The National tribune., 1901-11-07

"AhOy, shipmates!'' yelled Shorty in de
light, as the Colonel disappeared. Know
all men by these presents that I'm Com
mOdore of this feet, and must be obeyed
and respected accordingly. If | amt,
somebody II get the cat-o-nine-tails.
Serg't klegg commands the marines, but
by virtue of senior service on the raging
canal and the bilowy Mississippi I'm the
Boss Sailor. Hand me that trumpet,
Monty, and stop chatting that blOke over
there. You cant jaw him out of his shell
if yOu use words as long rs a fence-rail.
Silence in ranks-I mean order in the
fleet he continued, shouting through the
trumpet. Everybody on board shut up.
I'll do all the talking for awhile"
He picked out two Of the brawny young
farmcrboys of Co. Q to act as firemen,
and loaded OH Il supply of cordwOOd for
fuel.
SANDY, you take tine wheel of this boat,
and Harry that Of the other" ordered
Shorty.
Pm no Savannah River pilot, and l
don't want to be-" grumbled Harry. Il
want to manage that gun
'Durn the old wheel. l don't know
how to steer" said Sandy II want to
pull the lanyard. L know how to do
that"
Let me pull the lanyard" eagerly
pipcd Pete. Il can do it bully
sNlltlte On Neth. IuuHuPItu ENuOilA =
You'll all do just as | tell you. No mu-
tiny here"
But | don't know anything about steer
ing" protested Harry.
Nor l." said Sandy.
'Wcll, that's all easy enough. You
just listen to me. When | say 'labbOard
you must turn the wheel to the left; that
makes the boat make Il right wheel. When
| say 'stabbOard you turn the wheel to
rif l,a m ok a a N-l
What stuff said Harry, GROSSLY.
why don't you say file right or file
left. in Il way that soldiers can under
stand! | hate putting on naval lingo. 1t
mixes me all up"
Harry, leave that wheel at once, and
90 back to your gun, said Shorty. You're
too dumb for anything but lands'aan.
man in the world. ALI Russell, take
that wheel. Monty Scruggs. stand on the
bow to catch and repeat my orders. Gid
Mackall, you stand on the bow of this
boat and heave this lead, when l order
you, just as you saw that fellow do on
the Tennessee River.
The riflcd battery galloped up on the
bluff behind, went into battery, and sent
yolley of shells mt the ironclad. They
could be seen breaking against her i'm
prcgnable sides.
Just as the Colonel said. mrttered ST.
Amounts to as much as fiippinG peas
against a window-pane."
The iron-clad responded with a Ga
pound shell directed at the battery.
Their own boat shook violently, as their
gun roared ont, and they saw its shell
ricochet across the water and strike near
one of the ironclad's ports.
81 looked around sternly to see Harry
jump away from the gun, and Pete stand
ing with contrite look Oh his face and
the lanyard in his hand.
What do you mean by disobeying or
ders?' remanded ST.
Il really didn't 20 TO do it, whimpered
Pete. Harry was aiming the cannon,
and | looked over his shoulder, and saw
what good aim he had, and got to
thinking just how it ought to be fired, and
before l knowed it it just pulled itself
off"
Lay down, Everybody lay down.
yelled Shorty through his trumpet.
There's Il shell coming"
They all threw themselves fat on the
deck, as the great shell came roaring over
and struck frame saloon and sailors
boarding house, tore it all to pieces and
set it on fire.
There, you see what you get by your
condemned disObedience," grumbled 81.
THAT ironclad wasn't interfering with us
before, and we were getting along all !
right. You keep away from that gun,
Or I'll break your little neck"
Didn't do no HARM" said Shorty, COM
ing to the rescue of Pete, as usual Harry |
made a tolerable good line-shot, and as
for that gin-mill it ought to we been |
struck by lightning years ago. There's |
been n man killed or robbed in it for T
every board on its sides"
'"rhe Colonel orders you to stop that |
shooting, and bring the boats up TO the |
eft, where he is,' shouted an Orderly, |
up.
We'll be up there in a few minutes"
responded ST. Harry, load up that gun
igain and get her ready. Pete, you go
back to the stern, and stay there until | |
ell YOU to go forward"
Just the way I'm always treated"
,ulked Pete. Just because I'm little.
Nobody else would We pulled that string
ust at the right time as l did. If they'd
ct us tried it over again we'd We socked
! shell right into one o. them portfolios"
He sat down on the stern, and soon
orgot his troubles in Sandy's cxplana-
ion of the screw which drove the boat,
ind which now began to turn as steam