The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-11
ERIE MEDICAL CO., Buffalo, NY.
That's Hairy Hudson on the after

That's Hairy Hudson on the after
rail, SIR
1.-THE low, impairment blackguard!
He'll play some other antics before we
| are done with him. Could you reach
him with the long eighteen, Mr..
Smeaton?"
Another cable length will do it,
SIR"
The brig waved as they spoke, and as
she came round squirt Of smoke
whitfield out from her quarter. 1t was
pure piece of bravado, for the gun
could scarcely carry half way. Then
with jaunty swing the little ship
came into wind again and shot round
fresh curve of the winding channel.
1.-The waters shoaling rapidly. Sir"
reported the second lieutenant
There's six fathoms by the chart"
"Four by the lead. sir"
"When we clear this point we shall
see how we lie. Ha! 1 thought as
much! Lay her to, Mr.. Wharton.
Now we nave got her at our mercy"
The frigate was quite out of sight Of
the sea now at the head of this river
like estuary. AS she came round the
| curve, the two shores were seen to con-
verge at point about a mile distant.
In the angle, as near shore as she could
| get, the brig was lying with her broad
| side towards her pursuer and wisp of
black cloth streaming from her mizzen.
The lean lieutenant, who had reap
peared upon deck with cutlass
strapped to his side and two pistols
rammed into his belt. peered curiously
! at the ensign.
SIS it the Jolly Roger, sir?'' he asked.
But the captain was furious. "He may
hang where his breeches are hanging
before I have done with him." said he.
What boats will you want, Mr.. Whar-
ton?"
1--WE should do it with the launch and
the jolly boat"
stake four and mako clean job of
it. Pipe away the crews at once and
I'll work her in and help you with the
long eighteens."
With rattle Of ropes and a creaking
of blocks the four boats splashed into
| the water. Their crews clustered
! thickly into them, barefooted sailors,
stolid marines, laughing middies, and
in the sheets of each the senior officers
with their stern schoolmaster faces.
The captain, his elbows on the binna-
Gle. still watched the distant brig. Her
crew were tricing up the boarding net
ting, dragging round the starboard
guns, knocking new portfolios for them,
and making every other preparation
for desperate resistance. In the thick
of it all a huge man. bearded to the
eyes. with red nightcap upon his
head, was straining and STOPPING and
hauling. The captain watched him
with a sour smile and then, swapping
up his glass. he turned upon his heel.
For an instant he stood staring
Gall back the boats" he cried, in his
thin, creaking voice. Clear away for
action there! Cast loose those main
deck guns. Brace back the yards, Mr..
Smeaton. and stand by to 90 about
when she has weigh enough"
Round the curve of the estuary was
coming huge vessel The great yell
low bowsprit and white winged figure
head were jutting out from the cluster
of palm trees, while high above them
| lowered three immense masts with the
tri-color flag floating superbly from the
mizzen. Round she came, the deep
blue water Dreaming under her fore
foot, until her long, curving black side,
her line OF shining copper breath and
7 af .vxrhi ko ho, oh nd
tho thick clusters of men who peered
| over her bulwarks. were all in full
view. Her lower yards were slung, her
ports triced up and her guns run out
all ready for action Lying behind one
Of tho promontories of the island the
| lookout men Of the Gloire upon the
| shore had seen the cul-Ge-sac into
which the British frlgate had headed.
so that Capt. de Mlon had served the
Leda as Capt. johnson had the Slap
ping Sal.
But the splendid discipline of the
British service was at its best in such a
| crisis. The boats few back, their
crews clustered aboard, they were
swung up ut the davits. and the fall
ropes made fast. Hammocks were
brought up and slowed, bulkheads sent
down, ports and magazines opened, the
| fires put out in the galley and the
drums beat to quarters. Swarns of
men set the headsails and brought the
frigate round, while the gun crews
threw off their Jackets and shirts.
frightened their belts and ran out their
eighteen Founders, peering through the
| open portfolios at the stately French
| man. The wind was very light. Hard
| ~ ripple showed itself upon the clear
blue water, but the sails blew gently
! out as the breeze came over the wooded
| banks. The Frenchman had gone
about also and both ships were now
| heading slowly for the sea under fore
and-aft canvas, the Gloire one hundred
| yards in advance. She luffed up to
| cross the Leda's bows. but the British
| ship came round also and the two
rippled slowly on in such silence that
the ringing of the raInrods as the
! French marines drove home their
charges changed quite loudly upon the
/ ear.
Not much sea room. Mr.. Wharton"
remarked the captain
81 have fought actions in less, sir"
"We must keep our distance and trust
to our gunnery. She is very heavily
manned and if she gets alongside we
might find ourselves in trouble