The Press., 1889-04-18
[Continued from last week.l THE GREAT WAR SYNDICATE.
BY FRANK R. STOCKTON.

BY FRANK R. STOCKTON.
 Author of "Rudder Grange" "Amos Albright" "The Bee Man of Orr, ''The Christmas Wreck" 'The Lady or the Tiger," 'The Late Mrs. Null," , 'The Hundredth Man," "The Casting Away of Mrs Lecks and Mrs, Aleshine," :" 'sThe Dusantes' ,, etc.
 Copyrighted by P. F. Collier, of Golfers Once Week, and published by special arrangement with him through the American Press Association. All rights reserved]
 The appearance early on summer morning of large British cruiser off the mouth of the harbor filled those two commanders with uncomfortable helfig- erency. That in time of war vessel of the enemy should be allowed, undis- turbed, to sail up and down before an American harbor, while an American vessel filled with brave American sailors lay inside like a cowed dog, was a thought which goaded the soul of each of these commanders. There was cer- tain rivalry between the two ships, and considering the insult offered by the Haunting red cross in the ofing. and the humiliating restrictions imposed by the naval department, each commander thought only of his own ship, and not at all of the other.
 It was almost at the same time that the commanders of the two ships sepa- rately came to the conclusion that the proper way to protect the fleet behind the breakwater was for his vessel to boldly steam out to sea and attack the British cruiser. If this vessel carried long range gun, what was to hinder her from suddenly running in closer and e. o1, s,,%o %lo of the defenseless merchantmen? In fact, to go out and fight her was the only way to protect the lives and property in the harbor.
 It was true that one of those beastly repellers was sneaking about off the cape, accompanied, probably, by an under water tongs boat. But as neither of these had done anything or seemed likely to do anything, the British cruiser should be attacked without loss of time.
 When the commander of the Lenox came to this decision, his ship was well abreast of Cape Henlopen, and he there fore proceeded directly out to sea. There was a little fear in his mind that the English cruiser, which was now bearing to the. southeast, might sail off and get away from him. The Stockbridge was detained by the arrival of a dispatch boat from the shore with message from the naval department. But as this mes sage related only to the measurements of certain deck gun, her commander in- tended as soon as an answer could be sent off, to sail out and give battle to the British vessel.
 Every soul on board the Lenox was now filled with fiery ardor. The ship was already in good fighting trim, but every possible preparation was made for contest which should show their coun- try and the world what American sailors were made of.
 The Lenox had not proceeded more than mile out to sea when she per ceived Repeller No. 6 coming toward her from seaward, and in a direction which indicated that it intended to run across her course. The Lenox, however, went straight on, and in short time the two vessels were quite near each other. Upon the deck of the repeller now appeared the director in charge, who, with a speaking trumpet, hailed the Lenox and requested her to lay to, as he had some thing to communicate. The commander of the Lenox, through his trumpet, an gwered that he wanted no communica- tfons, and advised the other vessel to Keep out of his way.
 The Lenox now put on greater head of steam, and as she was in any case much faster vessel than the repeller, she rapidly increased the distance between herself and the syndicate'sv svessel, so that in few moments hailing was impossible. | Quick signals now shot up in jets of black smoke from the repeller, and in very | short time afterward the speed of the