The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-01


III not going to begin in my old age. We
can't exactly bang them, but we can did
ole them, and thatll amount to the same
thlng. How long will the Spanlard be be
rore she's alongside?'
Seven hours, if his engines don't breal,
down. VI Gun
Then" said the colonel Gin seven
hours and thirty minutes he'll be ours.
And not life will be lost unless the Span-
iard's pig-headed and foolish. And
ned"
Am And how do you propose to do it?''
asked the captain in establishment.
That IN explain shortly" replied the
colonel. IN go below and get some
here?"
II shant leave the bridge until the end
OF this business comes" said the captain.
II leave before, it will be when I'm
iard's shot"
The colonel went below and lunched, and
iunched well. He matured his plans, and
talked them over with his second in COM
mand.
1T can be DONE" said the colonel.
There's not the slightest doubt about
that" said the senior major. It's all a.
question of ethics"
Ethics be -" said the old colonel;
they don't count at time like this. You
can't expect that they should"
Honor used to count in the old doys--it
wouldn't have been the thing to act as you
| propose" observed the major.
In the old days they fought with the
DOW ana arrow. Even you wouldn't say
that what was good enough then would
do now" said the colonel.
The major laughed. THAT puts new
light on the matter. Say no more. Your
scheme is smart and it's bound to succeed.
unless somebody bungles it,"
The man that bungles it won't live to
bungle another" said the colonel; sat any
rate not If L catch him doing it. Well,
I've got to explain to the captain, any you
can tell the rest of the officers what it is
In few minutes TIL have the battalion
fallen in, then we shall be ready for the
fun. By Jove," he concluded, as he rose
from his chair 81 never felt such an exhil-
aration before. I'm positively thrilled at
the prospect Of MODELLING the Spauiard."
ut will certainly be one of the finest
'coups' in naval or military history" said
the major
The colonel returned to the bridge, and
resumed his place at the captains side
She's almost a knot nearer than when
you went below" said the captain.
Then she's knot nearer her DOOM
replied the colonel cheerfully.
Pm sorry I can't see it, as yet" said
the captain She's a knot nearer knock
ing us out of the water, if we don't maui
| down the flag. You must remember that
we offer magnificent target to the Span
lard. He could hull us now If he liked,
easily-that is, if he's got anyone on board
who can shoot. We loom out of the water
like huge building; but as for him, why
he's like raft at present. We .couldn' t
hurt him, even if we could get the guns
| well on to him. So you see, 1 can't quite
| look at the matter as you seem to regard
| it,"
Then listen, and tell me what you
| think of my scheme" said the colonel. He
| was man of few words, and soon ex-
| pounded his idea. "Hows that for smart
| ness?' he asked.
The captain stroked his chin, then gave
low whistle of surprise. Smart isn't
the word for it, he said. but what
about the law of nations?"
| "A good deal of 1t is unwritten, and
therefore oughtn't to trouble u.s." said the
| colonel. "And as for that point, airs fair.
| you know in love or war"
Suppose we did 1t, what would they say
at homer?
"It doesn't need much thinking what
| they'd say" answered the colonel, enthu-
! siasticaly. "By JoVe! 1 can just imagine
| it. What would they say to our saving
our bacon, and adding good deal more to
it? What, could they say that WASH t
| agreeable?"
Suppose we did It," said the captain,
"how about the people who are to follow
us. How would they fare? You know, all
the ships in the British mercantile marine
| are not as large and swift and Well-man-
ned as the State of Georgia"
Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof" said the colonel, who was par
| tial to quotations. what you say is true,
| but remember, we should remove from the
seas the most dreaded and most dangerous
pest. Once get her." the colonel pointed
| to the Don Alfonzo, "out of the way, ana
there isn't much left to modest our mer-
chant cruisers. The matters In a nut
shell-without you l can do nothing. If
you think fit to surrender, then I can say
no more. We haul down the flag quietly
and cave in, and we shall have an oppor-
tunity Of rejecting In dirty Spanish pris-
ons. and living on dirty Spanish fare. All
I suggest is a bit Of strategy. We have
much to lose and much to gain-but infin-
itely more OF the former. Which shall it
be?'
IT always had a fancy for the winning
SIDE" said the captain, with laugh, 'and
it's wonderfully strong within me just
now. I'm with you
"Then I'll make my preparations, and
you'll do with your own men as you think
best"
The colonel descended to the cabin once
more, and Joined the officers, who were
standing talking there
'"I've explained your scheme, SIR" said
the senior major, land there hasn't been
a voice raised against it."
That's satisfactory" said the colonel.
NOW, Whyte," he continued, turning to
the adjutant, fall in the battalion, and
I'll be up in a minute or two to tell them
what / have to say
The adjutant took the steps leading to
the deck three at a time, and being a
smart man and full of the excitement of
a prospective adventure, he had the bat
talon fallen In and proved in ten min
utes. The men stood to their arms in
their white helmets and scarlet kerseys.
packed like Manx kippers in a box, and
the heart of the adjutant thumped with
pride as he beheld them. Good Lordr'
he muttered, ito think OF all these fine
fellows giving up the ghost to dirty for
egner with never fight for itp' There
were sundry other fine fellows on board,
but they were OF the sea, and under the
command Of the naval men, and were
therefore no concern Of his. GAS for the
honor of II about which the major had
said so much, honor be- "Shun," he