Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-02-06
CHAPTER XIX

some three miles of the rover. the sea
breeze suddenly began to fall; for a quar-
ter of an hour there was a succession of
short. irregular pGffs and uncertain
Gains, and then the wind sank altogether:
the crisped smiles of the ridgy waves
subsidized into cool serenity, and Il few
minutes later the whole surface of the
gulf was shining silvery and bright as a
vast mirror, or as the unruffled bosom
of an inland lake.
Condemned to inactivity on both sides,
the future combatants applied themselves
at once to the sternest preparations for
hight which all foresaw must be final
and conclusive; but doub,y perilous was
the need of Manly to provide every re-
source with which his genius and expe-
rience could surround him. since the very
calm which prevented him from working
off shore 'manfully under bold sail to meet
one enemy, compelled him to await the
insidious and almost unseen approaches
of another, in the triumphant army of
the Spaniards, flushed with their recent
victory, whose columns he might already
behold entering the gates of the city. and
whose artillery he might soon expect to
hear laundering from the embrasures OF
the batteries under whose guns he lay.
Are they eighteens or twenty fours,
Montgomery" asked the commander Of
the young man, whose long sojourn might
be presumed to render him familiar with
AL the details of the city and its fortifi-
cations, (which form the battery of yon
low fieur d'eau fort to the left of the
mole?'
Neither one nor the other. Captain
Manly" replied the young man; ''there is
not a gun there of smaller caliber than
thirty-two. The castle to the right has
twenty-faurs and eighteens.'
Heavy odds against eighteen-pounder
carronades, and that at long bowls. too
We must be moving, if we mean to do
anything against that heavy fellow in the
offing, for he is a hard match for us at
the best; and if these dons begin to pep
per us, as it is like enough they will, if
they don't sink us at our anchors, for
which | would be loath to answer. they
will leave little work for him to do"
Mr.. Norton" he continued, after
moments pause. addressing the officer of
the deck. ''call all hands. if you please
The shrill whistle of the boatswain and
the hoarse call repeated everywhere, was
followed by the heavy tramping of feet
and the simultaneous rush of the crew
from all quarters until a hundred and
twenty as stout fellows as ever walked
deck were mustered about their ancient
captain. whose -relinquished and now
resumed authority they hailed with trans
port and the fullest conviction of tri-
umph.
Clear away all the boats. sir, and ,et
the launch and long boat have their
Hedges on board shall both tow and
kedge off shore, as cheerily as we may,
for we must put two miles of water be-
tween us and those water batteries he
fore they open their fire upon us. which
they viii do soon, as they know / am
aboard you. Look alive now. my lads
if you do your duty lively we shall be
without the range of their guns before
they can train their muzzles upon US; and
every mile we make now brings us as
much the nearer to yon cruiser, which is
our real enemy, as it removes us from
these naughty dons."
The men cheered Justify. the boats
were speedily fitted, manned and lowered,
and the ship was about to commence the
doubtful experiment of hedging out from
under the guns of the heavy batteries
when suddenly a white flag. was display
ed on mast at the mole head, and imme-
diately afterward Il boat was seen pulling
out. with its stern sheets filed. with
officers of rank and similar emblem Of
pacific intentions floating from staff
at her bows, aud the gorgeous blazonry
of old Spain displayed at her stern.
"Ha! they will treat with u.s. cried
the commander. 1T is well so-we shall
gain time. Haul down that red ensign
meantime. and set Spanish colors at her
gaffs. with a white flag at her fore. We
are an American. remember. and with
protection from his exee!lency the gov
ernor of Havana"
In the meantime the shore boat had
come Alongside, and the ENJOYS. consist
ing of two or three subaltens of the
Spanish army, accompanying a lieutenant
colonel who was the governors aid-de-
camp likewise, came on board and were
received by Frederick and his other ofIi-
GERS, who were now all in full uniform
as officers of the United States. with ali
courtesy and honor.
Their errand was soon told Informa-
ton had been given to the royalist gem
eral that two persons most obnoxious to
the Government. daring partiSans of
More!os. and unremitting enemies of
Spain, having succeeded in making their
escape from the bloody field of Guanax-
uato, had been received ON board the Sea
King. and were now in asylum under the
cover of her flag. Ii would appear that
the momentary elevation of the piratical
ensign on board the cruiser had escaped
the observation of the Spaniards. since
they spoke of the Sea King. and appear
ed to consider her MS a cruiser of the
United States; aud it was in consequence
Of the assumed neutrality of that power,
aud on the faith of treaties. that the
surrender of these men was demanded.
who had borne arms against Spain on
her own ground. in defiance of the state
of aLlity and peace existing between the
two governments.
: Frederick was not slow to profit ny
the advantage which he had derived from
this error. Processing his Willingness to
be ruled in all things by the faith Of
treaties and the national honor. he affect
ed 10 consider it in some respects doubt
s8l whether the case could he made OUT
against the two American gentlemen,
very distinguished gentlemen. too. h.
said. who, he did not pretend IA deny.
were on board ihS Sea King and under
the protection OF the American fia-.
These gentlemen. he added. were beth
now well known to himself. ana had been
SO FOR many years: tie one being ne other
than the very vai0rnu> Captain Many.
who had spread such terror and tlevaSta-
ton along the coasts Of England during
the last war The ether. he said he also
well knew to be AIr. john Montgomery
of the city of Philadelphia. If great at
taiements and Of the highest reSpecsa-
bility. Under these circumstances he sub
mitted that he could not surrender per
sons Whom he knew of MS own knowi-
edge 10 be Captain Manly and Mr.. Mont7
gonery. when demanded under rho titles.
as they now were, of the Senior Hernan-
do dc Rihadera aad III dc uaasvi,.e: al
the same time he Invited the SpauiSa OH
Gers below 10 communicate further on 50
delicate a question. stating that in all
probability a references 10 the United
States consul N Tampieo would obviafe
sli difficulty in the premises, and either
establish the innocence or Lead to the