Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-01-17
CHAPTER XVII.
e CAPTURE or THE xENOPHoN.


CHAPTER xvii
THE CAPTURE OF THE XENOPHON.
With mufled oars and bated breath, the
boarding party glided out of the harbOr
into fog and darkness.
The boats went out in single file. In
the front boat sat the deserter OF the
XenophOn and Griffith, while in the rear
boat was his shipmate, Henry Dawes,
with Jack Ratchet. The boats were all
attached to each other by lines, so they
! could not be separated or lost, for IN the
darkness and fO{ it was almost impOssi-
BILE to see an oars length.
The sea was cry calm, and the dash
ing of the waves against the point of
/ rocks served as a guide for the Ameri-
cans.
DO you think we can find the man-of-
war in this darkness?" asked Captain AL
ton, anxiOusly.
ooh, yes; when we get of that point
where you hear the breakers roar, we viii
/ bring the fleet into line, and all go
! abreast forward, and shall be sure to
| take it in.
They had adopted a set of signals, so
/ one boat could communicate to the other
! by jerking d cord, and thus guide them
! all in one direction.
They were soon out a sufficient way to
! feel the sweus of the ocean. The boats
rose and fell on the top of the heaving
/ of the bosom of the great deep, and some
| of the Americans who were not aceUs-
/ toned to the waves chung ""CVOusly to
| the gunwales.
Experienced fishermen handled the
oars, and we doubt if regular sailors
could have done better.
The fleet wheeled about and advanced
| slowly and carefully over the bounding
waves. In the bow of each boat was a
lookout stationed to give the alarm the
! moment the ship of war was discovered.
al 10 f01s or9
| Not a sound seemed to escape the fleet.
The line was preserved, and In the bow
of each stood a lookout peering forward
/ into the darkness.
Some of the youngest and more mex
| perienced men eyinced no little nervous
anxiety. Some crOUched low into the
boat and shiyered as if they expected at
each moment a masked battery to open
upon them. That awful blackness was
! appalling. They could not realize that
the same darkness which hid the enemy
/ also concealed them They seemed to
believe that the enemy could witness
every movement they made, while they
were unable to see anything which the
enemy would do.
But there were enough bold, determined
spirits among them to inspire the others.
These without fear sat erect, anxioUsly
| awaiting the moment when the engage
ment should come. The sturdy fishermen
bent to their oars and pulled steadily out
from the shore in the direction, as near as
they could guess, of the ship Of-war, the
XenOphOn.
Capt. Alton, whom nervous anxiety had
almost prOstrated, waited at the bow Of
his boat, and gazed steadily forward into
the darkness, hoping against hope that
they would come in sight of the man Of
war.
Suddenly there came a signal. It was
from The center boat, and called upon all
~, II II TaTr
They rounded in, and in a few mo.
ments a great black object rose before
them. It was the hulk Of vessel-the
XenOphOn.
The middle boat had come almost IN
der it before the vessel was discovered.
Now was moment of supreme excite.
ment. The Americans were right under
those great frOWning guns, and could
even hear the tread of sentries above. Fol
a moment only did the boarding party
remain there gazing up at the great YES
sci, and then, as had been previously ar
ranged, the fleet divided. The boats with
the deserter and Captain Alton glided tt
the bow chains, and those other boats
3 headed by Henry Dawes and Jack Hatche
came up under the larbOard mizzen chains
t It was arranged for the most active, de-
4 termined men to take the lead.
[ They reached their places, and in
moment every chain rope and other appli
ance was used. Ropes with bOat-hOOk
were thrown over the gunWales, and the
men began climbing as rapidly as the7
} could. Soon a score or more struck the
4 deck at once, and a shout went up from
! the sentTies.
4Boarders, ahoy, to arms! Repel board
ers.
3 The CRY was answered by a ringing vol
lev of pistol shots and shout from thu
q | Iarboard gunwale, where Henry DAVE
and fifty men had succeeded in reaching
the deck. 1t was now q fight for life. Tn
{ | guard were either shot down or driver
below, where their companions were tUm
= bling up, selling their cutlasses, and hur
, rying on deck.
q The Americans were pouring on decl
T every second by scores and hfties. Thos
4 who had trembled and hesitated but
j moment before, at the first ring of death
shots and clash of steel, became cool a
. veterans and eager for the fray.
They fastened, climbed, scrambled, an
s tumbled over the gunWales to the decks
a and the shouts constantly increased. Som
g one lighted the battle lanterns, showing
wild, fierce enemy already in possession
= Of the deck, and still pouring over tn
It gunWales-
Y Griffith Atoms military ability neve
appeared to q better advantage than G
E. the present occasion In voice calm q
u if be was only on dress parade, he issue
his commands.
% It was a new and strange mode Of VA