Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-11-01


I am with ye, Burnett, his messmats
responded. Whatever port Ys steer fur,
ye can count on me- bein' in yer wake.
Eve are Americans, Dawes, and tits
enough that we reef and trim the sails for
a British man-O'-war without shedding
the blood OF our cOunTymen.
you're right, shipmate. I've jest
/ sailed as long under q British flag as I
want to, and though there are ten
chances OF our bein' shot to one of our
escapin', I'll desert.
The last Of the sentence was in q very
low whisper, and both became silent, for
again the sentry was near.
When he wheeled about and returned,
| Dawes grasped Burnett's arm and asked:
What time, shipmate?"
Midnight watch, was the answer.
The boats ready?'
yes"
Then they sat in the increasing dark
ness until the shrill sound of the boat
sWain's whistle piped all hands below to
supper. When the sailors, Dawes and
/ Burnett, met the other members of their
mess, there was nothing In their demean-
or which would betray their thoughts.
/ Each had control over his feelings and
| emotions, and though they were about to
! engage in an adventure which might cost
/ them their lives, they were as suilen,
I calm, and logged as usual.
/ Captain MOntieth required the strictest
/ tyrants, he covered his tyranny with dis
/ cipline. But few words were spoken by
! the sailors during their Tepast. When
| supper was over and the sailors dispersed
many retired to their quarters, others to
/ the upper deck, to lie beneath the bull
warks or under the gun carriages and
/ spin yarns.
| There were two who were silent. Bur
/ nett and Dawes were in the morning
/ watch, but neither retired to their ham
| mOcks that night. The night was warm
/ and the weather being fair great many
OF the sailors were permitted to be on the
! gun deck.
What have to gain by going to my
( native land?" Burnett asked himself as he
! paced the deck, his head bowed in deep
| thought -NOthing-I viii be an IN
/ known, uncared-fOr sailor; but then I
/ shall have the glorious consciousness of
! knowing that 1 am not fighting my own
! cOuntrymen. might have served Johnny
/ Bull many years yet, had they not forced
me to raise my hands against America.
Burnett, as the reader has doubtless
! observed, was superior to the common
| class Of sailors He was not only a fine
seaman but fine physical and intellect
/ ual man.
He was an American, who years before
| had been impressed into the British ser
! vice, and although he had borne every in
! suit a petty tyrant could heap upon a
subject was so thoroughly schoOled in
! discipline that he never thought of deser-
ton until he was required to take a part
| in besieging an American seaport town.
| When Capt. Montieth informed him that
/ he was to command the lOng-tOm he de-
! termined to desert.
It lacked but an hour of the appointed
/ time when these two Americans were to
/ make bold strike for liberty. The sail
! ors, one by one, had gone to their ham
! mOcks, and all save a few restless spirits
| and the watch were asleep.
| Burnett had not seen Dawes for two
! hours, though he knew that he could be
/ depended on when the time came. They
were not many leagues from the shore,
| and he was satisfied that two good oars
| men could reach it by daylight A dark
/ form suddenly glided forward to the sail
! or's side, and the low voice of Dawes
! whispered:
"Ive been over the top rail to see the
| boat.
Us all right?"
| yes"
@Pulleys, ropes, and rigging safer"
Everything safe and taut.
| Dawes, do you think they suspect"
/ NO"
| The sentry was coming that way and
! the sailors separated. When the sentry
came along each was stand at the rail,
! though some distance apart, gazing down
into the water. The sentry eyed them
| somewhat suspieiOusly, and then resumed
! his beat.
When he next came that way both had
! disappeared.
Guess they are gone below, " the SEN
! try said to himself, and resumed his beat.
Another hour wore slowly by. The
watch felt glad that they would soon be
! relieved, and allowed to turn in and rest.
The night had grown intensely dark
| There were Few stars in the heavens, and
! a light vapOr-like cloud obscured the
! light of even those. A dark form might
have been seen gliding along the larbOard
side Of the vessel, from gun carriage to
| gun carriage, eluding the sentries until at
last a point near the top rail was gained,
! where it disappeared behind a stern
| chaser.
The sailor named Dawes was standing
leaning over the toprail gazing down into
the water. The sentry was coming down
on his beat when Dawes suddenly said:
Come here, Jack, come here.
What yer want?" the sentry demanded.
@COme, see what this is. D."
| 4Where2"
Here"
The sentry looked over his shoulder to
see if any of the officers of the watch
were in sight, and stepped quickly to the
| rail.
"Look'ee there; there's a fsh-whew. 4"
No one would have thought that whis-
/ tie signal. 1t seemed nothing more
than a surprise, but as it sounded over
the deck, the dark form rose from behind
the gun carriage, sprang lightly forward,
and as the sentry leaned over the tOprail,
lifted his heels into the air and hurled
him headlong into the water. His cry
was accompanied by shouts from both
Dawes and Burnett.
@AIan overboard-man overheard, they
shouted Justify.
Almost instantly the widest excite
ment prevailed. The officer of the watch
ordered a boat lowered and sail short
ened
Down went Burnett and Dawes, and in
jify the boat which swung over the
stern was lowered and thew in. row