The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-10-20
EN1gKE7 HE freight steamer

Id
AhE=5E,S blunt prov facing
Ns-rkS@-lkAA south, and the cap
-szks==S=sS====- tain reckoned he
was somewhere off the Queen Char
fotte Islands. The Bear was an iron
ship of old-fashioned build and as slow
as they make 'em; any old thing on
the ocean could pass her; yet, pro
tenn. she was passenger boat and was
bringing down the last of the seasons s
crop of Klondike miners. She was
reputed to have over $5, 1000, 600 worth
of gold dust and nuggets on board and
her coming was watched for with some
anxiety.
On the morning of the 7th the cap
tain noticed on the western horizon
what appeared to be steamer coming
towards him. AS craft are scarce on
these waters, except in the sealing
season, the captain watched the
strangers approach with interest not
unmixed with anxiety, because of the
valuable cargo he had aboard. The
sea was calm for the time of year, and
the steamer seemed to be making for
across the bows of the Bear. The cap
tain ordered the flag hoistcd, but the
oncomer showed no answering colors,
which did not tend to make the cap
tain feel less uneasy. She was trim
craft, looking like private yacht,
painted black with two slim, tapering
masts set at a rakish slope in line with
her one funnel. She came swiftly
through the water and turned her
broadside toward the Russian Bear,
when the man at the wheel calculated
that she was as near as was safe, and
her engines slowed down SO that the
strangers speed more nearly accorded
with the slow progress the larger ship
was making. A man on the bridge
came to the edge nearest the slower
vessel and placing his hands to his
mouth, shouted:
Ship ahoy. Is that the Russian
Bear?"
'Who are you?" roared the captain;
''and what do you want?"
II want an answer to my question;
then I'll tell you what more 1 want :"
After speaking, however, the new
conner did not wait for an answer, but
gave a command to the man at the
wheel, who promptly signaled for the
engines to stop, whereupon the yacht
dropped TO the rear, Notwithstanding
the slowness of the old Bear. The
name was plainly painted on the stern,
and the captain of the yacht having
seen that this was the ship he was
after moved quickly alongside again,
this time with only couple of hun
dred feet of water between the two
ships. During the slight interval the
crew of the yacht had been busy, and
now forbidding looking cannon point
ed its ominous muzzle toward the
Bear.
"I'm after the gold, captain" said
the first speaker, nonchalantly, ''as
no doubt you are aware. I'm going to
have it quietly or I'm going to sink
your ship. Which is it to be?"
Whatever gold we have on board,
if we have any, isn't mine. l don't
see what good the sinking of the ship
will do you, and it would be very in
convenient to me. Better sheer off
and Wen say no more about it. 1
can take a joke as well as the next
man.
For time it looked as if the strang-
er needed the good advice Igiven him.
The captain of the yacht rang full
speed ahead and the sharp prov cut
the water like a knife. The yacht de-
seribed large circle aud seemed to
be showing off its PAGES, but this, as
the captain of the Bear remarked, was
unnecessary, for he already knew that
any scow ON the Pacific could pass
him. However, it was soon evident
that this was not the intention of the
enemy. Ranging alongside once more,
but this time further away, there was
a cloud of smoke from the cannon, a
sharp report and the crash of render
ing plates. A jagged hole had been
torn in the ships side near the bull
warks, which, while it did no harm,
scarcely improved the appearance of
the Bear.
Once more the yacht swung around
the circle and again ranged alongside
within distance of hundred yards.
''Haul down the flag, said the cap
tain of the big steamer
'Wel, captain" began the young
man on the bridge when at speaking
distance, "a practical lesson is worth
any amount of talk. L merely wished
TO convince you that we know how 10
handle our guns and that our guns can
penetrate your rotten plates. Besides,
you will have something TO show for
your money when you get to port.
take it we will have no further trouble,
but I'll give you five minutes more if
you wish toleonsult together"