Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-06-16
CHAPTER ".

In reasonable time we cleared the
channel and began to climb the long
Atlantic swells. We saw nothing more
of the Dutchman and little apprehend-
ed any further alarms from him, as
he must by this time have consulted
prudence and taken himself out of
these waters. We had repaired the
little damage he had done to our spars
and rigging, and thus, as we finally
made the open sea, we seemed in good
case to go blithely on with the voyage.
Several days now passed, during
which we had favorable winds, and the
Industry made very good progress.
One morning, being sent on some mat
ter to the hold, heard running about
and shouting on deck, and on calling
up to learn the cause was told that a
large ship was in sight.
''She's a fast craft-by the way we
are raising her." said the fellow who
was speaking, land the captain is in a
hurry to bring her into his glass. He
is half way up the weather shroud,
a-goggli2g away as though for his
life"
I dropped what I was doing and
/ was up the main shrouds at once.
the captain and Master Pradey being
in the fore, and when had well cleared
the deck I stopped and took long
look
The stranger was in the southwest
ern seaboard, hull down and with only
his topsails and the upper part of his
courses showing, and at the moment
was standing on the starboard tack.
This brought him well forward of our
lee beam, as we were on the larboard
tack and headed somewhat south of
southwest. He was rising rapidly, as
his swift whitening and enlarging
showed, and at this rate would be hull
up and distinct in the course of few
minutes.
OF a sudden the captain lowered his
glass and said something to the mate.
l did not catch what it was, but Master
Pradey gave a nod, as though of salts
faction, and at once swung down to
the deck.
run up the colors!" he shouted,
dourishing back the knot of men who
presently drew about him.
A sailor sprang away and in few
While this was doing saw Mr.. lynn de-
scend from the mizzen rigging, his
telescope strapped on his back, and
guessed from his easy mien that he,
too, was satisfied with the looks of the
stranger.
After little Capt. Sellinger shut up
his glass and descended to the deck,
and upon espying me called me to him
and ordered me to put the Industry in
a posture for defense. lyon ship flies
the English flag" he said, ''but she may
be an enemy for all that, and we will
not be caught mapping"
She drew gradually nearer, and soon
with the naked eye we could make out
the design upon her flag. It was ST.
Georges Cross, as we had suspected,
and, moreover, we could now read Eng
fish build and rig in score of little
peculiarities, discernible at least to a
sailors eye. She was a handsome
craft, not too narrow in the beam, yet
shapely, and with a perfect cloud of
white, well-fitted canvas on her tall
spars.
When we were less than half mile
apart the stranger began to huff, edg-
ing along only with small way, and
so crept within a quarter of a mile,
when he clewed up some of his sails,
and came squarely into the wind. The
two ships now lay head and head, ris-
ing and falling gently with the swell.
Our captain took his trumpet, and a
tall, dark-bearded man coming to the
rail of the other ship. also with a
trumpet, the hailing began.
ssShin n how he'll he of he r.
tain. What ship is that?"
''The Industry, Sellinger master"
returned our skipper.
where bound?" came from the
other trumpet.
Havana"
This is the Happy Bess, Capt Tor
rycorn," announced the skipper of the
other ship after little pause. "We
are from New York for London. Will
you take a letter for us?"
."Aye, aye!" beloved our captain
back
At once there was stir on the deck
of the other ship, and in few mo-
ments boat dangled down from the
davits, the captain and two sailors in
her, and dropped with neat splash
into the water.
Put over the gangway ladder, said
Capt. Sellinger; which we did, and the
other captain was soon with US.
After passing a word or two of the
usual sort-that is, concerning their
respective ships, ports and so on
they came to the business in hand, and
Capt. Torrycorn produced his letter.
cit is for Mr.. Jeremiah Hope, of Ha-
vana," he said. @a gentleman that you
very likely know. By some going
astray it was put aboard my ship, and
but for you must have taken long
tack before it was delivered"
81 will cheerfully relieve you of it, :"
answered Capt. Sellinger. ST do not