Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-12-18

AtAot a. eARCGN "a keoAAA =hAAAth anu bAo
boy. Has nothing been heard of them?"
mo; but the Captains safe enough.
He's a prisoner of war, you know, and
as for Ariel, guess he's found his mas
ter BY this time"
"Jabe," said his wife, earnestly, "are
you sure that you don't know any thing
about Ariel?"
"What should l know" asked the
ranger, in surprise.
''Oh, mean about who he is and
where he came from"
II guess we know all that he knows
himself, and you know the SUI as we'll
as do he replied; whereupon his wife
refrained from asking any more ques-
tons and presently fell into train OF
reflections on the obtuseness or indif-
ference of men on all subjects which did
not Immediately touch their interests
or strike their vision, while Jabe con-
tentedly played with his baby.
At midnight a sentinel gave the
alarm. The gunboats from Fort From
tenac were approaching, the movements
on board and the voices of command be-
ing distinctly audible.
The news was speedily communicated
to the blockhouse. Renwick. who was Of
fcer of the watch, aroused Selwyn. THE
gun-boats are here, Charley" he said.
Lets make dash at them"
Selwyn looked at his friend in sur
prise.
''Yes, know it looks like rash
project, but consider it we'll The night
is dark, they have just arrived, have not
seen us by daylight, and don't expect
US. We will man the canoes with thirty
rangers armed with the French muskets
and our own knives and rifles. We will
tackle the first gunboat we reach, sweep
her decks first and then tow her up the
river here"
Selwyn thought favorably of the plan
and went TO lay it before Mercer, while
Renwick called for volunteers and made
preparations for the raid.
In half an hour six canoes each car
rying five men glided through the dark
ness, keeping close together, the paddles
making no sound as they propelled the
little barks along. Soon the bulls of the
gunboats began to loom up, and the
sound of oars indicated that some of
them were being placed in position.
Then a gun from the foremost one pro-
claimed that the seige was begun. In
stantly the lights in the fort were ex-
tinguished, but the gunboat did not cease
firing.
''They have got the range" thought
Renwick. Bangl went another gun al
l.
he shouted, grasping the tow rail of the
gunboat and springing to the deck, fol-
lowed by JADE and the rest with the ex-
ception of one man to secure the canoes.
The boldness of the attack secured its
success, and the Frenchmcn, appalled, by
the apparition OF band of foemen on
their deck who poured in volley and
then charged with the bayonet, dived
under matches, jumped overheard,
or surrendered at discretion. Renwick
knew there was no time to be lost. The
nearest vessel was approaching to see
what the firing meant, and be would
soon have the entire fleet upon him.
Promptly he ordered one half his force
to return to the canoes in order to tow
the prize while the others remained on
board to guard against attack. Already
objects were becoming family visible i n
the dawn of an August morning and as
Renwick measured the distance between
the enemy and himself, he was gratified
to observe that it was momentarily in
creasing. Evidently the Frenchmen
did not quite understand the situation,
else they could have made Master Rem
wick pay dearly for his temerity. As it
was, one of the vessels was about to
open fire with its bow-guns when Jabe
spoiled the shot by dropping the gun
ner, while his companions prevented
further annoyance by clearing it's deck
with bullets which were not fired at
random.
As soon as it was light enough to OBJ
serve the situation, Mercer in turn
opened fire on the enemy, the effect Of
which encouraged Renwick to attempt
the capture of the vessel whose guns he
had silcnccd. With this view he ordered
the canoes to halt, while with the aid OF
o4fs 81 sbed the second nrize
and made her fast with rope. He had
scarcely gotten under way again, how
ever, when the enemy discovered the
insignificance Of their antagonist and
began to lower and man their boats to
attack him.
They came on CALAMITY under the fire
of the fort and Renwick's sharpshooters
and made a dash at the canoes, but Jabe
turned one Of the guns loaded with
shrapnel on the foremost boats with
such good aim as to make them pause,
while Renwick hoisted sail and called
in the men from the canoes. Thus re-
inforced with rifles, while the distance
from the fort was rapidly diminishing,
not a man dare show himself on the
decks of the nearest gunboats, so sure
was the aim of the rangers. while Mer-
Ger spread destruction among the small
boats with showers Of grape-shot. The
enemy, realizing their danger, and that
they would soon be within rife range
from othe shore, made a last effort
to rescue the prizes. A gunboat
crowded with men succeeded in
graphing the second prize and sprang
upon its deck, confident Of their ability