The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-16
A Cuban FiIibuster.
(By Harold Bindlass in an English Mag
azine. In Three Parts)
PART III

twinkling glow of a lamp about the after
hatch. glancing compassionately at the
soaked and haggard wretch who lay
gasping on the tarpaulins with his head
upon Watkins knee. Both were worn and
wasted by sickness and hunger, and there
was something pathetic in the sight OF
the hollow-cheeked man chatting his COM
rade's thin wrists and bending over him
with anxiety and pity in his face. Pres
emily the sufferer moved little, and made
an effort TO rise but Watkins checked II
gently. Not hurt, thank the Lordi he
said. '"rhe shock has been too much Tor
him, half-starved as he was, and broken
down with sickness. You're in good hands
at last, JIM" he added softly; and II
would need all the Armada OF Spain 10
take you from us now
The mate, looking on silently, felt some
thing tickling in his throat, and growl
in which pity and fierce wrath were
strangely mingled went up from the hard
handed, weather-beaten men about him.
The steward held out flask or wine. and
Watkins stretched forward his hand; out
a stalwart figure in greasy dungarees
thrust it rudely aside, and knelt upon the
deck Wine, that's nae drink for a sick
Christian-only fit for garlicky Spaniards-
Here. lift his head, this will put fresh life
into him. said a voice with the accent
of the Clydeship ship-yards; and this time
a laugh went round, as Gordon, the en-
gineer, attempted to thrust the neck OF
a whisky-bottIe forcibly between the sur
ferer's teeth
you'll choke him out of hand; gently
with it." said Watkins. Presently the
spirit did it's work, for the man sat up
leaning against his comrades shoulder
THAT did him good" observed the latter.
TITS long time since ] saw civilized
drink either, and I'm somewhat played out
myself" When he handed the bottle back
there was very little left inside.
That's not bad, for start. was Cor
don's comment, AN there's plenty malr-
When I've raised anither ten pound upon
the star-board boiler Wen try the rest.
Il think you can move him now in
terposed the mate. STOW the sick man
in my berth, and help yourself to every
thing you want there Watkins See to
the two Cubans. steward. and you, quar-
termaster take the negroes forward.
Each man to his post" Kind hands car
ried the rescued Englishman below, and
the group broke up.
The mate climbed to the bridge again,
and, thanks to the blackness, they slid
past the cruiser with slowly turning en-
eines unobserved. Then, with her much
patched boilers throbbing beneath a fear
fll oyer-pressure of steam, and curious
tremor throughout her frame, the Olivet
drove out to sea, faster than she had ever
gone before or ever would again, the re-
mains of the shattered barge rolling over
and over in the flashing, screw-churned
wake. and straining at the double tow
lines until they cut it adrift far out in
the Gulf.
1t was long past midnight when Captain
end mate took counsel together in the
chart-room. Have you made up your
mind what to do?" asked the latter. I've
been thinking it over" was the answer,
"and have decided to let well alone and
say nothing about the matter Whether
the soldiers got ashore. or were settled by
the Cubans and negroes. is no concern of
ours and we've towed the launch away.
Now, some of the Spanish officers must
have known that Wilson, at least, was
a British subject and, unless they catch
us on the coast, they'll say nothing for
their own sakes. If we report it, there'n
be a raking up of many things best let
alone; for all our calls are not set down
in that official log. Well land the Cubans
tomorrow night and crawl close along the
coast all day out of the cruisers sight"
On the second night Captain Armstrong
stopped his engines off what one of the
negroes said was the mangrove-shrouded
mouth of a lagoon, and then addressed
the Cubans Gentlemen, he caid, I'm
sorry l must deprive myself of the pleas
ure of your company now. This part OF
the coast is in your own friends hands,
and l wish you ell good-day."
Watkins translated, and one who SEEM
ed to be a person of Importance swept
his Panama hat to his knee as he an
swered: "Senores, We are your servants
for life, and we will never forget"
A boat was lowered; negroes and Gu
bans climbed down into it, and when the
mate seized the tiller they pulled in-shore.
guided by the roar of the surf. 1t was
very dark. and beyond narrow circle of
dusky sea, rising and falling in CLASSY I'M
dulations about them until walled in by
dingy haze, there was nothing to be
seen. The phosphOrescent water famed
about the oars. and fell, as it were, in
stream of fire every time the blades rose
up, and even at that distance from the
shore the odors of steaming forests and
rotting vegetation were heavy in the air.
For a while no one spoke, and then one
of the Cubans gripped the mates arm.
Listen" he said, "a steamer comes"
stop rowing cried the mate. and. as
regular throbbing sound fell upon his
ears. THE cruiser, most likely" he said,
thank goodness we carried no lights
aboard the Olivet. / can't tell just where
she is, but the sooner we get out of this
the better. Give her way there, all you're
worth"
The oars ripped through the water and
the boat shot forward into the darkness.
the negroes thrusting upon the looms be-
side the British crew. And all the time
the steady pounding of engines drew rap
idly nearer and nearer, though the belts
of haze which hung over the swaying
sea-fiow took up the sound and flung II
to and fro. as they always do until no
man might say from whence It came.
Lay on the oars said the mate at
last. She's somewhere close at hand,
and the noise will only give us away.
and the boat rose aud fell motionless upon
the CLASSY swell.
Then there was A sound like the rip
ping Of thin ice. and with a mass Of fiery
froth boiling about her bows and one
tiny jet, as it were Of green flame, creep
ing up her stem, a steamer swept out Of
the mist. There was no sign Of any light
about her deck save that the long tube OF
a pivot-gun glimmered family with re-
Fiction from somewhere. and a trail 81
luminous vapor streamed from her lofty
funnel The men dared scarcely breathe.
for she passed but a few fathorls away.
and the mates heart stood still as hail
came down from A lookout on the fore
mast But Il was only the routine cry Of
the watch; and the next moment her
white poop faded into w!sp OF vapor.
and the boat rocked violently on the ed
dying wake.
Thank goodness. she's gone" said the
mate and now I'll be easier. when we've
landed these gentlemen. and the Olivet's