Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-06-02
caplaIn. What do you make ltr I

flash from the dark object, followed a
moment later by the sharp report of a
small riAed cannon, and then we heard
the splash OF the ball as 1t struck the
water 800 yards short and 100 yards
astern.
IA Spanish gunboat. We've got to
run for I'LL said the captain, and
whlstllng down the tube he ordered the
engineer TO let out another notch.
"There was no use turning back, be-
cause the gunboat was now as near the
narrow channel through which we had
passed as the Rover. The Cuban pilot,
who kept his head fairly well, assured
the captain that II he kept straight
ahead Ia the point of land then visible,
and rounded that he would be in the en-
trance to the bay, where we were TO
land, ana once in the shadow there
could give The enemy the slip.
Acting on this suggestion, we forged
ahead, and the old tug went faster than
she had ever gone before. BY this time
the stokers knew that Spanish boat
was after us, and kept the boilers red
hot. The gunboat fred a score of shots
after us, but none of them came closer
than 100 yards, and it was soon ap'
parent that she was not more than a
ten-knot boat, and that we could out
run her.
1--WE rounded the point that marked
the entmnce to the bay, with the Span
ish gunboat nearly three miles astern,
and were beginning TO breathe easy,
when series OF yelis from the Cubans
on deck startled everybody. They were
crossing themselves and pointing of
tie port bow. looked in that direction
and I'll confess | felt u bit shaky for u
time, because saw Two more boats
heading right into the bay, as If to cut
us off.
BOAT off the starboard, sir!' shouted
one Of the crew on watch.
1.-TWO boats astern, sirl' cried the aft
watch.
"For answer the captain began to
swear like pirate as he rang the bell
to slow down.
"'Boat dead ahead, sirl Three boats
off the port bow, sir!' cried the forward
watch.
"By this time the Cubans were in q
complete panic. Some were crossing
themselves, some praying and Others
swearing. The men of the crew badly
scared, but kept their wits well enough
to obey orders.
"The situation was certainly alarm
ing. We were now we'll into the mouth
Of the little bay, and, looking around,
we could see three boats on each side OF
us, two dead ahead and two astern, be-
tween the tug and the gunboat that had
been shooting Mt us.
1.-THE strangest feature of the sltua'
ton was that not one of the vessels
showed u light, they had not fired a shot
at us and all of them were apparently
regulating their movements by ours
When the Rover slowed down they re-
duced speed. For five minutes we went
ahead at half speed, and there was nc
hostile move on the part Of the ten boats
that surrounded us.
MAYBE they are for u.s. suggested
the Cuban pilot. See, they have nj
lights
"'0h, - IT, said Capt. Breen. Here
goes to settle the business
with that he gave the wheel turn
and rang the bell for full speed nhead
and, reaching for the whistle cord, he
blew the siren such blast rs never
heard before. a thousand echoes Of
that blast seemed TO come back from
the hills on either side, until 1t sounded
as II a great fleet of boats was playing
concert in that dark Cuban bay.
"a few moments later bright blaze
Of fire flashed up out of the fores. at the
head of the bay.
"'That is the signal of our people
They heard your whistle!' said the Gu
ban pilot.
"The Rover was now plunglng ahead
Mt full speed, and the boats around us
were doing the same. looked aft for
the spaniard that had been shooting
at us. lie had been frightened off and
was heading out to seaat full speed.
"Another wild cry from the Cubans
on deck was the next startling demon
stration, and, looking around, we saw
that the boats that moment before
had surrounded us had vanished com
pletely. There was not n shadow LEFT
and not a ripple on the smooth water Of
the bay to show where they had been.
"Again the Cubans fell on their knees
crossed themselves and prayed.
"Half an hour later we dropped an
Choir in little cove at the head Of the
bay. We were within 100 yards Of thu
shore, and in few minutes boat load
Of Cuban soldiers were alongside the
tug. They had been waiting for us fol
a week, and no time was lost in getting
our cargo ashore.
"While unloading, the Cubans who
went down with us told those from the
shore about the mysterious feet
through which we had passed, and the
mystery Of the affair was quickly ex
planned. It seems that at certain hour
on moonlight night there is a sort Of
double or triple reflection on the sur
face Of that bay, caused by the shadows
from the hills on each side, and a vessel
passing in or out is mirrored in these