The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-02-19

The story Of the murdered Is 4, IN
like wildfire throughout tho ships com.
| pany, and the sympathy of the. MN .Of.
wars men was apparent from tie al h:na
eyes and compressed lips Is the dead
| body Of the shipmaster was committed ia
the deep. An officer and i've sealnen
were then detailed to work the brir9 vith
orders to shape course for aoree. and to
await the arrival of the coryettc
The breeze was freshenin3. curling III,
the waves of the broad Atlaatic. timing
them with foam, as the man .of,war
parted company with the brig. The mists
of the morning rapidly rolled DO ana
dispersed meath the rays Of the fierce sun,
and "Sail ho!" burst from dozen threats
as the snow white canvas and long.
tapering spars of schooner were seen
not over five miles distant from the Fire
Fly. No.
IT'S the Esmeralda, by the chimes Of
old St. Michael I should recognize
those spars among ten thousand V and
in low, rapid tone the executive adj
dressed his superior, who nodded an
assent as he disappeared below, saying:
"Carry on to tho last moment, Mr..
Claxton. Do not spare either spars or
canvas in your efforts to capture that
scoundrei; and as soon as they will bear,
give the sallow rascal a taste Of our long
eighteens"
The schooner had discovered the un-
welcome presence Of her formidable foe
almost at the same moment, and bracing
up her bead yards, at the same time TAX
ing in the huge squaresail, the schooner
hauled by the wind, her fore-and aft sails
setting like boards.
The corvette was not idle, and scarcely
had the echo of the boatswain 4 III diea
away, when the excited seamen Was ssrt-
ing aloft, active rs monkeys In d. nice,
the man.o.-war was clothed in clouds Of
canvas, every avilable stitch set thar
would draw, one watch piped below with
hammocks slung, and thIty-two- pound
shot slowed in. each one to makethe craft
lively. With yards braced fine, d nee
dies, tacks hove close down, and sheets
hauled flat aft, the corvette was rushing
through the water at speed that brought
a smile OF stern Joy to many brolIzed
cheek.
"Mind your huff. quarter-master; no
nearer, my man." And Ralph glanced at
the leach of the main. topsail, which shiv-
cred slightly from time to time.
"Ayc, aye, sir!" growled the old sea-
man, as he hove the wheel upa spoke or
two. cts full-and-by now, but afore
night Jome of these light kites will be
slowed, or III lose my grog., And as he
muttered the last sentence under his
breath be glanced to windward, where 1
threatening bark Of dark ragged clouds
were rapidly rising towards the zenith,
while long. uneasy swell had set in,
causing the corvette to send the spray
high above the weather cathead. as
''Ha, my bilious gamester, if ne are
taking ducking, you are not escaping
your bath;' and Ralph watched the
schooner slipping through the seas, div
lnI; bows under, covered with foaming
sprays, while the topmastsa bent and
buckled, threading each moment Ito 20
bodily over the side. She steeled small,
keeping the corvette's masts il one, and
but an occasional glimpse could be caught
Of her long, lean, glossy sides, the bright
metal sheathing flashing like gold as she
heeled over almost showing the keel. u,
AS for the corvette, as the freshening
breeze whistledg through the tautcoraage.
and the wake astern became whittier and
more distinct as she careened, the officer
ofthe deck glanced mourning az the
tirst lutf, VINO, glass in hand, stood by the
weather mizzen rigging, glanclng alter
nately at the chase and the threatening
aspect of the heavens now entirely ob,
scured by the gloomy, leaden clouds
which appeared to settle down lower and
lower, until the gilt balls on the poles
were lost to view. The light sails had
been taken in, and yards sent on deck;
the topgallant-masts had been struck,
and Che topmen clustered in body at
their respective stations, ready to Jump
at the first word of command.
The seas increased as night came on,
and the gale Numbered furiously over
the green curling seas. Nobly had the
schooner held her own against the heavier
craft: but the laboring and pitching had
told against her, and the Esmeralda, I'M
der two storm tri-cornered sails, and a
patch of a storm-jib, rode gracefully over
the seas, with but one man beside the
helmsman visible.
A slight yaw from the corvette as she
plunged madly into Kissing mass of
water, displaying for a moment her fore
foot to the lowering gaze of the Spaniard,
who was ncrvously chewing the end of a
cigar, flash, a report, and a globe of
iron buried itself in the waste Of waters
close alongside. ,..-. 80
''Not bad shot, my Yankee hero, con-
sidering the sea that is running. T nv it
again. 1t will soon be dark, the mouth
of the Pongo cannot be far distant, and
then you may look for some other game
beside the Esmeralda to try the range o
your guns on"
Again and again did the report of the
corvette's bow chasers mingle with the
howl of the gale, and with the last squirt
of flame issuing from the bow, came a
flash of lightning mingled with crash
and a wall that was not unlike shrek
of human agony; but the deep roll OF
thunder prevented those ons board the
corvette from Judging correctly from
what source the noise proceeded, and the
next instant all hands we're busy close
reefing the fore ana main-topsails as
squall after squall swept over the vessel,
the rain In long, slanting torrents driving
furiously in the seamen's faces. The