Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-06-30
An M E Il ,,,l-l Boy.

ing orb the black outline of the masts,
the figure head and the taper end OF the
jibboom. with its cap, guys and gear.
were clearly and distinctly defined.
The waves ahead rose and fell be-
tween me and the sun, as slowly and
imperceptibly he sank at the flaming
horizon, from quarter circle to a
segment; then the last vestige Of that
also disappeared, but the lingering
rays Of his glory played upward on
the light clouds that floated above.
Even they paled away and died out,
and twilight stole over the sea, which
changed from gold to transparent
blue.
| With the increasing twilight came
change of wind, and before it a great
bank Of cloud rolled from the horizon
on our starboard bow. Under its shad-
ow the sea was darkened and it's brok-.
en- water fecked with white The new
breeze came first upon our quarter.
then rapidly 1t was abeam and three
great albatrosses were seen to whip
| the sea with their wings, while whole
shoal of brown porpoises surged past
our bows. plunging joyously from wave
to wave.
Tucks and braces were instantly
manned and the sails were trimmed
anew for our desultory course. &
sail ho-to windward!" said one of
the crew, in low but excited voice,
lest the sound might reach the cabin;
and as the dense bank Of purple clouds
opened q large bark came out Of it,
and her form became more and more
defined as she left the vapor astern.
She was going free-that is, with her
head further OF the wind than close
hauled-and had press of snow-white
canvas, which shone in the last light
Of the west. " @l.
"She is four miles off, said Carlton.
1--WE must signal her." added Lam
bourne. sy5.. ..ssz-,ss~- ~, ,
with what?" asked Carlton, in the
same sharp but low voice; every COL
or is overheard" ...--sss,. u
Anything will do-a blue shirt at
the foremost head; quick!-the sky
will be quite dark in ten minutes. Run
it up in a ball with a slipping loop,
man-o'-war fashion," said Lambourne,
in loud whisper; "get ready ships
lantern some Of you, for the night
darkens so fast that we shall scarcely
be visible when she is abeam Of US.
Ned, get into the fore-channel and
wave the light as a signal that we
want a boat" f, 1g-n . g..
These orders were rapidly obeyed
and preparations made to throw the
brig in the wind. While one man has
tily got the lantern from a little round
house, in which certain stores and
tools were kept on deck; Ned Carlton
pulled of his shirt, and was in the
act Of binding 1t to the signal hal
yards, when the Spaniard, whose quick
ears detected some commotion, sprang
on deck, armed as usual.
On seeing Carlton busy with the hal
yards he looked round, caught sight
Of the ship, which was running with
the white foam boiling under her fore.
foot, and thus in moment OWNED
what we were about. N..,..
Muttering terrible imprecation in
Spanish he fired at Carlton, but missed
him as before, and shot dead a poor
apprentice who was close by.
"'Tarnal thunder, flesh and blood
can't bear this!" shouted Tom Lam
bourne, whose fury was boundless, and
who snatched up a capstan-bar. Bear
down on him all hands; there is Meth
er sea law no land law can help us
here!" E ~
Snatching whatever came nearest to
hand, we all rushed upon the Cubano,
who stood boldly at bay, and keeping
the pinnacle between us and him. fired
over it five or six shots from his re-
volver with terrible rapidly: but so
unsteady had his hand become in con-
sequence of his free potations below,
that every bullet missed, though one
cut the knuckles Of Tom Lambourne's
right hand, and another tore away the
rim of my straw hat.
He drew second revolver from his
sash, but Lambourne, by one lucky
blow with the capstan-bar, knocked it
out of his hand. 1t went twenty feet
into the air and fell overheard.
Quick as lightning Antonio placed
the other in his breast, drew his knife,
stopped his head, and darting through
us like an eel, gave Carlton cash in
the thigh as he passed. sssa
He then made for the main rigging,
and sprang on the bulwark, no doubt
with the intention of running up aloft
to some secure perch, where he might
reload his remaining pistol, and shoot
us all down at leisure; but he missed
his hold of the rattlins, and fell over
board!
There was shout of furious Joy.
& THE sea will rob the gallows of it's
duel" said Carlton; "but he'll be
sharks meat, anyway
But Antonio was not gone yet, for
in falling he caught one of the lower
studding-sail booms, and clutched it
with deadly tenacity, for he knew that
If once he was fairly launched into
the ocean his fate would be sealed
/ His face was pale with combined fear
and fury; his black eyes blazed with
the fire of hatred; the perspiration
oozed in drops from his temples. Tom
Lambourne sprang forward to beat off |
his fingers; but at that moment the
boom, a slender spar, broke from its
lashings alongside, and swung out at
a right angle from the brig, with the
wretch at the extreme end OF it, dang
ling over the waves, like a herring at
the point of ramrod.
Again and again he writhed his body
upward in wild struggles to get astride
the boom, or to reach it with his
knees, but in vain!