, 1891-01-16
A YANKEE TRICK.
Sail hoi"

CLA no.
Never, surely, did the cry fall upor
more welcome ears, save and except
those of men becalmed in a boat upon
the open sea For twelve weary day.
and nights had We, the officers and
men of II. NJ ship Petrol (six guns,
Commander b. r. NevilleJ, been cooped
up in our iron prison, patroling one oil
the hottest sections of the terrestrial
globe on the lookout for slavers. From
latitude 4 degs north 10 latitude 4
degs. south was our beat, and we dared
not venture beyond these limits. ON
instructions were to keep out of sight
of land and try to intercept some OF
the larger vessels, which, it was sus.
pected, carried cargoes of slaves from
the - UOHst- The ship the seattle
cloudleSs sky-there was nothing else
to see, nothing else to think Of. Work.
study, play even, were alike impossible
in that fierce. scorching heat II you
touched a bit Of iron on deck il almost
burned your hand. II you lay down
between decks covered with a sheet
you awoke in a bath Of p~erspiration.
sail hoi"
The man, in his excitement, repeated
the shout before he could be hailed
from the deck.
Where away sang out the cap
tain.
Two points on the weather bow,
sir" was the reply.
ThaF nhrasa .I..t a.. 4A.--u-
bow wa n nautical fiction, for there
was no wind to speak of, and what
there was was nearly dead astorn.
Keep her away two points. said
Commander Neville, and the order wa
promptly obeyed.
In a few seconds the news had sprend
through the ship, and the men clustered
on the bulwarks, s~training their eyes to
get a glimpse of the stranger. Even
the stokers, poor fellows! showed their
sooty faces at the engine oom hatch
way. OF course the stranger might be,
and probably was. an innocent trader,
but then she might be a SLAYER, and
golden visions Of prize money fioated
before the eyes OF every man and boy
on board the Petrol.
VIZ did not steam very fast. rs of
course-our supply Of coal was limited;
and it was about two hours before sun
down when We fairly sighted the
stranger. She was a long, three masted
schooner, with tall, raking masts, lying
very low in the water. All her canvas
was set, and as a little wind had
sprung up she was slipping through
the water at a fair pace.
''She looks for all the world like a
SLAYER, sir," remarked Mr.. Brabazon,
the first lieutenant, TO the commander.
Neville said nothing, but his lips
were firmly compressed and a CLEAN
excitement was in his eyes.
Fire a blank cartridge, Mr.. O'Riley,"
said he to the second lieutenant, and
her to ask her nationality and
her code number"
This was done, and in answer to the
the schooner slowly hoisted the
American colors.
She has eased away her sheets and
luffed a point or two, sir" said the
quartermaster, touching his cap.
The captain merely answered this by
a nod
Put a shotinyo your gun, Mr.. O'Riley,"
said he. Lower your hoist and make
a fresh hoist demanding her name"
This was done, but the American
took no notice.
Fire n shot, Mr., O'Riley- wide, Of
course" said the commander.
Again the deafening report Of the
big gun sounded in our ears, and we
could see the splash OF the shot as it
the water about fifty yards from
the schooner. Immediately "A flag was
run up, then another and another, and
we saw that she wa o giving her
code number, but was spelling ont her
name, letter by letter the Black
Swan.
Just look that up in the United
States merchant registry, " said the cap
tain to the first lieutenant. And in
half "A minute he had reported, NO
such name, sir.
This was something more than sus-
picious. And the wind was rising.
Hoist the signal for her to heave
tol" cried Commander Neville. Take
a DOat mn NAL "a ubLtl llhiluss MI
O'Riley," he continued board her.
inspect her papers and come back TO
report. If her papers are not in order"
added he, you may search for slaves,
but if they are you had better do moth
ing further. You know il is clearly set
down in the protocol that we are not
entitled to search the hoa0 il the papers
are in order, and there have been com
plants lately against some ov]erzealous
officers, who have got into trohble in
consequence. So be careful, but keep
your eyes open. Note any suspicious
circumstances and come pack n soon
as you ear to report
Before Lieut.. O'Riley reached the
ship he saw that everything about her
had been sacrificed to speed. Her spars
especially were unusually heavy for a
craft of her size.
The British officer was received by a
little, thin, elderly man wearing a Pan
anna hat, and speaking with "A strong
Yankee accent.
Produce your papers If you please, -
kaid O,Riley. They were handed out
a E. ROejel, druggist. desires to H.