The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-16
after the short interval of silence which
followed the appalling disaster.

instructions. The attempt to run had cost
the Frenchmen three ships. Yet on the
evening OF the day succeeding the glorious
action, her commander sat alone in his
cabin full of gloomy forebodings.
The foe had lost no time in removing
the obstacles which imprisoned them. In
the night following the action divers had
been busy at work. and in spite Of the
'Nimble's'' fire the wreck had been blown
TO pieces. Once more the channel was
open. and now the "Nimble'' lay at the
mercy of the foe. who would certainly at
tack when they discovered her helpless
condition. as they must with the return of
daylight.
Her coal bunkers were empty! Head
way for another six hours" was all that
the chief engineer could promise. All that
day, eager eyes had scanned the empty
horizon. for the return of the admiral. who
had been absent five days. was now as
anxiously hoped for as it had been dreaded
before the action, yet never a sign of ship
had been discovered at sunset.
An unusual silence reigned throughout
the "Nimble:" that silence which is char
acteristic of the British bulldog at bay.
and BODIES evil to his foe. All on board
knew that the morrow would bring forth
another battle-a battle to be fought TO
the bitter end against terrible odds, with
out the slightest hope of victory, failing
the timely arrival of the admiral. Yet
never a man thought for a single mo-
ment of the prospect of escape, which the
last of the coal and the darkness of the
night offered.
The pOmnandprfc ClOonaN Thoughts were
interrupted by a tap on the door. followed
by the entry of a delicate-looking youth.
Cherry was the MINDLESS" junior officer.
and he possessed a pink and white complex
ion unchanged by months of exposure to
tropical sun, which many a London belle
would have envied him. But to the SEN
sitive youth his complexion was an ever
present source of distress. which had won
him the name of Cherry Blossom"
amongst his gunroom comrades.
eff you please, SIR the youth began,
ne~rvously, 81 have come to make a sugges-
ton"
well. my boy, sit down and fire away.
What is it about?"
Its about coal. sir. 1 want TO swim
ashore and get you some. That is, if you
will allow me to CO."
Buy it off the French and arrange with
them not to run away or light until the
.Nimble' has been inside and filled her
bunkers? L am much obliged TO you for
the offer, Cherry, but 1 am afraid the
French would not sell us any just now.
Then they might keep you once they had
you there. and 1 can't afford TO lose an
officer just now"
~ =: Il
IL back to the ship with me- was the I'M
blushing reply. II noticed a lot Of barges
full of coal a little way up the harbor the
night the boats were looking for the cable.
Now if you will let me have a boat to take
me close in shore. l will swim the rest Of
the way and cut as many OF the barges
adrift as / can. The tide will carry some
of them well out to sea before daylight. and
the 'Nimbie' can pick them up"
There was a tone of conviction in the
youths calm yet eager voice which told the
commander that the desperate resource had
been well thought out by the proposer, who
clearly had the nerve and confidence to
carry the adventure through.
That the youth might lose his life without
attaining his object he realized. Still there
was just the chance that a barge might be
cut away and prove the salvation of the
"Nimble." The-venture was indeed a forlorn
hope, but their only chance.
Have you thought about the sharks %
he asked, after a long pause. 1.-The bay is
alive with them, feeding on the corpses
of the Frenchmen."
Eyes, sir: but if you will keep the search
light going over the water L do not think
they will touch me-"
Again the commander thought. 1t seemed
like sending the lad to certain destruction.
Yet on the morrow he would probably be
killed or drowned with his comrades. Per-
haps, though, he might be captured in the
harbor and so escape the fate likely to be
his lot otherwise. Then as he thought with
a shudder of the MINDLESS empty bunkers,
he hesitated no longer.
A few hours later a boat left the side of
the "Nimble" under cover of darkness. With
uufied oars it stole silently shorewards.
In the stern sat Cherry. clad in the scan
test of bathing costumes, a sharp knife
and a strong file suspended from his waist.
Half a mile from shore he slipped over
board and struck out for the mouth of the
harbor. Aided by the strong current which
was setting in from the sea he was soon
in the narrow channel. Fortunately there
was no moon, and all was silent as the
grave as he swan noiselessly onward, max
ing for the point where he had seen the
coal barges. Soon some black forms doomed
in front, and padding TO the side of the
nearest ne paused to listen. All was quiet,
and in another moment he had swung him
self noiselessly on board. To his joy he
found that it was full of coal and was only
fastened to another similarly laden by a
rope fore and aft. Passing from one TO
another he counted a dozen or more, each
one of which might have held a hundred
tons, enough to keep the 'Nimble'' going
for another week. His heart leaped within
him as he pictured even one Of them float
ing alongside the destroyer
With eager haste he cut loose the stern
of the outermost, then crawled quietly for
ward to cast off in front, but whilst CROP
ing about in the dark, feeling for the moor
ings, the space between the barge and the
next rapidly widened. The tide was still
rising and the heavy stern foated out with
the strong current which still set inwards.
Round swung the great barge till it lay
right across the stream, then slowly moving
4 a., No re ~o,-H IN ~ - 1T