at distance of three or
our cables length, sharp wake was
seen in the water, where the back fin of
the monster was visible. His course was
for the boys For moment the poor
gunner stood like one bereft of sense 1
but the next he shouted at the top of his |
voice for his boy to turn, but the little /
fellow heard him not; stoutly the two
swimmers strove for the goal, all uncon-
scious of the bloody death spirit which
lowered so near them. Their merry
laugh still rang out over the waters, and
at length they both reached the buoy to-
gether.
Oh, what drops Of agony started from
the brow of the old gunnerl A boat had
put of, but Fairbanks knew that it could
not reach his child in season, for the
;hark was too near Its intended victim;
and every moment he expected 10 see it
ink from sight-then he knew that ali
iope would be gone. At this moment 3
rs reached the ship, which went through
very heart like a stream Of fre-fhe
.oys hsd discovered their enemy
That cry startled old Fairbanks to his
enses. aud quicker than thought he
prang TO the quarterback. The gapsi