Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-04-07

came bedlam of shouts that drowned the
"details of the notes of preparation made on
the Ajax.
"Treason!-treason! Help!-help! IT'S
the Phantom cut out by the rebels! Ills
the villain Thorndyke! We are prisoners in
the cabin! Board us, for Gods sake!" and
matter of this tenor which crossed the water,
and was as plain to the ear Of the officer on
the adjacent vessel as it was to mine.
And now for us the game appeared to be
played to the end With faces evidently
pressed close to the open headlights Of the
cabin the two below had sent forth the
alarm and made the muss past mending
From the Ajax came loud orders, and just
as l caught the glimmer of that vessels an
Choir light as it swept by in thick yellow
halo, there came the rattle of drum beat
ing to quarters, and it was at once followed
by similar but faint alarm from some ship
anchored east and toward the Brookland
shore. Then we slipped into the darkness
again, and went whirling on our way.
We had missed collision, but by close
shave only, as think there lay not two rods
! betwixt me and the light l had seen. Our
| move had been exposed, and the only thing
| gained by us was knowledge of our speed
and whereabouts. The Ajax | knew had
been anchored for upward of month about
| mile below the grand battery" and the
| way her riding light had slid by us be-
| tokened the fact that just then we were NOV
ing at the rate of four or five miles an hour
| Therefore we were now off Nuttens Is
land, but the bulk of the British fleet still
10y below. They were fairly close to the
| Staten Island shore, however, and there
would be small danger of fouling them, the
tide always setting the fairway well into the
center of the Narrows. But of danger from
| the forces below / was not now thinking.
More fear had of the boats that would put
after us from the vessel we had almost
! fouled, for as we passed her and the noises
on her deck faded in the distance, heard
| the dull clashing Of tumbling oars and the
sharp splash of boat as it dropped from
the davits into the water
As though to guide the enemy, ever and
anon there came a cry from our cabin-a
cry that shot into the quiet air like an alarm
gun and drove me to madness. | was now
as one who, having broken through quick
| set, was carrying the thorns in his flesh.
Danger hung over me like a descending
bludgeon, though instead of covering he
meath the coming blow it set my blood on
fire. With a curse which must have caused
the girl to shudder, seized the musket, and
driving its butt through the nearest dead
light, felt the iron stock shoe crunch against
flesh and bone. There came from within
yell of agony, and after silence, and then
spoke:
Another shout, We villains, and I'll fiji
the cabin with flying balls. Mind this, i
yonder boats board us, before being taker
I'll kill We both Ye are dealing with Don
aid Thorndyke, and now lie and stiae, anc
may God have more mercy on We than hav,
; /, We spawn of the DEVIL"
And with this cut away the Selling tina
held the tarpaulin and rolled the heavy GOV
ering close to the windows, thus blocking al
ventilation below. So long as this re
manned undisturbed it would mufile an,
, noise they might make, and, ! fancied
soon bring them to terms from lack of air
Hailing Ames twho had thus far stuck t
his post in voice which l took car
should be heard by the prisoners, orderel
him to fire into the compartment at tn
first attempt they made to move the smoth
!. ering cover. and then | hurried forward t
prepare for being overhauled by the boats.
being o1 ny Own ship everything va