Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-07-06
CHAPTER xXIv.-CoNrNUED.


CHAPTER XXIV..CoNTINUED
On the night of August IA / went below,
fully expecting that but few hours would
elapse ere we went to the bottom. Once
in awhile my vitality would assert itself,
and quick apprehension, a living sensibil
ity, would shoot through me like running
flash of driving sparks in burned-out tin
der, but without enough heat or force to
rout me to action. I slept heavily, as one
sleeps in the fumes of burning charcoal,
dead to harm or happiness, and was walked
from dream of feasting by the sound of
report like that made by bursting sail.
Half conscious l crawled to the deck to
see what had happened. The dawn was
well forward, strip of bright sky of pearly
clearness heralding the sun which was al
ready scattering the clouds aloft. Patches
of the deepest blue, fecked with fine vapor
like clotted cream sailing far above the rap
idly dissolving storm wrack, foretold fine
weather. The wind had sunk to almost a
calm, and was blowing soft warm breath
from the west. The sea was vast series
of hills and valleys, their crests no longer
like teeth, and so rhythmical was their run
that the half-submerged vessel swung with
the regularity of pendulum, only at times
a swollen surge brimming over the bows,
sending a cascade to the deck. Just Wis
IDLE to the north was a clear, dark, indigo
colored lift of land, which instantly knew
to be Montauk point, and even my dull
senses responded to the knowledge of the
wonderful drift we had made.
noted these details with slow, dreamy
satisfaction, but on turning my gaze south
ward, became fully alive to the fact that
the awakening day had put period to our
misery. There on our larboard quarter, two
cable lengths away, lay schooner twice the
size of the Ph~ntom, her sides pierced for
guns, and forward of her foremost the brine
furnished brass of her pivoted rifle stood
out against the horizon. She had luffed
into the gentle breeze, and all her sails were
shivering and swinging as she bowed to the
swells. From her main peak blew out the
flag of the United Colonies, and over her
taffrail was drifting the tawny smoke of the
shot that had aroused me.
For space I stood like man of stone,
my look fixed on the ensign so long astranger
to me. AS gazed at the gorgeous bunting
my heart rose in my throat, the tears welled
from my eyes, the frost which had long
bound me suddenly thawed, and, putting all
my remaining power to my voice,4 gave vent
to a wild shout, threw both arms above my
head, and staggered below.
That night, under her own remaining can
vas, the Phantom sailed into the harbor of
Holmes Hole and dropped her spare anchor.
We had been rescued by the American pri-
vateer Jenny, of New London, out of that
port bound home with prisoners and booty
after four months cruise.
With my story told, there had been
enough help offered to equip me for a voy-
age to the Indies, but asked for only pro-
visions, water, fuel, and couple of hands,
determined to gather to myself the glory
which had well-nigh slipped my grasp. We
were freed from the load of water taken
in during the storm, the Jenny standing
by and lending men to the work until the
pumps sucked" and then, promising not to
lose sight of US until we entered Vineyard
sound, stood for her home port.
Not word did I say about the two sail
ors whom I had captured, and who had
served me well. The doctor had found half
dead from fright, the effects of his debauch,
starvation and .seasickness, and 1 deter
mined to hold him myself still as prisoner
on parole. / had no idea of transferring
Ames or his sister, for 1 doubted if the
Jenny, crowded as she was, would prove
more comfortable than the Phantom. The
remainder of the trip would be short; at
my own home there would be the best of
nursing, and my surgeon prisoner would
make a fair attendant, if he could be kept
sober, matter would take in my own
hands.
There were other reasons why would not
consent to be separated from my friends
even had they been willing (which they
were not), the weightiest of which not being
the danger of transshipment, but one I
deemed unnecessary to mention, and which
as yet would not fully acknowledge to my
self.
Knowing nothing of the march of events,
i conided to the captain my fears of Gen.
:Sullivan's safety, and told him what had
learned of Clinton's intended movement to
the relief of Pigot, hoping he would be able
to transmit warning to the American
general in time to prevent surprise.
Thus suddenly relieved of care, we sailed
away under mainsail, foresail and j;b, and
: had made the remainder of the voyage with
out incident. It was with emotions al
most boyish and uncomfortable that
marked the mingled reds, yellows and blues
of the great clay foreland of Gay head, doub-
~ brilliant in the light Of the wes.ering sun.
BY then onr consort was well to the north
west, but Il now feared neither the British
nor the devil, for, ifsclosely pursued by the
former, i should have run the Phantom
ashore and taken to:the woods, even though
i broke my heart to do it.
But no further necessity for heroic action
presented itseIf, and we slipped into the