El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-02
TContinued from last Saturday.
CHAPTER XII.
The Anchor A-Peak.

WHICH was Iuily COTTODOTdC0Q ny Oul
excitement, by the two muskets we
had brought on board as trophies, by
the state of our hands and wrists, an6
the numerous cuts and bruises we had
upon US; and fearing the consequent
detention Of the brig for some legal in
quiry, Captain Weston prepared al
once for putting to sea.
was happy when finding myself on
the deck of the Eugene, but still more
supremely happy on hearing Weston's
resolution to get underway, as 1 pos
sessed very vague but decidedly I'M
pleasant ideas. of Spanish justice, and
had visions of alcaldes, alguazils
wheels, garrotes. and even the masked
familiaTs of the Inquisition itself
floating before me.
My heart beat responsive to the cIank
of the windlass paw1s, as the Eugene
was hove short on her anchor, and the
hands started aloft to cast loose the
topsails.
Weston threw our two muskets into
the sea lest their discovery on board
might cause suspicion or annoyance.
The morning was clear, cool and
starry; as yet no vestige of dawn was
visible, and all was still and quiet on
shore; but 1 was in momentary expec-
tation of seeing boat dash off toward
us, though those from whom we had
escaped could have no just cause of
complaint.
Suddenly I heard the sound of oars,
and saw a long, low boat shoot out
from the obscurity of the harbor. My
heart stood still for moment as this
to my infinite relief it boarded Costa
Rican that lay near US.
AS yet the shadows of night were on
land and sea-on everything save the
cone of the Peak that lowered above
the clouds, and there shown the light
of the yet hnrisen sun, yellow deepen
ing into saffron, purple, blue, and then
indigo, blending with the bfackness of
night as the eye descended. to the
shore.
So Weston gave the order to brace
the foreyards aback and the mainyards
full; another wrench at the windlass.
and the anchor was tripped.
"Heave and a-washE' cried Tom
Lambourne, cheerily, giving the usual
call of encouragement when the drip
ping anchoring is just out of the water
and the stock is seen to stir the sur
face.
The courses were let fall and the jib
was hoisted; her head fell rapidly
round and she paid off bravely. Then
the frey cone of the Piton and the
lights of Santa Cruz, which had gilt
tered in tremulous lines along the wa
ter on our beam, were shining upon
our lee quarter.
Fill away the headyards-hand-
somely now!' cried Weston, and just
as the first streak of day, coming on
with tropical rapidity, began to bright
en- the horizon and shed long, shiny
f1ppies Cd the sea. the canvas swelled
out, the reef points began to patter
on the taut bosom of every snow-white
sail, and the loose rigging was blown
out in graceful bends.
There was a fine breeze rising; the
white water rippled under the fore
foot of the Eugene, and soon it boiled
In foam as we sheeted home the top
sails and ran along the western shore
Of the mountain isle.
About the same time the Costa Rican
brig which was at anchor nearer the
shore Ga smart craft she was, straight
in the bends, and all black, save yell
low streak), also got ready for sea
with great expedition, and worked out
of the harbor; and when the hot sun,
which erewhile had lit up the vast
continent of Africa to the east of us,
rose from the ocean, We saw her black
hull and white canvas shining in his
morning rays about a mile astern.
You say, Hare, that craft is a Costa
Rican?" said Weston, doubtfully.
yes, SIR replied Hislop.
"She may be; but she is also a Span
ish dealer in black CATTLE" said Yves
ton, who was looking at her through
powerful double-barreled glass. Il
am certain if you could only see her
deck when she careens bit, you would
make out the ring-bolts for flashing
the slaves to in fine weather"
AYE, and perhaps those of the car
ronades, too" added Hislop; she
looks rather rakish."
You are just of my mind, sir" ad-
ded Tom Lambourne, who was at the
wheel She'll see the Sharks Nose
and the Congo river before she sees
the Mosquito creeks or the hills OF
Costa Rica; and 1 have a shrewd no
ton that the pirates we escaped from |
are part of her crew, if one may judge
from what Master Rodney, who knows
their lingo, overheard them say"
Except across the Peak of Teneriffe, |
khere a cloud of white vapor f1oated |
In mid-air like a permanent cymar or |
girdle, and above which some thou
81 nd feet Of the mighty cone lowered
into the blue immensely d space, mel J