Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-05-25
CHAPTER XIX.


then our fate would be known.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE CAPTURE OF THE SCHOONER.
I wondered nightly that they had not
fired at us, but the solution of the riddle
came to me when I remembered that the
Sprite had but one powerful gun forward,
and hitherto she had not been in position
to use it on us without blowing away her
cwn forward rigging. Her silence thus con-
firmed my fears as to the identity of the YES
sci, nor wereowe long in doubt as to the
malevolence of her purpose. Still she glided
toward US, waited is a feather over
smooth pond, while we rolled to the long
reach of the surges without more way than
would take fathom in minute.
For all the deafness of the Phantom, I
still stuck to the wheel, that she might not
round into the wind. Ames and his sister
had goneabelow to reload the firearms and
lay our ammunition, when, just as the last
gasp of wind went out and the shivering
sails set the reeing points beating the can
vas with musical ripple, the enemy slowed
a couple of points to the south, and ball
Ct white smoke broke from her bow. Plain
~ as day marked the shot as it struck the
water and in great leaps came skipping
toward us. It passed US we'll astern, tor,
with the fall of the wind, we had swung into
the trough of the sea, and the Phantom was
now parallel to her pusurer, the latter lying
of our starboard quarter.
There she might remain, and, using as
target, sink us at her leisure. though had
little fear of this action on her part, as the
British policy was ever to capture any,
thing that could be of use, only destroying
that which they could not carry away.
I watched the flight of the ball until the
spouts sent aloft as it struck the sea became
smaller and the missile sunk in the distance.
Il was command to come into the wind
and show our colors, and hoping Though
without reason) to defer to the last the fall
of the bolt, descended into the cabin and
fumbled through the flag locker for the
Union Jack. had the ensign in my hand
when the girl looked up from her work and
quickly asked:
Are you to make a last stand under
that? Nay, then, Donald" she said, with
an appeal in her voice, and for the. first
time giving me my first name alone, "unless
you hope to blind them for good and all by
the sight of that bunting, 'twere weak
thing to do. You say you will fight; then
fight under your own colors. 1t will make
no difference in the end" And with this
she bent to the locker, picked up the en-
sign of the colonies, and, holding it out,
dragged from my hand the red flag of the
enemy. It was noble act, and worthy of
the spirit which had been equal to boarding
Clinton in his own quarters. 1t put into me
the stimulus needed. Without word I
turned and bounded up the companion, and
in a moment the stars and stripes were
hanging at the main peak, barely unfolded
by the zephyr that was still playing aloft.
1t was plain defiance, and met with
ready answer. The bunting had been aloft
no longer than was necessary for those on
tie distant vessel to have made it out with
glass, when again came a squirt of smoke
and another ball leaped toward us. It was
well-aimed shot, and, had the gun been
trained a trihe more to the right, it would
have ended matters on the instant. AS it
was, the ball dipped close to our stern and
beneath the trailing dingy. There was
swirl of spouting foam, a tearing crash, and
the little boat leaped into the air amid
shower Of splinters, spun over and over like
top, and then settled, keel upward, with
a clean-cut hole yawning in her bottom.
/ could almost hear the shout of triumph
that undoubtedly took place on the enemy's
deck as the result of this piece of marks
nanship, but in the end, had they but
known it, they were whetting the tigers
teeth instead of pulling them. Hardly had
the smoke thinned from the shot, when
from under the cloud / marked boat put
ting away. There was little need of glass
to tell me it was filled with a boarding
ing its close. With the few minutes left for
preparation we made haste to get what arms
we had on deck, and, while yet the yellow
fash of the oars was distant, our arrange
inents were completed. For defense we had
two rifles, four pistols, three cutlasses and
my rapier, though the latter and one of the
cutlasses, being of no use, were left in the
cabin. The lady was to take charge of the
ammunition and reload the firearms as
used, for, though her brother and myself
both begged and commanded her to remain
below, she had for the first time drawn for
herself her own line of action by simply
shaking her head and following us to the
deck. She was white as chalk as she stood
end watched the near approach of the boat,
but will swear that her fear Gf fear it was)
was not for herself.
Just before the enemy drew into rife
shot / went forward and opened the fore
castle slide, calling both prisoners to come
up, for / had mind that might use them
to make show of numbers on our deck.
But in return received volley of curses
only, and, as had no time to try discipline,
/ shut and again. fastened the hatch, rejoin.
ing the others aft.
Even at this stage was possessed with the
follorn hope that we might drive off the ap-
preaching boat, and, If they were short
handed aboard q condition not unlikely,
and failed to cripple us with their long gum,
something might happen in the way of wind
from another quarter or the coming dark
ness to enable us to escape. The hope, how
ever, was not enough to give life to my
spirits to make it worth the telling to my
companions / had put my past behind me,
never hoping to reap what had scwed and
with set teeth awaited with little fear and
less doubt for the result of the coming hour
Ames lay along the deck with his rife
over the counter; the girl sat In the COM
panion door ready to reload the arms q they
were passed to her; and /, looking for the