San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-02-07


his night-gfass:
Nonsense, Keefe! see nothing"
No time to lose now! Quicker, but
still noiselessly, the brawny black wrist
twisted the paddle, the boat answering
as a live thing and gliding swiftly
away, but not before the ghostly blue
bengal-light cleaned ominous across
the water. And just within its radius,
scarcely visible, hoated on the low,
black boat.
There she lays, sir!'' the watch cried,
pointing.
"Pshaw, man! that's only an old log.
But give her a shot, anyway"
Pete heard the shrin hiss of bullet
close above his head, and a splash as it
struck the water we'll beyond But he
did not even vince: and no sound or
movement showed the dim, log-ike OBJ
ject floating there to be anything more
suspicious.
But at the shot the first ship flashed
her lights, and, still beyond, the third
answered the signal, lighting the water
80 brightly that the boat-gliding swift
" almost out of radius now-showed
clearly And, with the sight, rifles
cracked from the nearest ship, bullets
cutting the water all around, and one
striking dull into the stern of the bold
Tblockade-runner. Then. rearing his
tall form as the boat glided again be-
yond the lights, Pete swung his oar,
crying:
Lay low, missy!-Row, bossy, row."
Another volley came, some bullets
kissing very near, as Evan bent to his
oar and cried, cheerily:
Pull, Pete! It's run or hang, nowr'
But the light boat, as though in relief
from imposed sloth. shot through the
darkness like racer. under the desper-
ate pull of four strong arms.
Behind on the nearest ship were sour
.rying feet, mixed oatbs and orders, the
iboatswain's whistle piping the boats
crew, as the davits creaked. lowering
the launch.
Onward the quarry sped, faster and
faster, not one word spoken by the trio,
until the splash of fallen oars, then
their regular beat, told that the pursuit
was up. Then Evan asked, through SCI
teeth:
''How far to shore, Pete?'
''Less'n half-mile. bossy."
Can we beat them in?'
mo. bossy; not eff tn water'd hold"
This as calmly as the negro had asked
for 'chaw;" but he added: "Dey's
eight oars nd oberhaul our two"
''Can you shoot, Pete?" There was
breezy ring in the boys question, but
the answer came:
Eyes, bossy; but Is not gwine ter.
Petes gwine ter Ian de missy a-runnin'
dis time
But you say they'll catch us?''
All this through desperate pulling,
pursuing oar-beats sounding clearer,
clearer still.
EFF de water'd hold. Eff we keeps
cl'ar de Jumps, we strikes de flats, an
dem can't foller. sholy"
Straight on after them came the heavy
ships boat, guided by their oars. And
now another bengola flashed up in her,
not reaching the quarry, but showing
the pursuer plainly. Eight sailors bent
strongly to their oars. knot of sailors
standing aft, their rifles at ready" an
officer in the bow holding aloft the
glaring torch.
'How far off is that boat?'' Miss Clay
asked, calmly, sitting in the hay. "a
hundred yards?"
Hundred and fifty" Evan answered.
Pull away, Peter
Bout three hun'erd, bossy," the
black corrected, "'lowin' fur de water
distunce. But she's gainin', an fass,
too!''
On still, with oars strained as though
for very life, swept pursuer and pur-
sued, sweat dripping from Evans every
pore, while the trained black seemed
cool and fresh as if there were no strain
upon him.
And the Yankee crew gained with
every pull
Suddenly soft jar,-another, harder;
and the black gave great sweep, cry
ing:
Back ! Lift, bossy! Quick Yves
dun streck dem fats" he added, as the
boats head swung to his pull and she
glided on again. Pull slower, bossy.
DE Jumps is danjus." And he bent low
over the water striving to scan the
shore-line behind him
But the pause had brought the pur-
suit dangerously near, the glare of a
fresh bengola showing her prey well
within its CLEAN. Raising the torch
high above his head, the officer pointed
to the slower moving craft; and with
his order rang out q dozen shots, bullets
cutting the water all around ere the
red flash ran along the muzzles.
Catch my oar, quicll!" Evan cried;
but it was Carolyn CIay's hand-even