The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-01-05


Suddenly the CLINT of light disap-
peared.
Keep her on the same course y
said the captain, laconically.
Then there was a silence for five
minutes which was suddenly broken
by 4 howl from the port bow lookout.
Light O. broad on the port bowr'
he cried, without waiting for the
bridge interrogatory.
Light o, one point aOaft the star
board beam, sirr yelled the starboard
waist lookout in startling sequence
Get the men to their quarters" +"
softly said the captain to the execu
tive officer. who was already at his
side, at the same time calling by the
indicator for half speed No drum
or bugle sounded the alarm. With
three unknown ships at hand, the sit
uation was too grave to risk the
alarms being shared by the enemy
for in wartimes all ships are enemies
until they are proved olherwise-and
so, instead, the division officers, al
ready alert, threaded their way
through the maze Of hammocks on the
gun-deck, and, shaking the sleeping
occupants, hoarsely whispered:
"Tnrn ont! tnrn ont, Get to your
quarters - softly now, but on the
jump"
4 tremor of life seemed to run
through the ship as her decks We're
suddenly filed with scurrying figures
running in all directions through the
inky bIackness. 1t all seemed the
climax of chaos. in reality it was the
perfection Of discipline and all that
1t means. In three minutes the men
were at their posts, yawning apd rub
blng their eyes, not as yet awake
enough TO be in the least interested
as to the purpose Of their master.
Cast loose and provide' came the
low order, cutting through the dark
Eess like knife.
Blocks whined tackle strained, the
tramp Of many feet resounded as the
ammunition hoists dumped the five
inch SHELLS at the guns with a heavy
thud; the hreech blocks sprang open,
in went the shells with Il snap, the
breech locked sharply and the men
stood alert at their stations there
was no doubt about their wakeful
ness now.
The nigbt-glasses made out two
steamers on the port siGe and one on
the starboard, far ahead. The inter
vening distance was too great TO de-
terDine their character, but peaceful
travellers Of the seas at that time were
not wandering In trios IN those wa
ters. The careless display of an un
deadened port light seemed to speak
more for the layity Of watch aboard a
Spanish cruiser than an American, and
SO the Ydahes's head swung inland
as she forged stealthily on. She had
particular business with that steamer
her and the land-the ones far to port
could wait
Bat the chase was not continued
1t the end Of five minutes going a
quarter master, who had been on look
ont IN the tOre-top, came slipping
down the shronds anG saluting the
captain, said: "Sr, | have to report
two more steamers broad on the star
board beam, they show no lights, but
appear 10 have ram-shape bows
Once more the Yankees nose swung
round, this time seaward. Tue two
unknowns So far ont were to be dodged
and then the course for Santiago taken
up. spurt made, and the fleet notified
Of the strangers approach. The mer
were somewhat disappointed at the
lost chance of so evident mix ups
but the philosophy Of resignation was
easily achieved with the accompany
ing realization that even the bellicost
Yankee was no match n a night fight
for five warships of unknown quantity
1t was decreed, however, that the
Yankee. living up to her gend pr
should again change her mind anc
course, for hardly bad the crew made
a dozen revolutions in the new direct
ion toward the open sea when deaC
ahead great beam of light suddenly
cut q broad path i'll the murky heavens
1t was a search light and power
ful one at that, apparently about nine
or ten miles distant. To and fro higE
in the sky swept the broad silver beam
always maintaining the same arc OF
sweep with no attempt toward pickiDg
up anything on the sea. 1t looked fol
all the world like a great evil eye try
ing 10 obtain a peep into the myster
| les behind the clouds. 1t was mos
! puzzling, this erratic search light, anC
! the people on the Yankee now halted
in the trough Of the uneasy waves
| pat thelr thinking caps on to solve
| the problem. The answer was nearer
! than they knew or wished, and it came
/ in the shape Of a similar light as sud
denly appearing about six miles abaf
| the first one. And the cream of th,
! ghastly joke lay in the fact that as ths
! two beams met and fell slowly, uuti
/ lost in the sea, they disclosed the SHARP
outlines of two more ships in the ont
ward path of the Yankee. She stop
/ ped with jerkiness peculiar to ship
whose engines are suddenly reversed
! The brains Of the Yankee were yer!
busy Just then, as well they might be
( for the situation was interesting. t
say the least. Here was u converted
! cruiser of fourteen knots with a mair
| battery Of only ten five inch guns IL
| the midst of an unknown feet, tn,
likelihood of discovery and subse-
quenty being blown out of water /
more than possibility, aud the neares
help eight hours away. True. th'
| fleet might be American, but the Van
kee had left Santiago the morning be
/ fore, and knew then the disposition
of onr ships-and here We're eleveI
uHaccounted for. Transports the.
might be, but none had been know
to have left the states at that time
Granting that the fleet was friendly
in those nervous times it Was soIn5
times a question of shoot first and in
quire aitewsrd, and the Yankee WASH
/ built with many water-fight compart
ments. On the other hand, the b. po
thesis that the fleet might be Spanist
was 4 most reasonable one. The night