Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1897-10-16

a usual thing they saw too much OF the
fleet. "NNe don't care much about the
feet" he added, except to keep out of
its way. A warship won't swerve from
its course for anything afOat; and as
for them torpedo boat catchers, he's a
wise man who gives them wide
berth"
"There will be no danger on Sat
urday night" said the Londoner, "fOr
the ships are all anchored, and the sight
| of them will be something a man never
can forget, for each of the craft will
! have her outlines defined by something
| like thousand electric lights, shaping
her in the fire; masts, ropes, funnel, and
all the rest of 1t. There will be over a
| hundred and fifty ships all ablaze like
this, and on that night the electric fleet
will be worth seeing"
After imparting this lurid informa-
| ton the LondOner went his way and
| left the two men medtating over what
he had told them. At last Teddy said
solemnly:
"If we could run the old man up
against that fleet of fire, and him not
knowing anything of it, he'd think he
had 'em sure, wouldn't he?"
Yes admitted Billy. at would be
kind o dazzles."
Lets get him aboard" cried Teddy
resolutely, "and give him lesson. We
can drift down Spithead way and come
on it kind O. casual like Saturday night,
~ nI,I CT n
er said, it would make Joe think judg-
ment day had come, and he'd likely
swear off and not touch rum any more
Its worth trying" said Billy. And
anyhow, I'd like to see the fleet all lit
up. We can pretend to Joe that we no.
tice nothing out of ordinar, and think
that will stagger the old man"
The two fishers without more ado
trudged off to Capt. Joe's cottage. The
skipper was feeling mighty bad and
rusty. He sat with his head in his hands
and gave no greeting to his shipmates.
The prospect of getting him atloat did
not look any too cheerful, and perhaps
! they would have been unsuc 2essful had
not Mrs. Capt Rattlin told the men that
they ought to be ashamed Of themselves
coming after sick man who ought to
be abed. if he knew what was good for
him. He wasn't in fit state to go out
in a boat. This at once aroused Capt.
| Joe Rattlin. He'd show her who was
in tit state, he cried, so bundling his
two partners out of the house, and
roaring defiance to his wife. who tried
TO stop his exit, he followed them
down to the beach, and in short time
! The Sober Jade was atlOat on the salt
water again, heading out from Hast
ings. There was some Shrewdness af-
ter all in the captains going to sea !;
the doctor had forbidden him liquor
and now giving the wheel to Teddy
Luff, the skipper set himself industri-
ously at the consumption of what rum
there was aboard. No one dared say
word to him, or eXpostulate. And thus
the three fishers sailed to the west as
the sun went down on Saturday after
noon.
There came up a wild thunderstorm
which drove the captain below, for he
had not his oilskns on, and it also
gave Billy an opportunity of largely di-
luting the rum with water. which the
captain was now too drunk to notice
Teddy began to fear that the old man
would be too far gone to notice the
fleet, even if it all blew up. but he
drenching he got before getting under
cover partly sObered him, and the dilu-
ton of his grog kept him from getting
much more intoxicated. As darkness
came on The Sober Jade had "risen
the fleet" as Teddy PIT it, and getting
under the lee of the Isle Of Wight, Billy
cast anchor and there they lay.
I'm afraid said Teddy, that the
old man won't come up on deck again
of his own accord, and l don't see how
we can persuade him to come up our
selves, for we can't pretend we see
anything"
"Oh, that's all right" said Billy.
I've put the rum up for'ard and he
hasn't much more to so on, so we'll
hear him sing out after bit"
At Q O'clock the first of the illuminat-
ed ships broke out in dazzling splen-
) dor quite taking away the breath of
: the onlOokers, and shortly after the
whole fleet was one gigantic display
: of glittering starlike beauty as If the
5 consultations of the heavens had fall
: en- and shaped themselves into fairy
e ships.
: MY c-e" said Teddy, Il never saw
anything like that before"
Nor did l.! answered Billy.
3 Both of the men were gazing with
o such admiration at the scintillating
7. neet that they forget all about their n
n ebriated captain, until he suddenly
1t roared up at them:
Ie Here you, Teddy Luff; bring me