The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-03-29


ant pointed toward the woods, which
were alive with armed men, hurrying
toward the schooner.
| Howard understood at once. Some
spy had followed Viola on the previous
day, and, lying concealed, had seen the
schooner, and, perhaps, heard the girls
interview with him. Perhaps, her
fathers craft having doubtless arrived
on the previous day, she was kept a
prisoner aboard the vessel. If so, the
captain must give up all thought of now
obtaining his fair prize; but at some
future time he would come with larger
war-vessel, and carry off the sweet girl
whom he was determined should yet be
| his wife.
The armed men drew every moment
nearer. Howard brought one of his
guns TO bear upon them as his anchor
was lifted, and fired shot. Then away
went the little schooner, shooting, with
a fair wind, toward the mouth of the
inlet. Another gun, loaded with shrap-
mel, was discharged, and yells and curses
broke from the pirates as several of their
number fell.
AS the schooner emerged from the
inlet, an unexpected sight greeted her
crew-a large two-decker, which the
rocks had hitherto concealed. lying in
wait for them There was the pirate flag
at her mizzen, and through her port
holes gl;mpses of dark-faced men could
be seen already at their guns. Hugo
and black, she doomed up, ready to sink,
at one broadside, the schooner, which to
escape the rocks astern, must now pass
close alongside.
1T is Carbanow cried Lieutenant
Hawthorne, Struggling his shoulders.
GAY. ay" answered Howard, as a tall
black man, springing, trumpet in hand,
on the quarterback, hailed him in q
voice of thunder:
"Ho, Americana You and your crew
shall go down like dogs! No chance for
quarter--no time for prayersW
Howard looked quickly round him, but
saw no way of escape.
Already the end of the schooner's fly
ing jibboom touched the pirates q uarter;
in another minute, bracing alongside,
she would be completely at her mercy.
right under her double tier of guns.
well give her a parting shot, at any
rate, before we go down. said the young
man, coolly, springing to the two guns
on his port side. At that moment a
young girl was seen pleading with Car
bano. 1t was Viola!
But he thrust her away from him then
as the schooner passed alongside the
huge pirate, in the shadow of her frown-
ing guns, so near that her rigging
scraped her enemy's quarter rail, Car
bano was seen to raise his trumpet to
his mouth, probably to give the COM
mand 10 fire.
And now silence like death reigned
aboard the smaller vessel; her men for
ward, in group, stood with white lips,
dumb and appalled, awaiting the dreaded
moment when those guns, belching de-
struction upon them. should rend their
craft into thousand pieces, and send
them all in blood and ruin to the dark
depths of the sea.
But at that critical instant Viola, who
had sprung on the rail, selling hold of
the schooner's main topmast backstay,
which was within easy reach, descended
swiftly to the top of her bulwarks.
Howard. who had just been about dis
charging his two port guns, passed, sig
mailing his sunners to desist, lwhile with
admiration and awe all eyes now were
turned toward the beautiful apparition.
Holding to the stay with her left hand,
and balancing herself on one foot, she
stood upright, her 1.-THE form inclining
toward the very muzzles of her fathers
guns, while, with her disengaged arm
appraised, she exclaimed, in clear ring
ing voice:
Now, Captain Carbano, fire if you
dare!'
And GARLAND, who could not now give
the fatal order without blowing into
eternity his noble daughter, as we'll as
his enemies, called like mailman on
some of his crew to board the schooner
and bring the girl back.
But ere he could be obeyed, the little
craft had darted past the pirate, and was
winging her way onward like bird out
to sea, the cheers of her men rolling to
the skies.
As soon as he could veer his craft
round, Carbano started to give chase;
but his heavy vessel, while awaiting his
enemy near the inlet. had drifted too
near The rocks, which she now struck,
and lay wedged almost on her beam
ends.
Howard ran down to Havana, where
he was united to the beautiful girl who
had 80 nobly saved his schooner and the
lives OF his crew.
SALT IN DJpurUFRTA In n paner read