Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-12-04
thossa. and no mistake. what ken VI

thoEsH. and no mistake. What ken Va
dog'
Il know Of no way but to surrender
returned Clarence.
We've got our rifles wi us. Would
them be Of any kind o. use?"
why not?" uttered Clarence. starting
with the thought; .'how far can you shoot
with any certainty 2"
Almost a mile, with our tight slugs.r
By heavens, Max, let's have them
loaded. It's a new mode Of naval war.
fare, but it may work WE'LL
Max Immediately ordered his men tc
get up their rifes-they lad two each,
and some three-and load them. They
were quickly brought up, and Clarence
knew, the moment he looked at them,
that they would do much execution; they
were the heavy, long hunting rife, made
for great range, and faithful to their
aim. When one of their balls missed its
mark its owner knew that ne alone was
to blame.
The brig was now little over two
miles distant, and her character could be
more plainly made ont. She carried six
teen guns, and appeared to have a full
complement of men, though Clarence
could see that she was not handled with
much skill
They're set of lubbers as sure as
the world" he said, "and if I am not
much mistaken. l can handle the schoon-
er so as to bother them some; they're
some squad of rancheros or leperos, who
may have smelled salt water some, and
have taken advantage Of letter Of
marque to change the field of their rob-
I a% fha eal,.o
little, and when she gets within shooting
distance We'll try a new scheme"
Captain Winter had the utmost conf
dence in the young commanders capac-
ity for handling the schooner. and he fell
in with all Clarence proposed.
And now there is one thing more"
resumed our hero, after a moments
thought. Il had started on a peculiar
mission, and / took everything I could
think of that might need Among 9TH
er things, have lot of small, keen files,
with edges like saws. Now if we are
taken by that fellow we shall be put in
irons and huddled together somewhere,
and why may we not contrive some plan
Of escape? By my SOUL" continued the
youth, warming with zeal, as the plan
more fully developed itself in his mind,
I'VE may capture the brig, after all. Be
fore she can bring a shot to bear upon
us. we can pick off number of her men;
and then, after we are in irons on board
their vessel, if we can get the shackles
off undiscovered, why may we not over
come them at night, when they think not
of it? We won't fight moment after
our own lives are fully at stake, for that
would be madness. AS soon as we find
they must come alongside, we'll surren-
der at once"
But" suggested Sloan, won't they
be likely to butcher US, out of clear re-
yenge?"
Revenge for what?'
"Why, for shootin' so many of their
men, eff we do shoot EN-, an / think
ken shoot a few on 'em eff my old shoot
in iron don't rebel"
''You mistake these fellows" said
Clarence. with plying look. THE poor
wretches will thank us roundIy for every
one of their number we kill. Your cargo
is a pretty valuable one, worth 2sw
much?''
"P'r'aps three thousand dollars, be-
sides what money we've got, which is
thousand more" replied Sloan.
Then / have a little." resumed Clar
ence; 'but call it four thousand dollars
These fellows are bound together by no
other ties but those of aid in plumber;
and you may be sure they will much pre-
fer to divide that plumber only among
ten than among fifty. You understand
nowY
Eyes," said Sloan. "And it's jest like
'em, too"
After this, Clarence went down to his
chest, and from thence took a bundle of
tools which he carried on deck. In the
first place he had two curiously construct
ed saws; the bows were of stout steel
wire, covered with cotton cloth, and so
shaped that they could be worn about
the neck as a part of the shirt binding.
Into these frames little saws, made like
a watch spring in size, could be quickly
set. One of these he kept himself, and
the other he gave to Max Winter, after
having explained to him how to use it.
Then to each of the men and to Peter
he gave two small, sharp files, which
they were instructed to conceal in their
shirt sleeves, just under the shoulder.
After all this had been attended to- and
some instructions given about the best
method to file off the Mexican shackles,
their attention was once more turned to
the brig.
(Io be continued.)