The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-22

the Valentines rail and were attempt
ing to reach the deck.
Aft the attacking party had met with
a similar fate. The Malays made a
dash to swarm up the vessels side, just
as the fire was opened from the bow !;
but they got so warm a reception from
the revolvers of the captain and first
mate that the engineers and five men,
who stood ready to repel boarders with
whatever weapon they could pick up,
had no opportunity to make themselves
useful. The canoe, with at least half
its party shot, was turned about and
padded away with speed which
showed the terror of it's occupants.
The attack on the Valentine had been
a complete failure.
Captain James CHEEKY voice was now
heard calling out for information as to
how much damage had been done; and
, when he learned that not a man on
board had got so much as a scratch he
fairly shouted for joy.
I'VE made 1t too warm for them
that time, Mr.. Jackson he exclaimed
| triumphantly.
Yes" returned Jackson, without en-
thusiasm.
why, what's the matter. MANI"
| cried the captain.
Nothing. only we've not done with
them yet" said the mate.
Come, you don't think that?"
II do, SIR
They've had too bad a licking" said
the captain, decidedly; and as IL that
ended the matter, he left the bridge.
A grim smile fitted over Jackson's
face; but he went about his duties with
out a word on the subject till noon.
Then he lit his pipe and found a seat
beside the captain, who presently re-
marked:
They say they can't finish work on
the shaft so that we can go ahead till
tomorrow morning?"
Yes"
The captain had something on his
mind. You really don't think there's
any further danger from these yellow
rascals, do your" he inquired.
II don't think there is" returned the
mate; Il know there is. They'll be on
us again tonight and thre'll be two or
three for every one of them that tried
the trick this morning. They know
we're in a fix. and they have found
out we haven't any heavy guns. Do
you think they'll let a prize like the
Valentine escape them? What IL a
couple of dozen of them are killed?
That won't stop them. Mark my
words, Wen have to fight for our lives
tonight
The captain looked grave. Cant we
drive them off if they do try to board
again?" he asked.
The mate raised his brows. You
know as much about that as / do. /
have my doubts. But, of course, I'm
hoping I'm wrong" Then his face
knotted in hard frown for a moment,
but cleared as quickly. the next mo-
ment he sprang to his fet.
1T might be done 1t might be doner'
he exclaimed.
The action aroused the captain from
the abstraction into which he had
fallen.
The mate leaned toward him pulling
on his pipe in short. excited puffs, and
explained the plan which had just come
to him.
For two hours before sun down all
the deck hands We're engaged in an
occupation rather strange on a vessel
which was hundreds of miles from
port. They were partly unloading the
ship.
When darkness fell the Valentine was
slowly rising and dropping in a gentle
swell. The current. such as there was
set in toward the islands from which
the Malays had come. There was no
wind. As soon as night had blotted the
islands from sight. the first mate went
forward. Ranged along uevA were q
couple Of dozen barrels of oil
The donkey engine. by means of a
sling. was bringing up more barrels
from the cargo stored in the hold.
Ten minutes after Mr.. Jackson's APP
pearance three Of the barrels had been
wheeled aft on trucks and lifted upon
the gunwales. where they We're firmly
secured with lashings TO the rigging on
the port side. Four more barrels I'm the
open gangway forward We're tilted on
the sides and held there. 4 few blows
from a mallet on a spike drove in the
buEgs. So fixed that their bung holes
were hung over the sea outside the
ehipFz rail each IA rr-l fruu,adfa rely he
gan 10 discharge a goOd-siZed stream OF