The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-05
PART II,

1t was a long, heavy pull for the
strangers boats, each one of which
held fifteen armed men; but foot by
foot they diminished the distance be-
tween the brig and the bark, and at
length they were only a mile away.
The crew of the Golden Horn" had
been ready for them for half an hour.
When the men signed on for the voy
age they had been told that 1t might
come to fighting, to save the ship and
their own lives, and there was no
grumbling or hanging back when the
order came to cast loose the guns. In
deed, every man had good Yankee
blood under his skin, and, though that
blood does not run hot, II courses
through the veins of fighting men.
At the distance of a mile the boats
halted for a few minutes, to arrange
the plan of attack, and, with the glass
to his eye, the mate of the Golden
Horn" could tell the color of every
mans eyes. There could be no doubt
of the avocation and intention of those
men. They We're a lOng-haired, black
faced, scoundrelly lot, each man armed
to the teeth, and it would be idle to
hope for mercy if they once got
aboard. When Holly was through with
his survey he said to his waiting crew:
There come the boats again, and
when they have covered half the dis
tance we will open fire. Be cool and
take careful aim. AS we shall have
to fight the brig as soon as the wind
comes, I want to sink both these boats
and thus weaken her."
Almost every man of the crew was a.
rI he
Tom Holly's cowardice. When the
boats first left the pirates side they
wondered what he would do. When
he ordered them to cast loose the guns,
| they wondered If the story were not a
slander. When he addressed them in
cool, even tones, with never a sign of
trepidation or excitement about him,
they tossed up their caps and gave him
a cheer. Captain Williams heard the
cheering from his seat in the compan-
ion-way and asked what caused it.
THE mate has been speaking to the
men, father" replied Mollie.
AYE; that's the right thing to do
give them heart to smell powder. Are
the guns all ready?'
YES"
And the boats?"
rated. There-don't you hear the pi-
rates cheering?"
| AYE, 1 hear it. 1t isn't honest cheer
ing, but more like the snarls of wild
beasts. How far away are they now ?''
About half a mile"
"And what's Tom doing?"
Hes sighting the forward gun
Now he's going to fire. Now he pulls
the lanyard"
The boom of the gun was followed by
a second, and a third, and a fourth
and above the roar were heard the
cheers of the men on deck.
What is II, Mollie?" asked Captain
Williams.
THE ball from Tom's-the ball from
the mates gun struck one of the boats
fair in the bow and shattered her. The
other boat is taking the men aboard
Don't you hear the yell of the pirates %
Aye them! They took us for ar
unarmed trader, and counted on ar
easy victory. Is the single boat COM
ing on?"
Yes, she is--no! no! A cannon bal
has smashed all her oars on the port
side, and there is great confusion
aboard. Now they are pulling hei
around. Now she is making off. Why
father, she is throwing some of her mer
overboard!"
That's the way of a pirate, girl
When mans killed or badly wounded
overheard he goes to make more room
Our men are cheering again."
'Yes, they are throwing up thei
caps and dancing in exultation. TIL,
boats have been beaten off, and we ar,
saved"
Saved for the time, yes. Let tn,
breeze come, and we shall have tn,