Litchfield enquirer., 1881-03-17

| to it's friendly obscurity in favor of the little vessel. All hands were on deck, the furnaces gleamed with an intense heat, while every precaution had been taken to slip by the grim watch dogs of the Federal navy with as little trouble and risk as possible. The cap tain, glasses in hand, stood in front of ths 1 pilot house scanning the horizon. >>" Too bad 1 am robbed of the mates ser vices, when 1 need him the most. He had the keenest eye of us all." And the seaman drummed nervOusly on the railing with his fingers By his side stood the unassuming passenger, quiet subdned and silent 5,l ''We shall soon be amongest them, nut tered the guiding spirit of the Phantom. "I see the loom of the land plainly enough. It can't be possible the fleet has been blown off shore-Ha! that's your game, IS it?" and, signaling to the engineer, the steamer darted ahead like startled deer. 1 A small steam launch, mounting howitzer | ia the bow, had drifted down upon the block l ads-runner unobserved, but in their eagerness | to secure the prize, the gun was fired too soon. The shell exploded harmessly, but the steamer with their rich cargo was lost to them. | The report of the gun was the signal for sudden and grand display. of naval pyrotech- nics On all sides rockets and eolored lights could be seen, while in the distance the rum ble and splash of revolving wheels could be | distinctly heard on board the Phantom. The engines stopped, while Black, Jack noted the | fact that his steamer was Utterly surrounded, | held in by a cordon of vigilant active ene- mies [
 'There is snly one chance left, and that is to haul off shore and wait for another oppor- | tunty. They are swarming around us like bees.' --a :
 i've can play them a trick, captain, that I often seen tried successfully by opium-smu glers on the coart of China, when desirous of eluding the mandarin boats."
 "What is it? Quick ]" !
 Hoist out your long boat, step the mast, | attach a lantern to it. Set the mainsail and let her go before the wind. They will swal- l low the bait, hook and all. While the boat runs to the nOrthward we can either haul to shore or remain where we are until the coast l is clear" .....
 You are trump: the idea is good one, l shall not forget you, depend upon that. Now to business"
 In ten minutes the decoy was tearing up the | coast. the lantern swinging from side to side It was seen, followed ID hot pursuit, one ves- sel after another joining in the chase, only to realize the humillating fact that again they had been outwitted, and the Phantom in ] triumph enabled to cross the bar without 80 much as sighting one of the hostile feet
 With the arrival of the famous steamer at the wharf came crowds of friends to congratu- late the jnvial and popular commander. Re- spectfully touching his hat, the passenger ap- preached, saying in low tone he was about to go on shore, expressing his gratitude for all the kindness that had been extended to him, and that he was ready to be turned over l to the military authorities in accordance with the captains own terms. But he was hastily interrupted by the master, who forced into his hands heavy package, strongly sealed and fastened. with single line written h bold hand on the outside wraper. It read as fol- lows: ''When you open this remember the l giver." With significant glance and a warm pressure of the hand, the two men gazed into each others eyes for a moment, and parted without exchanging word. Time rolled on; the cargo of the Phantom was soon transfer red to the wharf, and it capacious hold filled with bales of cotton to it's full extent, in ad- dition to full deck load It was the largest cargo the PhaHtom had ever attempted to run, worth fabulous sum, in addition to which the choice stateroom of the saloon had been engaged by Confederate agent, intrusted by the president of the Confederacy with i'm portant dispatches destined for the rebel rep. resentative in Europe. A great deal depend ed upon the success of the Phantom's next trip, and, if all went we'll, Black Jack would take his final leave of the business having made money enough, as he informed his friends at farewell dinner the night before he dropped down the river. The night was dark, although the moon rode high in the heavens, heavy masses of clouds at intervals entirely obscured her pale rays. The wind moaned and sighed through the taut rigging and rakish spars of the steamer as she slowly steamed toward the mouth of tEe river, while an occasional dash of rain gave ample warn- ing that the clements were in anything but pleasant mood. Denser and denser grew the threatening pail overhead, until the moon, giving up the contest, withdrew entirely, leaving the darkness so palpable and intense that it could almost be felt. A finer, more propitious opportunity to run the blockade had never been vouchsafed to the Phantom during her eventful career. AS usual, every man was at his post, all their energies center ed upon the forward portion of the vessel. The quarter deck was entirely deserted save by the cotton bales thickly slowed upon it. A private signal was exchanged with the shore batteries farewell flash returned, and the bow of the steamer was boldly turned seaward. The confederate agent stood in close proximity to the pilot house, where he could observe all there was to be seen; feel ing naturally nervous and uneasy until as- sured that the Yankee fleet had been left miles astern.
 The sharp whizz of rocket, attended by glittering train of sparks, rose majestically against the dark, opaque background, scatter ing an avalanche of colored fires in all direc. tions which, to the astonishment and rage of all on board, met with 8 ready response from the dark, silent block It seemed like precencerted signal, for scarcely had the first rocket burst, when two in rapid success sion rose from the deck of the Phantom, while powerful blue light attached to one of the smokestack guys suddenly lit up the ves- sel, revealing with startling distinctness every Spar and fathom of rigging alof Beyond all was darkness, relieved here and there by the sparks of rockets ascending from the midst of the fleet, now fully aroused and on the alert. la
 ''Treacnery!" gasped Black Jack, for moment all but bereft of the power of speech; ''treachery |! and on board my own vessel. Up there, one of ye and douse that light. By the Eternal, but it shall go hard with the internal Yankee that has done this. Search the ship and let me know if"
 The balance of the order was lost in the bursting of shell directly over the steamer All was confusion and amazsment so sudden l ly had the treacherous demonstration been l made. The confederate agent found it more r convenient to beat nasty retreat to the non- congenlal shades of his cabin. His satchel containing the important papers intrusted to his care had disappeared, with not 8 sign to indicate the identity of the thief In the meanwhile a second she'll had exploded in close proximity to the pilot house, the blue light still burning, DO one cared to expose his person in the lurid light to the keen eyes of the enemy. The furious whistle of solid shot sounded like a death-knell in the ears of the discomfited blockade-runners, while the dark hull, heavy spars and frowning battery of a man-of-war, with ports triced up and battle lanterns gleaming ominously in the face of. the gathering storm announced to. Black Jack that Fortune, the 6ckle jade, in whose lap he had sported with mpunity, had at the last moment cast him ruthlessly aside. '-<' .''
 Stop your engines p .Heave to, or Pli blow you out of the .water!' roared 8 voice from out of tue gloom, evidently. terribly in earn est. The summons did not have to be repeat ed 7. -''''ao5 N 'a' ;o -fasaa-a3 e9s