The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-10-14
CHAPTER xxIv.-coNrrNuEp.
BIZ cHAuNcY c. HOTcHKIss

CHAPTER XXIV.-CoNTINUED
On the night of August IA went below,
fully expecting that but a few hours would
elapse ere we went to the bottom. Once
in awhile my vitality would assert itself,
and a quick apprehension, a living sensibil-
ity, would shoot through me like a running
flash of driving sparks in burned-out tin
der but without enough heat or force to
rout me TO action. / slept heavily, as one
sleeps in the fumes of burning charcoal,
dead to harm or happiness, and was walked
from dream of feasting by the sound Of
report like that made by bursting sail.
Half conscious l crawled to the deck to
see what had happened. The dawn was
well forward, strip of bright sky of pearly
clearness heraldng the sun which was al
ready scattering the clouds aloft. Patches
OF the deepest blue, fecked with fine vapor
like clotted cream sailing far above the rap
idly dissolving storm wrack, foretold fine
weather. The wind had sunk TO almost a
calm, and was blowing a soft warm breath
from the west. The sea was n vast series
OF hills and valleys, their crests no longer
like teeth, and so rhythmical was their run
that the half-submerged vessel swung with
the regularity of pendulum, only NJ times
a swollen surge brimming over the bows,
sending cascade to the deck. just Wis
ible to the north was a clear, dark, indigo
colored lift of land, which instantly knew
TO be Montauk point, an( even my dull
senses responded to the knowledge Of the
\ wonderful drift we had made.
! noted these details with a slow, dreamy
satisfaction but on turning my gaze south
ward, became fully alive to the fact that
the awakening day had put period to our
misery. There on our larboard quarter, two
cable lengths away, lay schooner twice the
size of the Ph~ntom, her sides pierced for
guns, and forward of her foremost the brine
tatnished brass Of her pivoted rifle stood
out against the horizon. She had luffed
into the gentle breeze, and all her sails were
shivering and swinging as she bowed to the
swells. From her main peak blew out the
flag Of the United Colonies, and over her
taiTrail was drifting the tawny smoke Of the
shot that had aroused me.
For space | stood like man OF stone,
my look fixed on the ensign so long stranger
to me. AS / gazed at the gorgeous bunting
my heart rose in my throat, the tears welled
from my eyes, the frost which had long
bound me suddenly thawed, and, putting all
my remaining power to my voice, gave vent
10 a wild shout, threw both arms above my
read, and staggered below.
That night, under her own remaining can.
vas, the InhnlOn bdlltu lulO lHt vi
Holmes Hole and dropped her spare anchor.
We had been rescued by the American pri-
vateer Jenny, Of New London, out OF that
port bound home with prisoners and booty
after four months cruise.
With my story told, there had been
enough help offered TO equip me for a voy-
age TO the Indies, but i asked for only pro-
visions, water, fuel, and a couple OF hands,
determined to gather to myself the glory
which had well-nigh slipped my grasp. We
we're freed from the load Of water taken
IN during the storm, the Jenny standing
81 and lending men to the work until the
pumps sucked" and then, promising net to
lose sight of us until we entered Vineyard
sound, stood for her home port.
Not a word did i say about the two sail.
| ors whom / had captured, and who had
served me well. The doctor had found half
dead from fright, the effects of his debauch,
starvation and seasickness, and l deter
mined to hold him myself still as a prisoner
on parole. | had no idea of transferring
Ames or his sister, for l doubted if the
Jenny, crowded as she was. would prove
more comfortable than the Phantom. The
remainder of the trip would be short; at
my own home there would be the best OF
nursing, and my surgeon prisoner would
make fair attendant, If he could be kept
sober, matter ! would take in my own
hands.
There were other reasons why would not
consent to be separated from my friends
even had they been willing (which they
were not), the weightiest of which not being
the danger OF transshipment, but one
deemed unnecessary to mention, and which
as yet would not fully acknowledge to my.
self.
Knowing nothing of the march Of events,
confided 10 the captain my fears OF Gen
Bullivan's safety, and told him what had
harmed of Clinton'n intended movement TO
&C relief Of Pigot, hoping be would lie able
90 transmit warning TO the American
general in time to prevent surprise.
Thus suddenly relieved Of care, we sailed
away under mainsail foresail and i'b, and
bad made the remainder of the voyage with
out incident II was with emotions al.
most boyish and uncomfortable that 1
marked the mingled reds. ycllows and blues
Of the great clay forean6 of Gay head, doub-
" brilliant in the light OF the wessering SUM-
By then our consort was well TO the north
west, but now feared neither the British
nor the devil, for. II closely pursued by the
iormer, | should have run the Phantom
ashore and taken to the woods, even though
II broke my heart TO do il.
But no iprthcr necessity for heroic action
presented Itself. and we slipped into the