Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-08-24

us udr an absolute certoint17"
the coin twinkled high into the air. II
fell on the spotless decks and rolled in
slow circles toward the scruppers. The
fate Of the foray hung upon single
word.
Heads" called Barr, and they both
sprang from their chairs and rushed to
where the small silver disk glttered in
the sun. The craven similitude Of
England's queen stared up at them.
Then as Desmond slapped it home
again into his pocket, for some reason
Of instinct rather than of intention,
the two men grasped each others hand
They were no longer merely the pals
of a yachting expedition, but captain
and lieutenant respectively of a buc-
caneering foray. At least. so went tie
trend Of their Utmost souls.
Barr broke the silence. well, that's
weight of my mind" said he. "Oh,
! was in horrid funk. 1t would be
against us. My stars, how ripping
and medieval l feel! Where's our
skull and crossbones? Why wasn't
christened Drake or at least Hawkins?
TO SINCE the emperor Of Russia S
beard don't you know, or words to
that effect. See the headlines in the
papers, old boy: First Blood to Brit
ain. Daring Raid by Private Yacht.
The Sea Dogs of England Loose
Again" Eth, old man? Does thai make
your sluggish pulses stir?'
Desmond had recovered his everlast-
ing smile, but he grunted deprecating-
ly before he replied
"Umph" said he. ITS much more
likely to be: Destruction of Private
Yacht In the Baltic. Capture of the
Crew. All the Prisoners Sent to the
Salt Mines However, we've decided;
so that's the end of it. We aren't at
all necessarily going to encounter a
Russian man-of-war. They'll be snug
inside Cronstadt if they hear n whs-
per of our Sect coming up. There are
no Turkish vessels up this way, so we
can't be mixed up in any business till
war is actually declared. It's when
we get north that there may be trou-
bic. That we'll leave considering till
We meet it,"
eth all depend if wars declared
when We get to Skelligen," began Barr.
"Of course, if it is and we're discover
ed, that's the end of it. We can't very
well'--
cant! Can'tw exploded Desmond.
"D'you suppose I'm a perfect fool?
There are shotguns and rifles aboard
enough to arm the crew. I'd like to
see a rabblc of Finland serfs stick be-
tween our men and what they want If
we mean business. mean going
through with this, can tell YOU"
But good Lord, Billy. you can't
stand up to a regiment! Supposipg
there are soldiers about?"
Thine enough to suppose that when
we get there. Now let's drop raising
the ghost of every unpleasant eventu-
| atty that could happen and enjoy ourA
selves while we may" And as Des-
| mond gave vent to this very proper
and inspiring sentiment Menzies, the
| Scotch steward, announced luncheon.
Leaving, therefore, forcbodings for the
probabilities of victual they descend
gree impaired by the momcntous issues
they had been called on to decide.
When they got on deck an hour later,
the wind had freshened. The waves
were tipped with white, and the yacht
was no longer siding slowly before the
breeze, but dying nine knots an hour
past the point of Falsterbo, Her Prov
/ at last was heading north into the wide
eXpanse of the Baltic.
AS the day died down into the sunset
| the gale freshened. and night found
them steering up into the great sea
gulf under nearly bare poles. the surgcs
| laundering astcrn ana sweeping them
along "A good II miles an hour.
So on through the night they fed and
staid not. With the coming Of dawn
the wind began TO drop. though still
fresh. and they considered their dead
reckoning, for they had held far Ia
eastward for sea room and land was