The Republican journal., 1898-12-29

says II Is WONDERFUL. Being cOUllug ana
Sorting, it is rightly named. Is aud 50 cents.
death had affected them alike. and they
gave it up, sleeping and watching to-
gether. They had taken care of their boat
and provisioned it, ready to lower and
pull into the track of any craft that
might approach. But it was four months
from the beginning of this strange voy-
age when the two men, gaunt and hungry
with ruined digestion and shattered
nerves-saw, with JOY which may be i'm
agained, the first land and the first sail
that gladdened their eyes after the
storm in the Florida Channel.
A fierce gale from the southwest had
been driving them, broadside on, in the
trough of the sea, for the whole Of the
preceding day and night; and the land they
now saw appeared to them dark rag
ged line of blue, early in the morning.
Boston could only surmise that it was the
coast OF Portugal or Spain. The sail
which lay between them and the land,
about three miles to leeward proved to
be the 5is sail ot a black craft, hove-to.
with bows aearly tow ards them.
Boston climbed the foremast with their
only flag, and secured it; then, from the
high poop deck, they watched the other
craft, wallowing and plunging in the i'm
mense Atlantic combers, often raising her
forefoOt into plain view, again descending
with dive that hid the whole forward half
in white cloud Of spume.
''lf she was a steamer ld call her Il
cruiser" said Boston, cone of England S
black ones, with a st0in sail on her mill
7 taiy main mast She has ram bow. and
yes, sponsors and guns. That's what
she is, Will her tunnels and bridge carried
away"
Isn't she right in our track, Bostop?''
asked the doctor, excitedly. ''Hadn' t
she better get out Of our way
'she's got steam up-a full head; see
the escape jet? She ism helpless. Ii she
dor.'t launch boat, We / take to ours and
boa!d her"
The distance lessened rapidly the cluis-
er plunging up and down in the same spot,
the dereIict heavr to leeward in great,
swinging leaps, as the successive seas
| caught her, each one leaving her full half
length further on. Soon they could
make out the figures OF men.
Take us Off, screamed the doctor, wav-
ing his arms, land get out of our wayn'
''We'll clear her, said Boston; 'see,
She started her engine
AS they drifted down on the weather.
words of supplication and warning. They
were answered by solid shot from sec
ondaly gun, which flew over their heads.
AT the same time, the ensign of Spain was
run up on the flag staff.
| "Theyre Spanish Boston They re
firing on us. Into that boat with you, If
a shot hits our cargo, we won't know what
struck us.
| They sprang into the boat, which luck
lily hung on the lee side and cleared the
falls-fastened and coiled in the bow and
stern. Often during their long voyage
they had rehearsed the launching of the
boat in seaway-an operation requiring
| quick ana concerted action.
| Ready, Doc?' sang out Boston. zone
two, three-let gor' The falls overhaued
with whir, and the falling boat, striking
an uprising sea with smack, sank with it.
When it raised they unlocked the tackle
blocks, and pushed off with the oars just
as second shot hummed over their heads.
'Pull, Boston; pull hard-straight to
windwardn' cried the doctor.
The tight whaleboat shipped no water,
and though they were pulling in the teeth
of a furious gale, the hulk was drifting
| away from them, so, in a short time, they
were separated from their late home by a
y
had forged ahead in plain view, and, as
they looked, took in the trysail.
''She's going to wear said Boston.
''See, she's paying off. -
81 don't know what wearing means,
Boston," painted the doctor, ''but know
the Spanish nature. She's goipg to ram
that hundred and thirty tons of nitro.
Don't stop. Pull away. Hold on, there !;
hold on, you foolsn' he shouted. That S
a torpedo; keep away from herr
Forgetting his own injunction to "pull
away the doctor stood up, waving his
oar frantically, and Boston assisted. But
if their shouts and gestures were under
stood aboard the cruiser. they were igpor-
ed She slowly turned in Il wide curve,
and headed straight for the Neptune which
had drifted to leeward of her.
What was in the minds of the officers on
that cruisers deck will never be kpowp.
Cruisers of all nations hold rowing con mis-
sions in regard to derelicts, and it is tit
ting and proper for one of them to gently
prod ''vagrant of the sea- with the steel
PROV and send her below to trouble no
more. But it may be that sight of the Gu
ban flag, floating defiantly in the gale, had
something to do with the full speed at
which the Spanish ship approached. When
but half length separated the two craft,
heavy sea lifted the bow of the cruiser
high in air; then it sank, and the sharp
steel ram came down like butchers S
cleaver on the side of the derelict.
A great semicrcular wall of red shut out
the gray of the sea and sky to leeward,
and for an instant the Mortified men in the
boat saw--as people see by lightning
fash-dark lines radiating from the CEN
tire of this red wall, and near this centre,
! poised on end in mid air, with deck and
! sponsors still intact, bowless, bottom
! less remnant of the cruiser. Then, and
before the remnant sank into the vortex