The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-27

| in the brails and her light sails hanging
by the clew lines. They, had suspected
| nothing on her and were entirely unpre-
pared for what followed. All was ready
on the Boxer now, and: she was ranging
ahead. ~ ..&e e'*$@~ ~
| Stand by!" roared Grafton, as they
passed squarely across the Frenchman's
| bow. Fire., -r'.' .-.. 1.f'% d: s~@.Sf -
The eight six-pounders on the port side
of the brig saluted the liner with an i'm
| pudent broadside. -. " = -
well done, boys! Now then, hard up
| with the helm!'' shouted Grafton. Hands
| by the weather braces! Flow the spank
ID! er-sheets! Lively lads!'' ~. - s. TX =
! Before the men on the ship Of the line
had recovered from the establishment in
spired by Grafton's audacity, the Boxer
swung around and ran off free, again
| heading toward Ushant For few mo-
ments there was no little confusion on
! the French ship. Her jib-stay had been
cut. the sail unsupported was dragging
in the water Rents appeared in the fore
sail, and parted shrouds here and there
| showed, that the wen-ainaed discharge had
! done good service, although it had no eff.
| feet on the heavy scantling and tinbers
| of the liner. But no material damage, OF
course, had been or could be effected by
! the six-pound guns of a little three-hun-
dred-ton brig against a French seventy
four. Still, the confusion consequent upon
her intrepid attack enabled the brig to
gain a considerable lead. 1t was neces-
| sary for him to get distance away
| from his purSuer before Grafton. could
come by the wind again, in order to
weather the western point of Ushant;
which, to anticipate, he presently sue
ceeded in doing.
In a short time, however-painfully
| short for the pursued-the liner, enlulat-
! ing the movements of the English cruiser,
got the wind on her quarter and COM
menced bowling along after the brig. Her
| nimble crew had set sail after sail on
her lofty spars, and she swept along in
| the bright sunny morning a towering and
splendid picture of sea power and sea
| beauty. She had been wonderfully we'll
! lions We're as snartly done as they could
| have been by crack English creW-then
the best sailors in the world. And as the
English brig, having run free as long as
she dared, at last bore up her gigantic
pursuer promptly did the same.
| "They may talk as they please about
the frogeaters not being seamen," said
Grafton to the young officers congregated
| about him on the quarterback: the man
| that handles that ship doesn't need to
take lessons from anybody. Wheel, there!
Edge up into the wind, will you? See
| how she follows us, gentlemen! She
| gains on us hand over fist! See how she
|
| Mr.. Stanhope. and have them ready to
heave overheard; they mustn't get them
If we are captured! All! They're giving
us taste Of their metal at last. Steady
now, keep her up to it.! Luff her hard.'
| AS he spoke the line-o battle ship sud-
denly waved, a puff Of smoke broke out
forward as her bow-chaser bore and a
shot from a thirty-twop FOUNDER came
HURTING through the air at the brig. For
tunately it missed her. ;.,:y ,.l'
"shall we make any reply, ssir?" asked
Stanhope.
''Nonsense!'' replied Grafton. 1--WE
| haven't a gun on board that could carry
| are. I don't think she'll fire again. She's
overhauling so rapidly that there is no
use of their damaging their price,
| They watched the chasing ship care
fully for few momentssin gloomy silence.
There was no escape for them apparently.
Now have an idea burst out Graf
| ton at last. IF it fails. I guess we are
good for cruise on shore in one Of
! Johnnie's prisons. Slocun1, let her go off
a bit more, now. I :hink-.we've enough
| offing to weather Ushant, with something
| to spare, and l want monsieur to get well
| to Windward of u.s. Stanhope yon's a
noble ship. We can Outright these
Frenchmen, but we can't outbuild them.
The best ships In cur navy are those
Captufed from King Louis. . o., -. d..
whats the use, of our bothering to
| build ships if the French will build them
for us?' asked the matter of-fact and
| practical Stanhope. ''All we've got to do
| is to go out and take EN-
eve won't take that one, though
mo, sir we WON'T" answered Stan
hope, signing over the ploomy prospect.
II wish to God we had the old Torbay
| under US, then we'd not show yon fellow
our heels but our teeth, hey, Stanhope?"
| exclaimed the captain. u.s..
LAY, sir; and with old Hawke in com
mo, man. answered the young captain
promptly; I'D want to command her my
self. I warrant that, with you to second
me, We would give good account of the
gentleman yonder! See how he overhauls
us! If he should yaw now and give
us a broadside am afraid it would be
all over with us. Look, how he is eat ting
| up to mindward Of US too! What a tub
this is!''
LAY, he slips along like yacht. We've
no show at all. It's all up with us,
I'm afraid answered stanhope
Il don't quite give. up the game yet
Wen have one more try at a run present
ly. If he does the right thing, then we're
lost; if not I think We'll make it,
you can count on seaman like the
man handling that ship doing the right
thing, sure
Eyes, fear so. Still We can but try!"
Meanwhile old Jabez had been steering
the brig with consummate seamanship
With every appearance of endeavoring to
hold her close to the wind, he had skilfuIly
allowed her to fall off. little by little, un-
til she was quite perceptibly to leeward Of
the French ship Grafton judged that |
now or never things were opportune for
his daring attempt. ..... |
Send the men to the starboard battery |
Mr.. Stanhope.' he said quietly, as he !
realized that he had approached the SUI
preme moment, and it was about time to |
try his coup. or give over the attempt and
give up the ship. Get the stuns'ls
ready for setting and see that the gear is |
all clear. l want smart. work from the
sail-trimmers, now! Slocum, stand by
that helm and mind the orders! Bid the
men train their guns aft, Stanhope, and
hre when L give the word. Now, then!
Up with the helm! Over with it! Hard "a
weather! Tend the after-braces! Hands
ready! Round in forward, f1atten in the |
head-sheet! So! Stand by with the star
board battery! Now! Fire. Let her
have it, men! Sway away with those
stuns'ls! Steady with the helm! Ouick
for Gods sake! Well done, all!' 800
once more the eight six-pounders
parked out. In a cloud of her own smoke
the Boxer rounded on her heel again and.
bringing the wind aft again, darted awayl
at right angles to her former course
covered with stunsfs allow and aloft she
Ieapeo along at great pace, gaining dis