Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-10-31
Copyright, 1900. by R. F. Fenno & Co.
CHAPTER TX,


HIS STATEMENT TO MEssRs. SARA
BAND.
left Hill street in pretty good
humor, for Miss Frida Fairholme gave
me a draft on account which might
have won me from your employment If
she wanted my services. Then | went
home, and, having warned Joe Walls
to be In readiness to accompany me, l
waited for my last orders. | had been
told ! was to be associated with q
British officer. friend Of the captains,
and that he would join me right away,
so we might take the cars at once for
Plymouth. But my gentleman never
appeared till any hour. and when he
did appear he showed up as a high
falutin jack-a-dandy whom | thought
no better than q dude. But l was
wrong there. and l will say at once
that cottoned to him some before
we parted.
My instructions came In letter. 1t
was addressed to me. indorsed "imme-
diate," In an envelope marked "On Her
Majesty's Service" which l am not, as
you know. and don't want to be, being
a freeborn loyal subject of Uncle Sam.
The letter inside was headed with the
royal arms and signed Charles Col
lingham. major general" 1t was to
inform me that the steam tug Jacob
Silyerton had been secured for q par
ticular business. and would be found
same night lying at the Plymouth pier
head. with fires banked. ready to 60 to
sea at moments notice.
The letter went on:
understand from Lloyds, and It has been cal
culated from the admiralty charts as the basis OF
her speed and the progress she has made. that
the yacht Fleur-deLis should be abreast OF the
Lizard about dawn or. say. $3.50 to a. m. TO-
morrow. II the tug leaves Plymouth before mid
night. she can gain such position by daybreak
as to meet the Fleur-de-Lis and cross her course.
II you do not sight her at once, you must lie to.
waiting. for she cannot we'll have passed.
When you have intercepted her, as you surely
will, she will be boarded by an officer OF my de-
partment. who will accompany you and who car
ries the necessary authority from the lords OF the
admiralty to detain and search her. He Is EN-.
powered to use force II necessary. and certain
number OF police apd coast guardsmen will be
on board the tug.
Major Swete Thornhill, R. A.. the bearer Of
this letter. will travel with you to Plymouth. he
Ia a friend OF Captain Woods and brother stat
officer and will be glad to cooperate In the res
cue and render any assistance.
found a tall, military looking gentle
man at the door in haEsom.
Hop ln." he cried pleasantly. "Only
Just time to catch the express"
preferred to travel with Joe. but we
Joined forces at Paddington. where
my gentleman had secured a compart-
ment, and we started to talk over our
business right away.
"Hang that fellow Willie Wood| be-
gan the major. "Wish he was ct the
bottom of the sea. l was due this very
night at a big feed at the Charlatan
club. and I've had to spend 1t In the
train. Got me jawbation. too. from
the chief. for we were all out at lunch
when he came In. and as was the first
back | had to take the rough edge Of
his tongue and came In for this ugly
Job. Is it all a true bill? Have they
really got Master Willie in a tight
place? Mean to make him walk the
plank and all that, eh?"
told him the whole story from the
beginning. at parts Of which he laugh
ed and parts looked very grave.
always was garden ass. Willie
Wood, but good chap-good as they
make 'em. He'd give you the shirt OF
his back and always ready to do all
your work If you'd let him. Now, I'll
do my level best to pull him out Of this
mess II can. What chance have we!
Let's see how 1t stands"
With that he pulled small chart out
Of his pocket and pair Of dividers.
We went over the points one by one.
and he took them all In clear, quick
way that was beautiful to see. 1t was
the first time I'd had to work with a
British officer. and II they're all like
this major they're a spry, smart lot.
and don't you forget it.
Its all q question OF time," he said
as he marked a cross upon the chart
and, after running out a few more fig
ures, went on:
That's where the Fleur-de-Lis ought
to be by daylight, three or four miles
to the westward, steaming at the rate
we know of, not necessarily gaining,
but possibly with better slced in hand
II she wants It, Now. where shall we
be? That will depend upon how our
hooker steams, and for that we must
wait till we get on board"
We found her, the Jacob Silverton,
with her steam up. lying alongside the
wharf in the Millbay docks. and, as
they expected us. we were soon under
way. 1t was then close on q. m.
Now the major made anxious inquiries
as to her speed. and we found the best
she could do was about nine knots.
There were no more than three hours
to daylight. and then we should have
covered q bare 80 miles.
"It'll be a near thing" said the ma
jor. However. let's get 40 winks
while they crack on all steam and
make her move"
I had not been in bed for couple OF
NIGHTS and was sound asleep when the
major woke me.
"The luck's against us. Snuyzer.' he
began abruptly. We've just missed
the Fleur-de-Lis; saw her plainly
enough, and there was no mistaking
her, about three miles to the westward
and bore down on her straight. | sup
pose she did not like our looks and
turned on full steam ahead. Doubt II
we shall catch her now
"Of course we must stick to her.
Has she the heel Of u.s." I asked Ianx-