The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-01-11
dand. SO far, at least, we could NOT
at the way fate had treated


landed it there and took in Spanish
wines in return. While the lading was
going on we had plenty of time to
spend on shore, and in one of our eX-
curslons we had an adventure.
A sailor is always fond Of ride on
horseback, and as Alec and were no
exceptions to the rule we had hired a
couple of very fair mounts and went
for ride into the country. We had
left the town about half a league be-
hind us. when we met carriage con-
tanning two men and girl. One of the
men had his arm round the girl and
was holding her fast, as though to pre-
vent her from jumping out, and as we
passed she gave a'cry and waved her.
hand to us, whereupon the man who
was holding her swore at her and call
ed to the other to whip up his horse.
Something wrong here, Alec" ex-
claimed, but Alec had already turned
and was riding hard after him. fol-
lowed, and after chase of about a
mile we came up with them. We whip
ped out our pistols and shouted to them
to stop or we would fire.
Now" said Alec when they had
pulled up, tout you get, both of you"
Yielding to the eloquence of the two
cooked pistols, they ,obeyed.
You with the reins, hold the horses
head, II you move a yard farther on,
shoot. And you other scoundrel,
hand the lady out. Quickly, now!''
They were unarmed or at least had
no firearms, so they had to do as they
We're bid. AS soon as she was out of
the carriage the lady turned and faced
the two rufFians with a defiant sheer
lowering round her mouth, and they
covered under her glance like whipped
ours Alec made them get in again
and drive off at once daring them to
turn their heads as long as they were
in pistol shot.
When they We're gone, we turned to
the lady for an explanation.
How can I thank you, gentlemen?"
she exclaimed.
Speaks English!' muttered "And
a pretty girl too, Wonder what those
two scoundrels We're up tor
Madam said Alec with courtly
bow, 1--WE are only too glad to have the
good fortune to serve you. Where may
we have the pleasure of escorting
you?"
Madam she laughed. you need
from the court to seize all the English
shipping in the bay, to confiscate the
cargoes and to imprison the crews. AS
captive in the town dungeon should
be farther from her than ever; but,
still a free man, l might some day re-
turn and carry her off, and 50 by the
love bore her she entreated me to be
gone at once.
Here was a pretty piece of news!
We questioned the page, but as he Ell
'ther did not know or would know moth
ing we sent him off ashore in his boat.
What are we to do?" asked Alec.
I'm going ashore" replied, decid-
edly.
What for?'
ITO rescue Inez."
Jack, it's useless. You would be ar
rested long before you reached her.
Il mean to try all the same"
'Itll be foolhardy, tell you. Much
better take the advice she gives you,
escape now and come back again to
carry her off"
ALEC, can't go away and leave her
in that. scoundrers power. l must go
ashore"
Alec shrugged his shoulders. well,
If you must, you must. I'll go with
you. of course, and try to see you safe
through, but l quite expect we shall
both be locked up for our pains. We
will spread the warning among the
other English ships on our way"
We went on deck at once and began
good two miles farther out than the
other ships, so we had stiff pull be-
fore us.
Night was Just beginning to fall, and
there was some hope that the darkness
might cover our movements and enable
us to rescue Inez and then slip out of
the harbor before the Spaniards had
made up their minds to strike. 1t was
desperate chance, though.
The boat was already on the bull
warks when Alec shouted, "Hold on,
allr'
TOO late" he said. There's feet
of boats putting out from the shore
now, each one crammed full of sol
diers. We must leave the other ships
to shift for themselves, I'm afraid, and
make bid for our own freedom. That
big fellow there, coming up before the
wind seems to have been told off to
look after u.s.
We We're well armed, of course, as
the most peaceful ship has to be when
there are so many sea thieves unhang
ed, and though the Spanish galleon was
five times our size we would have
thought nothing of tackling her, five
Spaniards to one Englishmap being by
no means crushing odds, but there
We're three other ships outside of us
evidently waiting to pick up stragglers,
so we were to all appearances hopeless
ly shut in.
The men looked at one another in
CONSERVATION.
Alec, however, had made his plan.
PUT back the powder" he cried sand