Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-02

The aCdr steamer ranged up alongside.
astern. But the war steamer did not
move. Her machinery was broken down.
She had already got a heavy list toward
her wounded side, and every second the
list was increasing as the water poured
in through the shattered plates. Her
crew were buzzing with disorder. 1t
was evident that the vessel had but a
short time longer to swim, and their
lives were sweet TO them. They had no
thought of vengeance. Their weapons
lay deserted on the sloping decks. The
grimy crews from the stokeholes pour
ed up from below, and one and all they
clustered about the boats with frenzied
haste to see them floating in the water.
There was no more to be feared at
their hands for the present.
Carnforth clapped Kettle on the
shoulder in involuntary admiration.
"By Godr' he cried. "What daring
little scoundrel you arel Look here I'm
ON your side now if l can be of any
help. Can you give me job?''
I'm afraid. sir, p" said Captain Ket-
tie, ''that the old Sultan's work is
about done. She's settling down by the
ACo0 CAOh yO0 cCO eAOoO AAto
of men scuttling up from forrard direct
ly after we'd rammed the dons 1 guess
that was a bit of surprise packet for
them anyway. They thought they'd got
down there to be clear of the shooting,
and they found themselves in the most
ticklish part Of the ship.
There's humor in the situation"
said Carnforth. "But the case will
keep. For the present it strikes me that
this old steamb boat is swapping fast ="
"She is doing that" Kettle admit
ted. "She'll have lot of plates started
forrard, guess. But think she s come
out of it very creditably, sir. 1 didn' t
spare her, and she's not exactly built
| for q RAM"
81 suppose it's case of putting her
ON the beaoh?''
"There's nothing else for it," said
Kettle, with a sigh. 81 should like to
have carried those blasted Goals into the
Havana if it could have been done. just
to show people ours was bona fide con-
tract, as Mr.. Gedge said, in spite of its
fishy look. But this old steamboat g
done her whack, and that's the square
| truth. 1t will take her all she can man
age to reach shore with dry decks. Look,
she's in now nearly to her forecastle
head. Lucky the shores not steep to
here, or else"-
From beneath there came bump and
q rattle, and the steamer for a moment
halted in her progress and white crest
ed wave surged past her rusty TANKS.
Then she lifted again and swooped far
Their in, with the propeller still squat.
tering astern, and then once more she
Numbered down again into the sand.
and so, lifting and striking, made hel
way in through the surf. Gradually hel
stern was forced round, and she was
beaten up the beach broadside ON, with
the green and white water at time!
making clean breach over her. She
was past all control. More than one o.
the hands was swept from her decks anC
reached the shore by swimming. But al
the sbb made the hungry seas left hel
stranded dry under the mornings light
and a crowd of insurrectionists wadeC
} out and climbed on board by rope
which were thrown to them. They were
men of every tint, from gray black O
: the pure negro to the sallow, lemon tin
of the blue blooded Spaniard. The,
I were streaked with wounds, thin a
] skeletons and clad more with nakednes
than rags, and so wolfsh did they lool
that even Kettle, callous little ruffial
though he was, half regretted bringing
{ arms for such crew to wreak vengeance
on their'neighbors
But they gave him small time 70
sentiment Of this brand. They clustered
round him with leapiDg hands, till tn
morning sea fowl fled affrighted from
the beach. El Senior Captain Ingles
was the savior of Cuba, and let ever,
one remember it. Alone, with his ON
armed vessel, ne had sunk warship o
their hated enemies. and they praye
him, in their fiorid compliment, to sta
on the island and rule over them a
I king.
| But the little sailor took them liter