The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-02-19
CHAPTER XIV.

silently anu SLOWLY the boats crept on
toward the town. We had crowded ev-
cry man of our crew into them, with
the exception of the old man, who was
left in charge of the Scourge We were
not pressed for time, as the dons would
hardly be in their first sleep yet. So
we padded easily, keeping keen look
out and cursing in whisper the man
who allowed his oar blade to raise the
slightest splash. tell you, to some of
us the effort of that strained silence
was harder work than it would have
been to raise a hearty cheer and race
to the landing through hail of Span
ish bullets.
Once Alec's boat got on ledge Of
rocks and her crew had to climb over
board and lift her into deep water, and
once mine had to be eased over shoal.
But no damage was done to either of
them, and the quietness with which we
worked prevented any telltale sound
from reaching the shore.
Foot by foot we crept on, feeling our
way by instinct, as it were, through the
velvety darkness. Not light showed
from the sleeping town, and but for the
loom of the high rocks on the harbor's
sides we could hardly tell sea from
land. Sheltered from the wind, the
water had become as smooth as an I'M
furnished mirror, and, in spite Of all
the caution with which we dipped and
raised the oars, splash now and then
could not be avoided. And over such
q surface sound travels far in the quiet
of night
Presently the voices Of two men talk
ing came to US across the water, and
after a minute or SO one Of them chal-
lenged:
"Who goes therew
Amigos; .Espanoles," replied Willie
Trehalion.
Mother Of God, those accursed Eng
lish" exclaimed the man on shore and
fired his pistol. We smothered a laugh
at the poorness of our boatswain's
Spanish and, as further caution was
now useless, bent to our oars with a
will.
There's fort Of some sort here"
shouted Alec between me and the
shore. Follow in quickly before they
can bring their guns to bear"
Hardly had the words left his lips
when there was flash and roar, and
n dose of lead took the tips from our
starboard oars.
every prettily aimedw muttered Jan
Pengony, who as gunner must needs
express his opinion. "The next may be
closer. A demiculverin, too, by the
ring OF. Jump her along, lads, an
let's be after the captain afore he's
stormed the place by hisself Hooray
for Captain Ireland an the Scourger'
And so Justify did our fellows lay
their backs to the work that before an
other 30 seconds had passed the boat
sprang almost high and dry on the
shore, and the next shot from the demi-
culverin whistled safely over our
heads.
"Now, lads" l shouted. cup we go
and at 'em ak and hanger! But mind
not to fall foul Of our own men, for the
nights as dark as the pit. Stay mo-
ment! There's the captain clamoring
for admittance on the right yonder.
Wen try If we can't scramble in at
the sea face"
So saying, turned and cut across
the rocks to the left, with the men aft
er me heller SHELTER. The fools of Span
iards We're still blazing away with can
non and arquebus overhead, showing
us what state of confusion they were
in, and till had actually squeezed by
big carcass in through an embrasure no
one offered to stop me. And after that
though many had the will, no one had
the power to cut me down.
Breech to breech with the very demi-
culverin that had first been fired at us
held the ground till the others picked
their way through the darkness and
clambered up. Then, yelling to tell
Alec our whereabouts, we charged to-
gether, driving the dons before us with
tempest of hacks and haws that
dazed and half awake as they were
they had no stomach to stand against
and finally pinned big crowd of them
against corner Of the palisading.
But, in spite of the success of oul
first charge, we were very nearly over
powered, for others kept focking out
of the barrack as the din walked then
| from their sleep and, taking us be
| tween two fires, were like to have
made small mouthful of us by sheer
weight of numbers. Rapidly formins
snsc s=uazz ,ol,ow square, we Tough
for awhile for our very lives, with 8
grinning circle of yellow Spanish teeti
ravening at us on every side.
Then suddenly there was cry o.
alarm from the great gate Of the fort
and about half of our assailants ran of
to defend that point. The hearty Eng
lish cheer with which they We're re
ceived told us that Alec and his lads
had got in at last.
This was the turning point. A few
more Spanish heads were broken be
fore we succeeded in joining our two
bands, but when that was once effected
the combat was of short duration, for
shouting, after our usual custom, tina
we'd slaughter every soul unless the!
threw down their arms at once, w,
rushed them all into two opposite cor
! ners and held them so till eyery weap