Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-08-23

his task: for, catching M the signal hal
yards. he rapidly made. moose, threw
Il over the Indians head, and drew II
tight. Then, pointing upward, he said
slowly:
If you cheat!,
Hang usy' said the Indian sharply.
"Light-sunv' he cried. eagerly, pointing
to the east, and then, seizing the thin
rope which had been twisted around his
neck. he ran to the gangway, slid down
into his boat. made the cord fast. and
came scrambling up again to secure the
signal line.
This done, he said few words to his
companion. and. going to the side. threw
himself down under the bulwarks, and
seemed to go to sleep at once.
"Yes: that's plain enough" said Hum
phrcy. "He means to wait till daylight.
Keep n strict watch. We may have
found the right man at last"
He need have been under no anxiety
as to the two informers for they lay mo-
tionlcss till daybreak, and then rose sud-
denly. looked sharply around. and. going
forward. pointed to the rope which moor
cd them in midstream.
Half an hour later the sloop was glid-
ing slowly out of the mouth Of the river;
the lowered sails caught the cool, moist
morning breeze: and, In obedience to the
Indians directions. which were embrac.
ed In the pointing Of a brown hand south
ward. the kings ship sailed steadily along
the coast few miles from the shore.
1t was within two hours of shutdown,
rs the men were at their drowsicst mo-
ment. when. rs they were rounding q
rocky point feathered with glorious palms.
beyond which the country ran up toward
the mountains in glorious chaos Of
pilcd-up rock. deep ravine and fre.scath.
ed chine. the principal Indian suddenly
seized the captains arm and pointed
straight before him to where, couple Of
miles away. and looking as II she had
Just glided out Of some hidden channel
running into the land, there was long,
low. black.hullcd schooner, spreading an
enormous amount Of canvas for 20 small
a vessel; and as he saw the rake Of the
masts and the disproportioned size Of her
spars. Humphrey Armstrong felt a thrill
Of exultation run through him even as his
whole crew was now galvanized into life,
and he mentally repeated the words Of
the Indian:
"El Commodore Yunk."
Yes; there could be no doubt Of II. The
shape and size Of the vessel answered the
description exactly, and no trader OF
pleasure vessel, foreign or British. would
sail with 40 dangerously an overweight
Ing rig as that.
"At last, Them cried Humphrey, cx
citcdly. Bring the poor fellows here
They shall have their reward and CO."
| Was It treachery, or fear Of the enemy
Humphrey asked himself this question
as a shout came from the steersman
who, like the rest. had been gazing at tn,
schooner. but who was the first to see {
canoe being padded rapidly for til,
shore.
No one had been attending to the tw,
Indians, who had waited until the atten
ton Of all was bent upon the buccaneer
and then silently slipped over the side
glided down the side, glided down tn,
rope. and cast Of, to paddle shoreward
There was good discipline on boart
ship even then, and at the call to quar-
tiers every man fell into place. The loKl
gun was run In, loaded, run out. and di
rectly after there was puff Of smoke, I
loud report which went echoinR amOni
the mountains and through the densel,
wooded ravines, as a round shot skippo<
over the water right In front Of thu
schooner.
"Hurrahw shouted the men, as the!
saw the long vessel alter her course [
lialc.
'she surrenders." said Humphrey I,
himself; and In the brief moments tina
followed he saw himself returning to En-
gland In triumph, his task done. and beau
tiful. fashionable Lady Jenny Wilderse.
welcoming him with open arms.
1t was a pun Of fancy, dissipatcd lik
the pun Of smoke which came from tn
schooner's bows; while. In company witt
the report that rumbled heavily away
came round shot skipping over tn
calm surface Of the sea, not forward lik
the summons to heave to Of the king
ship, but straight at her hull, and 30 wei
aimed that II tore through the starboar
bulwark amidships.
"The insolent" exclaimed Humphrey
turning purple with rage. "How dar
he"
As he spoke he raised his spy-glass I
his eye. for something could be seen fut
tering up the side Of the great mainsai
and directly after large black Tag wa
waited out by the breeze.
VERY good, commodore" cried Hum
phrey, with a smile. "You can't cscap
us now. Gentlemen, the ball has opened
Down with her spars. my lads. Neve
mind her hull; we want that to tax
back to Falmouth"
The sloop crept little nearer In one @
the puifs of wind that came from time I
time, and the firing went on, Humphre
and his officers being astounded at tn
ability with which the schooner's gun
were served and the accuracy OF thei
aim.
mo wonder that they've carried all b.
fore them among the merchantmen" mu
tered Humphrey, as u shot came crasl
Ing into them. and three men were col
ried below, disabled by splinters.
As he spoke he looked anxiOusly roun
to make sure that the schooner would nc
be- able to pass them In the apprOachin
darkness. and then, feeling more m
more that men who could serve their gun
80 well would be terrible adversaries
case Of boarding. and determined
spare his men till the schooner was dii
abled. he kept up the artillery duel Il
the only guide for laying their guns wa
the fash of the enemy's pieces.
BY this time the fire Of the buccaneei
had proved SO effective that the slOOp
bulwarks were shattered and her deck
were slippery with blood, while her cal
tain was Tuning with rage ut the unfo
tunate aim OF his men; for. though tn
schooner had evidently been hit again an