Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-09-14

Dropping her hand, therefore, with the
word that all was going well, returned to
my post. In my expectancy and dread of
knew not what, the minutes seemed to
lengthen to quarter hours. The white muf-
file of mist appeared thicker than ever, and
once or twice I fancied caught on my wet
cheek cooling breath, as though the dead
air was giving first faint heave of coming
activity. ] felt that the wind was not far
of, and feared it, but come what might
must now hold my course and drift into free
com or eternity.
And still no sound from the cabin save
now and then cough, showing that the
lungs of the two were harried by their own
powder smoke. I dared not explore the in
terror for fear of being greeted by shot,
and could only await some overt act to show
me what was afoot. Suddenly from below
there came dull, Earring thud, and the fog
about the quarterback was lighted by
brilliant flash, apparently from beneath the
tarpaulin, while at once following came the
voice of Lounsbury calling for water and
"Air, air, for the love of Cod" Almost on
the instant, and before l realized that some.
thing untoward had happened below, seem.
ingly from the muck directly overhead
hoarse voice shouted:
"The deck, ahoy There's schooner
adrift and almost on us! Did We see that
light?'
cay! Where away is she?" came an an
swer close at hand.
"On our starboard bow, sir; coming stern
first and no sail set. She's like to foul us!"
"Can you make her out?"
"Naught but the foreyard and topmasts
show above the fog, sir
"What the devil can be the meaning OF
i:?" came the return, and then l heard the
scuffle of feet on the strangers deck, fol.
lowed by quick call:
Schooner ahoy! What schooner's that"
Hitherto my policy had been silence, but
low it instantly struck me that to pay no
attention to the hail would be but to pre-.
cipitate ruin while yet there was fororn
hope. If we came in collision, unless an.
swered they would board us in the twinkline
OF an eye, while if we missed they would
be suspicious and start search, which.
blind as it would be, might end by their
running across us. Therefore at once sent
my voice back with all my power and with.
out the least hesitation:
GAY, ay; we've parted a shaclzle and are
losing ground. Will bring up in couple O.
cables lengths if we clear you. Stand b,
to take blow. What ships that ~
ellis majesty's sloop-of-war Ajax! What
schooner's that?'
'The Sprte," I returned at 4 venture,
that vessel being the only schooner I could
then call to mind. The answer hurled back
1T me was startling.
eye lie! The Sprite went outside this
morning on patrol. Come to, or I'll sink ye!
Stand by for quarters On deck, the watch
below!" Then, evidently to guard aloft:
"Where away is she? Damn the fog"
In the quick hustle, the shrill rattle Of
the boatswain's whistle on the deck of the
enemy (Which sound seemed to fill the har-
bor), and all that followed, / heard no an.
swer to the call aloft. There was enough
close at hand, for from our own cabin there
came a bed1am of shouts that drowned the
details of the notes of preparation made on
the Ajax.
Treason!-treason! Help!-help! 'Tis
the Phantom cut out by the rebels! IT'S
The villain Thorndyke We are prisoners in
the cabin! Board us, for Gods sake!" and
matter of this tenor which crossed the water.
and was as plain to the ear of the officer On
the adjacent vessel as it was to mine.
And now for us the game appeared to be
played to the end With faces evidently
pressed close to the open headlights Of the
cabin the two below had sent forth the
alarm and made the muss past mending.
From the Ajax came loud orders, and just
as caught the glimmer of that vessels an.
Choir light as it swept by in a thick yellow
halo, there came the rattle of a drum beat.
lag to quarters and it was at once followed
by similar but faint alarm from some ship
anchored east and toward the Brookland
shore Then we slipped into the darkness
again, and went whirlng on our way.
We had missed collision, but by close
shave only, as think there lay not two rods
betwixt me and the light l had seen. Our
move had been exposed, and the only thing
gained by us was knowledge Of our speed
and whereabouts. The Ajax I knew had
been anchored for upward of a month about
a mile below the grand battery" and the
way her riding light had slid by us be-
tokened the fact that just then we were NOV.
ing at the rate of four or five miles on hour.
Therefore we were now off Nutten's Is
land, but the bulk of the British fleet still
lay below. They were fairly close to the
Staten Island shore, however, and there
would be small danger of fouling them. the
tide always setting the fairway well into the
center of the Narrows. But of danger from
the forces below | was not now thinking.
More fear had l of the boats that would put
after us from the vessel we had almost
fouled, for as we passed her and the noises
on her deck faded in the distance, heard
the dull clashing of tumbling oars and the
sharp splash of boat as it dropped from
the davits into the water.
AS though to guide the enemy, ever and
anon there came cry from our cabln-a
cry that shot into the quiet air like an alarm
gun and drove me to madness. / was now
as one who, having broken through quick.
set, was carrying the thorns in his flesh.
Danger hung over me like a descending
bludgeon, though instead of covering be-
meath the coming blow it set my blood on
fire. With a curse which must have caused
the girl to shudder, seized the musliet, and,
driving it's butt through the nearest dead
light, felt the iron stock shoe crunch against
flesh and bone. There came from within
-ell of agony, and after silence, and then !
spoke:
Another shout, we villains, and III all
the cabin with flying balls. Mind this, if
yonder boats board us, before being taken
III kill we both! Ye are dealing with Don.
aid Thorndyke, and now lie and stihe, and
may God have more mercy on We than have
/, ye spawn of the DEVIL"
And with this cut away the Selling that
held the tarpauln and rolled the heavy COW
ering close to the windows, thus blocking all
ventilation below. So long as this re-
manned undisturbed it would mutfle any
roise they might make, and, l fancied,
soon bring them to terms from lack of air.
Hailing Ames (who had thus far stuck to
h1S ,onstN II, n uoica which tool. nara