Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-02-20
CHAPTER XXI.

With a sensation akin to rapture Har-
ry Sutherland beheld and recognized the
Sea King; for he knew and felt that the
advantage was all his own. He had the
weather-gauge and held his enemy at
bay, with a dead lee shore behind him, SO
that now he had no chance to escape by
dint of his matchless sailing. Sutherland
knew, too by his own personal expert
ence and observation the superiority of
His avn armament; the whilom priyateer
haing mounted only with sixteen eight
compound carronades, while his own
ship, in addition to twenty carrOnades of
the same caliber, carried two long TWEEN
ty-four Founders on pivots upon the fore
castle.
He beat Immediately to quarters. the
long guns were cleared away and double
shotted, arm-ehests were emptied on the
decks, and within twenty minutes of the
discovery of the rover the Sparrow
Hawk was prepared for action and run
ming down at tremendous rate on her
anticipated prey.
When he discovered, however, the red
ensign floating at the Sea Kings gaff,
the exultation of the young captain was
converted into fierce and bitter rage.
"Aloft therel" he shouted.
"Ay, ay, sir!'
'Shake out your royals and sheet
home. allow and aloft. set the larboard
studding-sails! so! Mr.. Yarnall, show
those knaves the Stars and Stripes! give
them an ensign at every mast! three
cheers for our country and her flag"
And as the cheering ended, he assembled
the forecastle and stood by the breech of
the long gun, around which were clus-
tered the boatswain and his crew.
Il think" said Sutherland, I'VE can
speak to him now, so that he shall I'M
derstand our Yankee English. See if your
gun cannot do something for the Spar
row Hawk"
GAY. ay, your honor. That ca nshe--
III warrant her." and the speaker took
long sight at the rover. "That'n do.
Watch the roll Of hcr-pow she rises!
fire.
The heavy piece exploded, and, as the
white smoke drifted away to leeward, the
ball was seen to strike the pillows a few
yards shore of her, and, ricochetting from
the surface, made a great rent in her
foresail
Immediately the Sea King was heading
toward them, braced sharp up on the
wind. fell off a little, and simultaneously
eight bright flashes burst from her gun
wales. with cloud of white smoke; but
the iron hail of the carronades fell short
by a cables length of the corvette, call
ing forth ierisive cheer from the crew
of the Sparrow Hawk.
Sutherland sighted the forward gun
carefully. and pulled the lanyard with his
own hand. eNclaiming: Fire
Harryss shot took effect in the head of
I the foremost. and, after swaying FOR an
! instant to and fire., down crashed fore
! topmast, foretop-ga llant-mast and fore
royal, with all their pyramid of snowy
/ canvas. dragging the maintop-gailaat
mast. witk all It's superintendent spars,
and the mizzen-royal-mast after it.
/ Three Wild. exulting cheers burst from
/ the lips of the crew, as again the Sea
( Kings broadside was discharged, and
again fell short Of the corvette.
Let everything draw noAr, Mr.. Var.
nall: Law us across her bows. within half
pistol shot. We wili.rake her till she's
I sick of showing her red bunting 10 a
cruiser
And with the word. with her snowy
canvas perfect and unspotted. and her
three starry ensigns floating sublime
from her trucks. she swooped down ike
her own glorious eagle upon the shattered
I pirate.
Having now gained what is called the
point of impnnify whence her own whole
broadside could sweep the decks Of the
rover from stem 10 stern with hurri-
cane of round and grape. while only the
bride port guns OF the Sea King could
respond 10 her devastating fire. the 6gh,
| might be said TO be ended. But the
pirates. fighting with halters around their
necks. fought indeed the fight OF despair,
Hosting three blood-red ensigns on the
stumps Of their masts, they replied with