The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-17

that Of Irnidge. would be the only worthy
conclusion to her gallant career.
Presently a boat from the Thunderer
brought another offer of assistance, which
was again declined by Irnidge, who added
that If the Carlotta were not in their
hands by the time she came out of the
roadstead the guns of the Thunderer
might sink her.
You may be very certain we'll stand
by ready to do that rather than let her
get away" said the lieutenant dryly, as
he went over the side.
The night turned cold and thick after
the moon sank, but the bearings of the
Carlotta had been taken by compass, and
Selby, who started in an advance boat FOR
the purpose of getting to the landward Of
the Spaniard to cut her cables, pulled
away noiselessly into the darkness. Every
man of the small boarding party had his
orders and his appointed task. The MINI
blest were to swarm the yards to loose
and set her sails, so that she might be
got under way without delay, etc.
In due time, with her canvas set, the
little doomed British ship began to move
in towards the bar, towing behind her the
boats to be used by the boarding party.
The ropes strained and creaked as the
wind caught her, and her forefoot began
to cut heavily through the water.
Mr.. Irnidge had served his apprentice
fore he now succeeded in taking the in
tractable clumsy old hull through the mar
row fairWay. Thereupon he left her drift
ing before the breeze UP the dark length
of bay while he and his crew dropped
astern and slid away in the direction of
the Carlotta, leaving the lights of Cadiz
to starboard.
oar blades and sent it over Mr.. Irnidge
in the stern; he shook it from him and
urged his men to greater speed. Here
and there a stars reflection blazed up
from the hollow blackness of the swell,
but all else around them was dark
enough. Irnidge's boat passed within pis-
toll shot of the sentinel gunboat without
attracting attention, but they had not
yet reached he quarter Of the Carlotta
when flame, like sword, shot out into
the night from an unseen shore battery,
and a heavy explosion shook the air,
which told them that the Sure had been
discovered.
Quite certain that every eye must be
fixed upon the drifting ship, Irnidge gave
orders to board the CarIotta on the fur
Their or shoreward side, by which strate-
gem he hoped to attach something of the
nature of flank movement to the as
sault for the Dons would naturally ex-
pect attack from the direction of the
Sure.
The crew of the Carlotta had already
begun to run to quarters, and the battle
lanterns were being lit, when Irnidge and
his boatload cut their way through the
boarding netting which protected the
bulwarks, and threw themselves into the
middle of the enemy.
''Shut them DOWN. roared Irnidge,
fighting his way aft as his men poured
aboard from various points.
Then, with shout, the fight closed in
Upon her yards British seamen were
cutting her canvas free; on the deck be-
low the scene, that shifted and tumbled
into new shapes Of carnage and heroism
underneath the Christmas stars, was lit
up dimly at intervals by the flashes from
the batteries, now all engaged in disabling
the Sure.
The crew Of the old brig fought like
demons against overwhelming odds, but