The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-27
BOOK I.
An Idyl Of Brittany.
CHAPTER !.

For two days II. B. M. brig Of war Box
er had been cropping about in a thick fog
off the island Of Ushant on the Breton lit
tOral At least, in default Of astronom
ical observation, that is where Lieuten-
ant Philip Grafton, her commander, i'm
agined his ship to be. The Boxer was
dispatches from Admiral Boscawen, then
dispatches from Admiral BoscaWen, then
commanding at Gibraltar. She had made
a quick passage from the Straits and had
met with no bad luck or misfortune I'M
til she had run into the fog near Belle
ISLE since which time she had been slowly
working her way northWard, as the fitful
breezes and mist hidden seas permitted
The dispatches she bore were Of grave
Importance, and haste in their delivery
had been enjoined upon the young COM
mander. Therefore, he chafed under the
vexatious delay with all the Impotence
Of a sailor to whose progress fogs and
Gains are obstacles weil-nigh insurmount-
able by his sea philosophy.
To his Impotence was added a vivid
consciousness Of probable and imminent
danger, for the Boxer was drifting about
within easy striking distance Of the great
French naval depot Of Brest which was
filled with the capital ships and cruisers
of the enemy; and the narrow seas, in the
absence of any English fleet nearer than
Gibraltar, swarmed with men-of-war COM
Ing and going. At that time no English
blockade had been established on the
French seaboard, and the ships Of the
We'll Beloved King ran in and out of
Brest at their pleasure.
So long as the fog held. the English brig
was safe from observation and the danger
of capture by ship of superior force was
minimized it amounted to almost nothing
in fact. But when the fog lifted-unless
it were accompanied by good breeze,
which would scarcely be likely at that sea
son Of the year-the Boxer would be at the
mercy Of anything of sufficient size that
happened along. Though young in the
service. Lieutenant Grafton had earned
ell-deserved reputation for daring and
skill, and gladly would he have welcomed
an opportunity for brush with a cruiser
of force equal to. even somewhat
greater than his own. English ships that
were accustomed to giving odds: indeed,
unless there was some preponderance in
force in favor of the French. they took
but little credit for victory. But a YES
sci which would at all match his own was
not likely to appear.
Grafton was one of the few American
provincias in the royal naval service.
His father had been in command of one
of the armed vessels of the squadron of
the colony Of Massachusetts which had
done such remarkably good work in Pep
percll's successful campaign against Lou
isburg in 1745. AS a reward for his serv
ices on that occasion-servfces by no
means Observation-Disclosures old John Graf
ton had been given a commission In the
kings navy, and was now a, rear admiral,
retired, living in the enjoyment of his
honors in his ancestral home in Massst-
.chusetts. His son. who had followed his
fathers profession. also enjoyed tho royal
favor and had risen rapidly through the
various grades of the naval service to the
rank Of lieutenant. He had in his brief
career, given evidence Of superior abili-
ty, and it was thought with his influ-
ence that he would eventually obtain high
rank in the service.
On the morning of the Sd Of July, 1854,
the young captain was restlessly pacing
the weather side Of the small quarter
deck of his brig in close consultation with
his first lieutenant, a kindred spirit,
named Stanhoue.
Dash me, John!'' he exclaimed i'm
patiently, dropping the quarter deck for
the nonce. as they were out Of hearing Of
everybody except an old seaman at the
wheel, who had sailed with Grafton's
father from boyhood and had, naturally
attached himself to the fortunes Of the
son. Dash me, but this is vexing! Here
we lie tossing about like an empty bottle
in these beastly swells and not thing
to tell us where we are or where we are
drifting"'
True Captain Grafton" answered the
lieutenant, giving his superior his cour-
EeSy LlLIc, lU6 lOS 81 LlllCA yOu COuIo
almost cut it. I can't even see the heel
OF the bowsprit for'ard. IT'S most an
noying."
'Ay, man, but while the weather holds
it gives us this one advantage: If we can't
see, we can't be seen, either. So long as
there Is no wind l prefer this mist blan-
ket, for if the fog lifts and the wind
doesn't come. we're pretty sure to fall
foul Of one Of those Brest cruisers. which
would be too large for our little hooker.
Damme, Stanhope, wish we had tidy
frigate under us! I'd like nothing better
than to swing into old Portsmouth with
a prize in tow. That'd look we'll IN the
dispatches, old boy. and we'd both get
STEP But. CAD, this little tub OF ours
isn't a match for anything that we are
likely to run across. The French have be-
come SO wary they don't seem to send out
any more small cruisers"
"The fact is,' answered Stanhope, 'they
haven't any more to send. Our ships have
been gobbling them up so, and-
= .Hark! what's that?" cried Grafton,
stopping short and catching his subordi-
nate by the arm. "There!" pointing aft,
"didn't you hear it? ships bell!''
AS he spoke, the sound Of a bell struck,
in coupIets, four times. came family to-
ward them through the gray, mist-laden
air of the morning.
FAY, surely I heard it, answered
Stanhope, turning about, lifting his hand
to his car he spoke, and concentrating
his attention in the direction Of the
sound.