The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-12-30
He strobe off TO where the plnss


hung Che captain had brought up an
other, which he was using from the
poop, and when he fetched it to the
rail he climbed upon a coil of line and
brough. it to bear.
The supercargo used the glass for
some time, but finally put it by and
went up TO have talk with the cap
tain. OF course ! could not hear what
they said, but it was easy TO guess that
1t must be about the present strait. In
a few moments the captain came 20
the verge of the poop and called the
mate. Master Sellinger hurried up the
ladder and the three men talked togcth
er earnestly. The mate then came
down again. and Immediately the cap
tain walked to the color hnlyards and
with his own hands ran up the flag. As
it blew out at the hizZen truck the
crew. who, as well as myself, were
watching anNiously and curiously the
doings aft, broke into cheer. All eyes
were now on the stranger for this was
a clear demand that he should declare
his intentions. Il vas the most stir
ring moment thus lar since The chase
or race. IL you please--hud begun. The
| long black mass rose on the next crest
ana snu roaming uOwn the valley, ana
again scared and fell. How we watched
her! Lii. lift she rose uptiited her
great house of a stern and plunged.
with the shock of the parted seas. down
the declivity. and all swiftly ard might
! lily rode to the top again, and still not
a handlerchicf's breadth of bunting!
| Five, and at last ten minutes. and he
same monotouous upride and tilt and
fall. The captain stood with straddled
| legs, silently using his telescope, and
| the mate was in tho mizzcn shrouds
scanning The foe under the pent house
of his hand The aupercargo leaned
over the poop rail, holding on hat and
| wig, and the rest of Us lined the wealth
| er bulwark, in the whist. OF sudden
the captain lowered his glass and shut
it up. The supercargo turned. catching
the action, and they came together and
exchanged few words.
"The thing is fetched to a head, said
n sailor at my elbow. with an excited
! pull at his waistband.
lie had scarce spoken when llouth-
wicl, LETT Mr.. lynn and stepped briskly
to the head of the poop ladder.
"Master Sellinger, set the mairsail
and reef it. Take o';t one reef in the
/ forcsail."
The mate was of his perch 10 the
deck in an instant. and at his word the
/ men Gcw 10 their stations The wind
had less weight now than formerly and
/ blow stcadier. but Tor all that apprc-
hended that we were taking consider
able hazard to thus swell our canvas.
Yet very quickly the thing was done.
and under the added pressure the ship
drove her nose into the smother. and
made a strong lurchng start of 1t on
ward. While | was stepping back from
the foot Of the main shrouds, and In
the act OF directing one Of the men to
coil up loose length Of halyard, some
one behind me gave n shout. and !
turned TO see that the dark ship was
likewise whitening with added sail.
On we raced. and il must have been
that the greater part of an hour went
by. So far the Dutchman and we were
at the same point off our beam, as
though he might be our shadow. But
a change was at hand. All in n mo-
ment, as il seemed, his long bulk be-
gan to narrow, the small slant of his
sails that we could see expanded, and
at once his pot-round bows rode, leap
ing and sinking, into view. He had
changed his plan, and would fly
straight at us.
In an instant the trumpet of Capt
Houthwick began to below:
MAN braces! Down helm! Slack
lee braces Haul in on the weather!
Aft here, some of you, and let out a
reef in the lateen!"
1t was clear what the skipper would
be at. The cruiser perceiving that he
could not outsail us and cut us Off
meant to close in and try to disable us
with his guns. To prevent this we must
turn tail and make straight-away
run of IT, The question then TO be set
tied was whether he could get near
enough to wing us, by cutting up our
spars and rigging. l thought this all
out at blink, as the Scotch say, for
just at the moment had to use my fin
gers rather than my brains. When
came in from the boltsprit, having
gone there on some matter concerning
the drawing of the sail, l found that
the Dutchman was fair astern of us
only the slant of his sails catching the
light, and the rest of him standing
up round and black. l think some
thing like two hours now passed, only
one thing. but that an important one
happening, which was that the Dutch
man slowly gained upon us. At last
Houthwick said something to which
the others appeared to assent, and tn,
mate hurried off the poop. He espieC
me, as ! stood by the main shrouds
and beckoned me TO him. When came
up he said low and in a strained, quicl
tone:
THE captain thinks we had best try
gun. l pust serve it. Do you stanC
| 4 4 ~