The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-11-13

that the game was indeed up. I sat
Founders to review the situation. As I
meditated my eye fell on some coils Of
telegraph wire which Hudson Of the
survey department had brought into the
fort before the outbreak Of the disturb
ance, to connect III with the capital. AS
my glance fell upon it a thought flashed
through my brain.
"'Savedr l cried, leaping from the
cannon. The captains got 'em again.
remarked that devils imp Of a drum
mer boy. Without needing this breach
of discipline l sent for Hudson. In a
few words I whispered my idea to him.
He caught my idea at once. Captain
he cried, you are q genius, a marvel,
a. However, it is not for me to repeat
the compliments, perhaps not altogether
undeserved, he paid my resource.
with his help I wound the telegraph
wire round two cannons, connecting ev-
cry two guns with a spool of wire. In
this way we connected eight guns ON the
land side Of the fort and six commanding
the bay. Then the wires from each gun
were taken into the powder magazine,
where Hudson had rugged up an Internal
machine Of his w devising.
"We had hardly completed our work
when night fell. You are sure they
haven't any muskets" Hudson said to
me before we separated for the night.
Perfectly I answered. only spears
and knives. Then it ought to be all
right, he murmured, but how about
the ships?' Let s settle the niggers first
I replied. Sufficient for the day are the
ructions thereof
with these remarks he left me, and
I sat in my powder magazine awaiting
events. The hours crept by very slowly.
I tingled with excitement, for I knew
the next hour would determine our fate.
At length in the pitchy darkness the
drummer boy, with his only eye glow
ing in the blackness like a carbuncle,
whispered softly, Captain, they re COM
ing!' Still I waited.
Then in the deathlike stiffness q yell
broke on the startled air. l knew the
crucial moment had come, and IL
pressed a button. There was a whirring
sound. Then all was quiet again until a
cheer from my men rang out and l knew
that all was well. Selling my club l
hurried out into the darkness. Every
thing was as dark as-as the war Office
and the fort was deserted.
Just outside the gate I stumbled
across a body. ! turned it over with my
foot. 1t was a niger in full warpaint
and unarmed. Then I knew that my
plan had succeeded. Hurrying forward,
whittier a dull thud, varied by an occa-
sional groan, guided me, l found my
gallant Bombardiers clubbing for dear
life-for the bayonets and barrels of
their muskets had been removed by my
understanding a scurrying crowd of
savages.
well, sir, we banged and banged
until we could no longer raise our arms.
AS day broke I ordered the drummer to
beat to quarters. He was nowhere to be
found. Shouting to my men, I bade
them retire to the fort. Then the sun
rose, and what a sight met our eyes!
Every cannon in the fort was studded
with spears and knives as thick as a
pudding is Of plums, as close as a pin
cushion is Of pins.
what had happened will be obvious
to you, sir. By the telegraph wires and
an electric battery in the powder maya
zine I had turned all my into
electro magnets Of 40 horsepower. Con-
sequently as soon as the enemy were
within range I turned Oh the current.
Every steel weapon in the hands of the
niggers simply whirled out Of their
grasp and stuck like horse leeches to my
magnets.
1.-THE absence Of the drummer boy
was Don explained. AS, against my dis
tinct orders, he had been wearing a
hanger when I turned the current on, he
few against the nearest gun and stuck
took six men to haul him off.
"Then, in the joy of victory, a sud
den dread came upon me. How about
the three men-of-war? The foreign
power ought to have landed it's myrmi-
dons by this time. Scourged by my ap-
prehensions, l hurried to the seward
battlements Of the fort. There, in the
gray dawn, a strange sight met my eyes.
Mailed to the cruel rocks to the west
ward of Damli lay those three men-of-
war, hopeless wrecks, buffeted by the
waves against the grinding crags. What
had happened was simple enough.
Damme, sir, it flashed across me in an
instant. The force of my seward mag
nets had been such that it had deranged
the compasses Of these vessels. Follow
ing their distorted guidance, they had
run ashore ON the reef westward Of the
fort.
Even as I watched I saw a boat push
off from the wrecked flagship. At once
l donDed the graceful uniform Of my
regiment, the Munchausen's Own, as
the service fondly termed it, and drew
up my gallant 90 in platoons to await
our v%anquished foe. A tall officer, Of
gallant bearing, his dripping uniform
decorated with a star, stepped ashore.
"'Field marshal, said he, bowling to
me with a grace that left me no doubt
that l was standing in the presence of a
prince Of blood royal, I have the honor
-