Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-11-01

s.N tain reckOned he
was somewhere off the Queen Char
lotte 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
tem., she was a passenger boat and was
bringing down the last of the seasons
crop of Klondike miners. She was
reputed to have over $5, 900, 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 hoisted, 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 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
sand what do you want?"
81 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
1ngines 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, anG
nova forbidding looking cannon point
ed its ominous muzzle toward the
Bear.
"I'm after the gold, captain" sale
the first speaker, nonchalantly, "a.
no doubt you are aware. I'm going t.
have it quietly or I'm going to sinl
your ship. Which is it to be?"
Whatever gold we have on board
if we have any, isn't mine. l dom
see what good the sinking of the shil
will do you, and it would be very in
convenient to me. Better sheer OF
and we'll say no more about it.
can take a joke as well as the mex
man."
For time it looked as if the strang
er needed the good advice given him
The captain of the yacht rang full
speed ahead and the sharp prov Gu
the water like knife. The yacht de
scribed large circle and seemed t,
be showing off its PAGES, but this, a
the captain of the Bear remarked, wa
unnecessary, for he already knew tina
any scow on the Pacific could pas
him. However, it was soon eviden
that this was not the intention of tn
enemy. Ranging alongside once more
but this time further away, there wa
cloud of smoke from the cannon,
sharp report and the crash of render
ing plates. A Jagged hole had beel
torn in the ships side near the bul
warks, which, while it did no harm
scarcely improved the appearance @
the Bear.
Once more the yacht swung aroun
the circle and again ranged alongsid
within distance of hundred yards
"Haul down the flag" said the cap
tain of the big steamer.
'Well, captain" began the youn
man on the bridge when at speakin
distance, "a practical lesson is wort
any amount of talk. 1 merely wishe
to convince you that we know how t
handle our guns and that our guns ca
penetrate your rotten plates. Besides
you will have something to show fo
your money when you get to port.
bake it we will have no further trouble
but I'll give you five minutes more
you wish TO consult tOgether.n