West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1894-11-08


friends I'm the harbor of San Francisco,
and the talk turned upon Ted" Deb
ncy, his brother, who had resigned
from the navy several years before be-
cause he had chivalrously prevented a
French cruiser from boring holes in n
wretched opium smuggling craft.
Ted" was impulsive. brave, daring,
and loved alike by his superiors and
his men.
Have YOU ever got on the track of
Ted?'
Once thought / had, at Singapore.
but nothing came of IL. No doubt he
changed his name. lie never asked
for nor got the legacy which my poor
father left him"
An hour later they were aboard the
'ormorant, dining with n number of
men asked to come and say good-by 70
Mostyn, who was starting for England
the second day following, after n pleas
ant cruise and visit with Dcbney.
Meanwhile. from far beyond that
yellow lane OF light running out from
Golden Gate there came vessel. sail
ing straight for harbor She was "A
large old-fashioned cruiser. carving
guns, and when she passed another
vessel she hoisted the British ensign.
She looked like half obsolete cor
vette. spruced up, made modern by
every possible device, and all her ap.
pointments were shapcly and in order.
She was clearly British man-of-war.
as shown in her trim-dressed sailors.
her good handful OF marines, but her
second and third lieutenants seemed
little like Englishmen, and, indeed.
one was an American and one was n
llollandcr. There was gun drill and
cutlass drill every day, and, what was
also singular, there was boat drill
twice day, so that the crew OF this
man-of-war, as they saw Golden Gate
ahead OF them were perhaps more ex-
pert at boat drill than any that sailed.
they could lower and raise boat with
wonderful experiences i'm bad sea, and
they rowed with cloclt-lilSc precision
and machine like force.
Their general discipline did credit To
the British navy. But they were not
given to understand that by their
commander, Capt Shcwen. who had
nm eve like a spot OF steel and a tongue
like aloes or honey as the mood was
upon him.
This was most noticeable when he
was shut away from tho Others in his
cabin. Then his whole boiy seemed
TO change. The eye became softer.
and yet full OF "a sort OF genial
deviltry, AID the body had n careless
hlertncss and elasticity, the whole
man hal the athletic grace OF "A wild
animal, and his face had hearty sort
Of humor, which the slightly lifting
zip in its bizarre disdain could not
greatly modify. lie certainly seemed
we'll pleased with himself. and more
than once, as he sat alone, hc laughed
outright, and once he said aloud. "a
his fingers ran up and down schedule
not man-o-war's schcdule-laugh-
ing sofCly:
Poor old Farquhar, II he could see
me now" Then, to himself: well
ms ! told him, was violently tossed
like n ball into the large country. and
I've had n lot OF adventure and sport.
But here's something more-the big
Rest game ever played between ma
tons by q private person with a half
million dollars as the end thereof. if
all goes well with my lone corvette!
The next evening just before dusk,
after having idled about out OF sight
Of the signal station all day, Capt
Shcwell entered Golden Gate with tho
Hornet. OF no squadron. But the Off
GERS OF the signal station did not
know that, and simply telcgraphed 20
the harbor in reply 20 the signals
from the corvette that Brit fish man
of-war was arriving. She came leisure
ly up the bay, with Capt. Shewell on
tho bridge. He gave n low whistle az
he saw the Cormoraut in the distance.
He knew the harbOr well, and lie saw
that the Cormoraut had gone TO n new
anchorage, not the same rs British
incn-of-war took formerly. He drew
away 20 the new anchorage need
not be supposed 20 know that a change
was expected; besides land this was
important TO Capt. Shewel), tho Old
anchorage was nearer the docks. and
10 was clear, save for one little life
boat and q schooner which was maxi
ing out as he came up.
As she came TO anchor the Cor.
inOrant saluted her and she replied
instantly. Custom officers who were
watching tho craft from the shore or
from their boats gave up hope OF any
excitement when they saw and heard
the salutcs. But two went out TO tho
Hornet, were received graciously by
Capt Shewell. who, over n glass OF
wine in his cabin-appropriately hung
with pictures Of Nelson and ColIinp-
woOd-said that he was proceeding to
Alaska torescdo crew shipwrccltcd on
an island, and that h9 was leaving the
next day as soon as ne could get some
coal, though ho feared 10 would be
difficult coaliDR up that night still
he did not need a great deal. he said
which was indeed the case-but nc
did need some, and hc knew that for
his own safety and the Hornets he
must have g. After this. with cheer
full compliments and the pcrfunctorv
declaration on lis part that there was
nothing dutiable on board. the officers
left him. greatly pleased with HE cour-
tcsy, saiutcd as they left tho ships
side bv tho marines and sailors stand
Ing at the Rangway. The officers did
not notice that one OF these sailors
winkcd an eye at another, and that
both then Rrinucd, and were promptly
ordered aft by the second Lieutenant
As soon as was very dark two or
three boats pushed out from the Hor-