Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-04-20
CHAPTER I.

gallant stays or the armed cruiser pea
Hawk.
"Can you mako her out2" called up
Captain Ralph Denham, tall, we'll
built, handsome young man, in the un-
dress naval uniform peculiar to Colo
NAL officers in the service OF England.
This was In the year 1896, when the
ties between the motherland and the
American Colonies were strong; out
side foes forcing them to unite for mu
tual protection, and causing them to
overlook the differences that were yet
Ito rend them asunder.
In reply to the Captains question,
"Oan you make her outP" the lookout
took longer and more careful view Of
the strange craft that had attracted his
attention; then he called out:
"She lies low down, sir. Seems to
have rakish masts, and Is heading to-
wards Montauk.
As the reader knows, Montauk Is the
extreme southeastern peninsula Of Long
Island, where the cliffs rise boldly up
from the sea, and where, even at this
early date, fires were kept burning at
night for the guidance of ships sailing
into the Sound, or seeking from Allan
Ito storms the protection Of the Great
Bay to the north.
Captain Denham turned to the
smooth-faoed young man standing near,
and In voice In which authority and
courtesy were blended said:
Lieutenant Dayton, take glass, go
aloft, and see if you can make out the
stranger.
AYE. aye, slrl" replied the handsome
youth, and, taking telescope from the
stand at the head of the companion
way, he sprang into the mlzzen- mast
shrouds and went up easily and swiftly
till he stood on the topgallant-yard.
with one arm thrown lightly around the
stay.
There was soft, warm breeze blow
ing from the south. 1t scarcely ruffled
the surface of the sea, but it filled the
upper sails on the taperlng masts, caus-
ing the stately vessel to glide with a
wonderfully graceful motion, as II pro-
PEELED by some invisible power.
well, Dayton" called up the Cap
tain, who was now standing impatiently
by the man at the Wheel what is sheP"
A war ship, sir, replied the young
officer.
Her hag?'
She flies none. Every stitch of can
vas is spread, and she comes from the
south.
And is making for Montauk?"
YES, sir.
THAT is very strange" muttered the
Captain.
He took turn on the quarter deck,
then picking up telescope he looked in
the direction OF the stranger, now visl-
BILE to the unalded eye as white speck
on the ar.off horizon, whore the blue
sky and the blue ocean met
After an eager survey Of some min
utes the Captain called out to Lieuten-
ant Dayton again:
did you ever see the Adventure Gal
loy?'
"Yes, sir, was the response,
"Where?"
Last year, in New York" The Lieu
tenant looked again at the stranger
and added, with some excitement: And
that is the Adventure Galley or hel
ghost"
"All right, Mr.. Dayton, said the
Captain. Come down.
The young officer descended with a
speed that to landsman would have
seemed downright recklessness.
But there were no landsmen on the
Sea Hawk.
Her crew, one hundred and thirty in
number, were all In the prime of life.
Stalwart, bearded and bronzed, yet as
neat in their attire as II ready for in
spectlon.
The uniformity of their dress would
have told the stranger that they were
not mere sailors. But even the I'M
practiced eye could see this was not a
merchant ship.
Every pin was polished every brass
article shone like mirror; every rope
was taut and in place. The decks were
as clean and white as good house,
wlfe's kitchen floor, and such parts as
were painted looked as IL they had Just
been under the brush.
About the masts, in well-olled racks,
were boarding pixies ranged ready TO
hand, and beneath them, with Crap
ping hooks attached, were neatly
coiled ropes.
On either side there were ten port
holes, through which-now that the
ports were open-twenty gpelt guns
looked out.
But these formidable weapons were
dwarfed by long brass swivel gun
amidships, which must have been the
particular pet of the sailors, for its ex-
posed surface shone like mass Of gold
Briefly, the Sea Hawk was cruiser
fitted out under the directions OF Colo.
mel Richard Livingstone-the in com.
mand Of the New York Colonial militia
and intended to destroy the pirates
who at that time were plundering the
neighbOring seas, and even making
marauding expeditions into the peace
full bays and harbors on the coast.
Two years prior to the date Of GU
story, Colonel Livingstone had commits
stoned Captain William Kidd to protec
the commerce Of the Colonies from
piracy, but as that gentleman saileC
away and was never seen again, TIL,
general belief was that Captain William
Kidd had gone to the bottom in som
storm, or, still more sad may hav
have fallen a victim to the pirates h
was sent out to suppress.
One thing was certain, the depreda
lions on the seas still continued, ant
as a consequence, the Sea Hawk wa
fitted out and placed under the CON
mand of the gallant young sailor, CAY
tain Ralph Denham, of Sag Harboi
Long Island.
At that time New York was compare
lively Of much less commercial import
anes than at present, and the bays {