San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-14
CHAPTER XXI.
THE AMERICAN CAPTAIN

| CHAPTER XIII
THE AMERICAN CAPTAIN.
| Dawn found the brig enveloped in
thick fog, but when the sun rose the
whiteness grew brilliant, and Mr.. Har
| dy guessed that neither the top nor sides
of the smother were very far of. A light
wind was blowing. The fog rushed
with it betwixt the masts and through
the rigging in streams and lines OF
steam. The ripping water was like
steel. 1t feathered in winks Of foam
and vanished close to, as though it
washed under the foot Of a wall.
Not long had the fog grown bright
when the commander made his appear
ance on deck.
"a little wind" said he, shifting at
it, land fair" he added, glancing aloft
at the yards which came and went in
the rolling clouds of vspor like the sail
of boat in the run of the surge.
He stepped to the pinnacle and looked
at the briggs course, then hung his jolly
red face over the side to judge Of the
speed.
At that instant the sound Of gun
was heard. The commander started and
swept the surrounding blankness with
his gaze; then, stepping over to Mr..
Hardy, he said, Ibid you hear itg'
The mates answer was taken out Of
his mouth by the sound of another gun,
distant indeed, but clear and unmistaka.
BILE.
Good graciousp' exclaimed the COM
mander. "Who can be firing in this
fog? What is he firing forH Another
gun, by thunder, Hardy Why" he
cried, with his head thrown back and
his nostrils large in the mist, sit posi-
lively sounds like an engagement. Can
it be ship ashore? What shore is there
down here for ship to strand upon?"
"D'you think something's got scent
of the Queen and"-
Why" interrupted the commander,
you can't see a ship her own length
off. Who'd pillow up that yapor there
with useful round shot on the chance of
the enemy being hidden in it?''
THE sun, sir" cried Mr.. Hardy.
Another gun" exclaimed the CON-
mander.
As the mate spoke glorious beam of
light shot through break in the flying
silvery stuff and flashed up the brig,
dazzling out her skylight and bright
work into squares and stars of stream
ing splendor Then, as if that spoke of
glory had been the magician's wand
that commanded the evanishment of
this blind, soft, unsubstantial show, the
vapor opened-it seemed to be torn, it
fell brokenly into lanes and highways
and avenues, with Jumps of shimmering
coast between. In few minutes and
to the noise Of artillery the skirts of
that vast field Of fog majestically float
ed past the brig, over whose beam and
bow the blue sea opened, brilliant with
the newly risen sun.
why, that's what it is, sir-a
fghtr' cried Mr.. Hardy in a voice that
yelled with excitement
The commander was thunderstorm
He stood motionless. He never could
have believed that with his own sight
he should witness in that year and in
those waters the spectacle he beheld.
Not above ~ miles on the bow lay
two vessels, broadsiding each other with
small guns. One was a black bark with
heavy black tops and large topsails. She
had color at her mizzen gaff, was
painted black, with line of reddish
i metal that famed wet as she lightly
rolled like something sun touched, clear
: ly man-of-war. The other was smart
| oh
u raking mssts and very sharp bows.
= They were maneuvering with spirit
> when the old Wellesley swarmed out Of
the fog, the brig trying to get to wind
Il ward OF the bark, and the bark slowly
= swinging her sails into light and shadow
as she braced her yards to defeat hel
opponents efforts.
II my glass, Hardyw cried the com
x mander, and leveling those substantial
> tubes Of brass at the two vessels h,
e gazed thirstily.
10 The flag floating languidly at tn,
/ bark's peak was Mexican. The brig haC
y the appearance of Yankee. The hear
's of Boldock beat with pulse Of feve
when the great telescope brought one o
the other of the vessels close to him
Red fire gushed from their sides, satil
Is white clouds of white powder smok
q drifted betwixt their masts and shon
upon the sea like fragments Of the TO
= that stately in bulk and pace was pass
ing away into the blue heaven OF th
northern horizon. All the Jacks Of tn
brig had got scent Of the show, and tn
forecastle was filed In fact, what wit