New-York tribune., 1899-12-17
CHRISTMAS IN CADlX BAY.
11o,y MR.. MDsHlPMAN IHNIDGE CUT
OFT THE CARLOTTA.

inc commission To- Earass the sputh'IH 9"'''
of the enemy. As a fighting machine She WAS
not Of much account. being slow footed ana u"-
dcrmanned. but nevertheless this small dlsSl-
pated looking craft sagged down the p'doN
coastlines Of Spain behaving after the manner
Of a 12O-gun leviathan, and would De "e"Nu
nothing in glory
Her commander, when she started WAS VI"
Thomas Warrington. an acting lieutenant oi
TWENTY-FIVE who thought the sure couh pcd'
ANYTHING aloat. and who in his heart desplsed
tho his, fricatcs and Iine-of-battle ships com
,,oeino the feet which ne intermittentIy fol-
lowed and to which ne pretended to be at
tached.
Having slain and wounded many Spaniards
ord steadily lcssencd the number Of her scantY
crcv. the Sure in exchanging compliments WIN
something four times her own siZ" of Barce-
Iona had the misfortune 10 lose not onlN h'r
commander but many other brave fellows 0he
oscaued in the early dawn OF chill Deceih'e'
dav. leaving her late antagonist drifting helP-
,osslv sboreward. but with tall French frigate
in the offing Fastening to give assistance
Therefore the battered English brig dragged
herself slowly away to the west. her maStS gone
h.r rigging hanging about her sides ana uhe
blood and sand Of the fight yet mired about her
tranplcd decks. Her new commander got up
Jury masts and hoisted what sail ne could ana
then stood out for Cadiz. a proud hut anxious
servant Of the King on what was for the t''he
being at any rate. his own quartcrdeck
Mr. Midshipman Tick Irnidge came OF lrish
blood. a good fighting fluid, that heals kindly
SO that the wound which had sliced away hlt
Of his scalp hurt far less than the remembrance
Of the defeated Mienonne whose capture had
Only been averted 10y the unlucky appearance OF
the other Frenchman
After the duel off Barcelona had been fought
on between the little old unhandy brig with
her poor 4-pounders and the So-gun Mgn"nh''
and when the sure perforce drew away from
her adversary. the senior surviving oillcer on
board was Mr.. Midshipman Irnidse. ana besides
him there was but one other left alive, second
MILDLY named Selby. Mr.. Irnidge and Mr. Selby'
midship1nen. had joined on the same day ana
the question Of seniority one of Alphabetical
chance only 1t was moreover question they
had argued out with their fists on several oc-
casions and TO varying conclusions lrnidge was
tall and red headed and of deceptive Ieanness
while Selby was fair and thickset, and stoutly
Put upon his lege as a wholesome well fed Eng
lsh lad should be.
They were troublesome eXuberant couple,
very much wrapped up in the service OF the
King and bursting with the single minded am
bition TO run as many harbreadth risks as couId
bv any means be devised During the nine
months the cruise had already lasted they had
had the finest opportunities afforded them OF
fulfilling this ambition, Of every one OF which 1t
must he owned they had taken the most ample
advantage 1t was Mr.. Selhy who spent an
entire night in taking soundings within pistol
shot Of the French fleet. but it was Mr.. lrnidge
who crawled through the portfolio Of a big
Of - an
turned her guns inbOard.
Irnidge on whom the burden Of com
rnand lay heavy was bent upon making what
spced he could to catch up with the fleet to re-
port himself and his crippled little vessel, while
Sclby was inclined To be sulky and to twit his
senior with losing chances Of glory which
might fall to them if they fingered by the way.
THAT knock on the skull has made you afraid
Of your own shadow Observed Mr. Selby un-
pleasantly
I'm not afraid" replied Irndge, whose hands
were itching for fight on the old lines but
who was restrained by the sense of his present
dignity. I'm only cautious. You've TO re-
sponsbnty; have
Ana to that h. adhered in spite Of the rude
pantomime Of inc,edulity by which Mr. Selby
sought to move him
IF We meet anything well go up against il"
conceded lrnidgr. but I'll not alter her course
10 look for battles till I've been aboard the flag
ship"
or Cadiz the Sure sighted the flagship and
duly reported herself The admiral was hurried
and full of Other thoughts for the combined
French and Spanish fleets were said to be lying
IN wait for him up the coast.
IL went to the side and looked down con
tomptuousy upon all that remained Of the Sure.
shes Watcrlosgcd." ne said shortly. shed
never get home. and she's not worth laying up
anyhow They'd make a windmill out of her
timhcls-thats all she's good for Mum