The St. Johns herald., 1897-02-13
THE SLAPPING SAL
By CONAN DOYLE.

"CalI back the boats, 7" he cried Ill his thin, creaking voice. Clear away for action there. Cast loose those man deck guns. Brace back the yards, MT. Smeaton. and stand by to go about when she has way enough.
 Round the curve of the estuary was coming a huge vessel. Her great yellow bowsprit and white winged hgurehead were iutting out from the cluster or palm trees, while high above them tow cred three immense masts, with the UT color flag floating superbly rom the niizzen. Round she came. the deep blue water creaming under her forefoot, un- til her long, curving, black side, her line of shining copper beneath and or snow white hammocks above and the thick clusters of men who peered over her bulwarks were all in full view.
 Her lower yards were slung, her ports triced up and her long guns run out all ready for action. Lying behind one of the promontories of the Island the lookout men of the Gloire upon the shore had seen the cul de sac into which lntAE ILll15Al lllSebtC lltlu uCdlACbs SN N-N'N Captain de MilOn had observed the Leda as Captain Johnson had the Slap ping Sal.
 But the splendid discipline of the Io~i+7rl, e-r-ioo wa o+ ;+- h~=+ in r-oh aoTlsls. The boats few back, their crews clustered aboard, they were swung up at the daYits and the fall ropes made fast. Hammocks were brought up and slowed, bulkheads sent down, ports and magazines opened, the fires put out in the galley, and the drums beat to quar- ters. Swarms of men set the headsails and brought the frigate round, while the gun crews threw off their jackets and shirts, frightened their belts and ran out their IS pounders, peering through the open portholes at the stately French man. The wind was very light. Hardly a ripple showed itself upon the clear blue water, but the sails blew gently out as the breeze came over the wooded banks. The Frenchman had gone about also, and both ships were now heading slowly for the sea under fore and aft canvas, the Gloire 1000 yards in ad- vance. She luffed up to cross the Le- da's bows, but the British ship came round also, and the two rippled slowly on in such a silence that the ringing of the ramrods as the French marines drove home their charges changed quite loudly upon the ear.
 Not much sea room, MT. Wharton" " remarked the captain.
 ''I have fought actions in less, sir.
 "We must keep our distance and trust to our gunnery. She is very heavily manned, and if she got alongside we might find ourselves in trouble. :"
 ''I see the shakos of soldiers aboard of her, two companies of light infantry from Martinique. Now we have her! Hard a-port and let her have it as we cross her sternp'
 The keen eye,of the little commander had seen the surface ripple which told of passing breeze. He had used it to dart across behind the big Frenchman and to rake her with every gun as he passed. But once past her the Leda had to come hack into the wind to keep out er -,-a+er TL- ~arncuver hrCTpht her on the starDOalu sldo ol the French man, and the trim little frigate seemed to heel right over under the crashing broadside which burst from the gaping ports. A moment later her tOpmen were swarming aloft to set her topsails and royals, and she strove to cross the Gloire's bows and rake her again. The French captain, however, brought his frigate's head round, and the two rode side by side within easy pistol shot, pouring broadsides into each other in one of those murderous duels which, could they all be recorded, would mot tie our charts with blood.
 In that heavy tropical ar, with so faint breeze, the smoke formed thick bank round the two vessels from which the topmasts only protruded. Neither could see anything of its enemy save the throbs of fire in the darkness, and the guns were sponged and trained and fired into a dense wall of vapor. On the poop and the forecastle the marineS in two little red lines. were pouring in their volleys, but neither they nor the seamen gunners could see what effect their fire was having. Nor indeed could they tell how far they were suffering themselves, for standing at a gun one could but hazily see that upon the right and left But above the roar of the can- non came the sharper sound of the pip ing shot, the crashing of riven blanks and the occasional heavy thud as spar or block came hurtling onto the deck. The lieutenant paced up and down be- hind the line of guns, while Captain Johnson famed the smoke away with his cooked hat and peered eagerly out.
 ''This is rare, Bobby, said he as the lieutenant joined him, then suddenly restraining himself, What have we lost, Mir Wharton?'
 'Our main topsail yard and our gaff, sir.
 "'Where's the flag
 rGouo overheard. sir.
 They'll think we've struck. Lash n boat ensign ou tho starboard arm of the mizzep cloSs backyard
 "YeS sir
 A Yousl1 s.rn. dashed -ls hinvlCle TC