Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-02-02

taken, they always find q scapegoat in
these cases. / warn you that il you
persist In this yiSlation cf-'
aIIave you done:' beloved the lieu
tenant. Il am going 10 search this
ship"
"May I ask what forg'
.You Will know oon enough"
/ could not understand why a sarewd
man like Won Mitschka was ~proionging
this useless controversy. until il struck
me that he might be trying u gain
time, though ! could not conceive what
good that would do him. So | thought
it could do no harm to add q gentle pro-
test of my own.
II presume. sir" I said. with my chin
IN the air, that il is no part Of your i'm
structiOns TO insult a British subject,
who happens TO be a passenger Oh
board this vessel, by searching his per
son and property, without az much as
saying what you are in search Of. For
In that case. / assure you that this is
not the last that viii be heard Of it."
The lieutenant looked me over in
rather contemptuous style, and finally
said: ut will only be necessary 10 In
spect the Hers cabin. With his prop
erty and himself we have nothing to
doy'
lie then left the cabin abruptly, and
soon returned, followed by some of his
men. A systematic search of the ship
then began; and / soon came TO the
conclusion that Won Mitschka was
fighting against time Hardly a lock-
er was opened without a protest and a
rummaging for keys. In a spare cab
in just forward OF the main cabin, a
sailor had been hastily installed in a
hammock, to act the part Of the sick
man we Were supposed to have on
board.
Won Mitschka saw fit to protest very
strongly against a visit being paid to
the invalid. and, IS usual, the more
vigorously he protested, the more sus-
pieious the officer became. and the
inore determined that at this point. at
all events, his examination should be
thorough. But. as usual. IL turned out
that the suspicious were unfounded. A
single glance at the man in the berth
was enough for the ~liutenant. who
called his men to follow him into the
main deck with a very i'll grace.
] had followed the search party ont
of the cabin; and, as the lieutenant
and his party assembled the companion
ladder, / saw a nan who had just
come down approach Won Mitschka,
and make q scarcely perceptible sign.
When / went on deck after the 9TH
ers, / saw that in the meantime the
cruiser and the brig had drawn much
nearer to each other. There was only
a space of eighty or a hundred yards
between them. The boats crew were
on board. except three men, who had
been left to mind the boat.
The lieutenant went forward to the
main hatch, and was about TO order 1t
to lie removed. when Won Mitschka
said. ~eourteously: IF you wish to in
spect the cargo. sir, there is a large
Fart of it slowed on deck"
Il win see what is under the matches
first" said the officer, grutfly, and in a
tome that made me think he was be-
ginning to fear that his captain had
been wrong. and that a severe repri-
mand might be the only reward of his
zeal.
III you wish to 20 below, this is the
way said the chief, and he pointed 10
tie narrow passage that ran forward
from the foot Of the companion way.
Again the party descended. and a few
minutes more had been gained.
What is thisty said the officer, strik-
ing with the hiit Of his sword the
wooden wall of the cell which con
tanned the prisoners.
The words had barely passed his lips
when he was answered by a chorus Of
shouts and cries from the interior of
tie cage.
Help. Help Good stranger, 20
and tell the police that we are shut up
here. three innocent men. by these
bandits. Take us out! Take us out,
for the love OF Heaven!"
The lieutenant stood as a man struck
but it was only for an instant.
A look Of intense joy. of complete sat
isfaction. came into his face. as. bend
ing down until there was not a foot be
tween his eyes and Won Mitschka's, he
Missed ont some words between his
teeth. Then, scarcely waiting to speak
a reassfring word to the prisoners. he
bounded on deck. Won Mitsehka and
| followed him Mt once.
SpriEging uD to the top Of the bull.
wark. in his excitement. and holding
on with one hand to the mizzen
slrouds, the lieutenant waved his hat
around his head and gave a ringing
cheer. which was Immediately taken
up by the whole ships company on the
cruiser.
'.They are here, They are here.
Three Of them!' yelled the lieutenant.
Won Mitschka walked up to him. and,
him a violent shove, deliberate
ly pushed him into the Sea.
There was q cry from the deck of the
cruiser. and the men in the boat along
side got out their oars TO go and pick
UP the lieutenant, thinking. merely.
that he had overbalanced himself. But
some of the blue-jackets who had
come on board the brig saw what had
been done, and they at once advanced
TO seize Won Mitschka.
"NOWt' he cried, in a voice of thun-
der.
At that moment I saw the bulwarks
Of the brig on the port bow part asun-
der. There was n splash, as Of some
heavy object being thrown into the
water. Then a strange. kissing. whiz-
zing sound. and, looking towards the
cruiser, which lay hroadside on, not n
hundred yards away. / noticed a ripple
IN the top of the water like that made
by the nose of n large fish swimming
close 10 the surface. 1t went straight