Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-08-11

"Es of vapor del norte," said the
colonel, and the conjecture was plaus-
ible, for the mail steamer was ex-
pected; but just then a ball of smoke
swelled into cloud from the gun on
the south point of the bay, where the
steamer could be seen. Then, even as
moment later we heard the report, a
low, ugly, leadcolored, two-masted
war-vessel appeared from the north.
A flash from her bow, and instantly
we saw the dust rise from the redoubt
on the south point where the gun was
located.
The fireman with yell of terror,
La Donna Maria"' took a flying leap
from the engine on the land side.
ia Donna Mariav' echoed the col
onel, turning pale. La Donna Maria!"
yelled the other officers in chorus.
Its sure La Donna Maria" said
Scotty, coolly. adding, with reference
mair the day"
1t was indeed the dreaded Donna
Maria, built by popular subscription
in the republic, and believed by the
lower classes there to be the most
formidable vessel afloat.
She paid no further attention to the
gun on the point, but steamed straight
into the bay. Her commander had
seen our train of soldiers. We were
in a critical position. 1t would re-
quire fully twenty minutes to take the
train the rest of the way to the port
station, and, nearly all the way we
should be under fire. The Donna
Maria dared not shell the town, for
if she had attempted it, the foreign
war vessels present would immedi-
ately have opposed her. A train load
Of troops was different matter. She
could shoot at them so long as the
shells did not endanger anything else.
Boom! went her bow gun again.
The shell striking the water a few
hundred yards off shore without ex-
ploding, skipped up few feet above
the car next behind the engine. That
settled the colonel. The business
like snriek of the missile set him wild.
Drawing his sword he approached
Scotty, and in a volley of commands,
threats and entreaties, ordered him to
back the train to the summer resort.
Scotty paid no attention to him, but
glanced at the steam gauge, which al
ready showed considerable reduc-
ton in pressure, owing to the deser-
ton of the fireman. We had reached
the top of the grade, and the remain
der of the run would be on level track.
Shorty kept the train moving ahead.
Again came shot from the Donna
Maria, and this time the shell ex-
ploded over the train, wounding some
of the men ON the fourth car from
the engine.
Once more the colonel stepped up
to Scotty, with his sword drawn back
for a lunge. He seemed crazy either
with fear or with nervousness, and
liable to do anything. Quick as
flash the engineer drew a big Colts
revolver, covered the colonel, and said
coolly, "Stand AVA We cowardly cur!
Dinna We ken that anither train is
following us, and that if we stop,
we're lost? My orders are to go ahead,
and I'm gaun to obey orders. Gle a
hand, laddie, and stoke the fire bit"
he said to me.
I pulled open the ire-box door,
threw in some coal, took the big poker
and stirred up the fire.
The colonel seemed impressed either
by Scotty's manner or by his pistol,
which was still ready cooked in the
engineers hand. Certainly the col
onel had some reason to be excited.
His men were perfectly helpless on
the cars; behind us was a train, on
the seaward side the Dona Maria.
Our engine, a poor affair at best, was
fast losing her steam. The soldiers on
the train were wildly excited,
furiously angry st Scotty for not stop
ping and backiL-. and only prevented
from firing in the cab by the fact
that their officers were there and in
the tender.
Scotty looked back at the yelling
troops with calm contempt; many of
them were uselessly firing their rifles
in the direction of the enemy, more
than two and a half miles away. l
was doing my best with the fire, and
soon saw gain in the steam gauge.
Stick to it lad" said Scotty, never
taking his eyes off the others. CLOVIS
her steamY
'It reads one hundred and Ave. It's
going up?'
Scotty pulled out the throttle an
other notch, and our speed began to
increase. We had about five miles to
go. If the Donna Maria's shells did
us no serious damage, we should make
it.
Another puff and roar from her
broadside battery! She was now
about two and half miles away, and
could use her smaller guns.
Bang! shell exploded not fifty
yards ahead of the engine. Smash! a
piece of it struck the copper feed-pipe
of the left injector! Instantly the
| whole side of the engine was in a