The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-14
CHAPTER I.
THE DESERTERS.
what do you make of her, Benz
dunno lad. I'm blOWed TX do.

CHAPTER 1.
THE DESERTERS.
.What do you make of her, BenY
az dunno, lad; I'm blowed II do.
but what do you Think? ,,,..,
wal, as matter o mere .n,nh 1,a,
lad I'm a bit Suspicious admitted Bel
Logan, drawing his brawny. pare ro. ),
arm across his grizzled beard ana NOUN
$50 am l. Ben, for a fact.
"But that's nuther here nor there. lac
In these ere waters and these ere tine
there's SO did many rascally crafts aoou
that suspicious alone don't hurI inu ..a
The government is too busy lookln ar,e
her rebels ashore jest now. lad, 70 CIV
much time to stranger crafts ahoat d,
That's true, Ben. Still, to my eye w
vessel has a rakish look.
AYE, lad. she has," assented the sea
man. "she's as clean cut as %n ~ .ue
ana her spars are like spiders web. Lev
on o. clock, lad Let's haul to Tor pl
O rest" ,,.
TO the ears of the two men steadily
pacing the waist deck OF the American
merchantman there had been family
borne the sound of SIX bells from a., .ne
grim British cruiser War Hawk, lyine
at anchor an eighth Of mile astern.
Like automata governed BY a single
string. the two men ceased their monot-
ono,s walk. the chief relief Of the long
hours of a seaman's watch, and swung
of to the rail anidships. there TO lean
In idle continuation OF their discourse
The elder was a man OF nearly sixty,
whose weather-beaten features and gen
eral aspect told of lifelong service
afoat. His companion was much young
er. not moro than twenty-five or tnere-
about, yet whose tall and splend1dlS de-
welcomed figure would have led him to look
older hnd It not been for his rather youth
FIJI face. It was face burned brown oy
the sun, but the regular features. me
cxpansive brow and keen gray eyes, 1he
firm chin and lips, combined to form a
rarely attractive countenance, and one
Immediately suggestive OF sonethl'is
moro than anordinary seaman. \.
Yet both men were signed aboard the
American merchant ship Wanderer. which
for nearly six months had been idly an
chored in the harbor of Annoy not OAR
ing to make sail for fear OF southern
cruisers. For 1t was during the long Pc
Rod OF the Chinese or Tapping reoeilon'
which then was at Its he)sht ana tile
outlaws and pirates, than whom none IN
the world has been more noted Tor par
barous end inhuman cruelty
Piracy as 1t then existed is now I'M
known. The general displacement OF
sailing vessels In the merchant service
by speedy and powerful steamships. and
the more active and systematic coop
GrlL1On Ol BOFel 10 - 5S'''',D--H
to SUPPRESS the ocean lawlessness OF
earlier days, over the inhuman atrocities
of which time mercifully has cast Veil.
At about this time there were rumors
OF fortunes easily and quickly to be
made in Shanghai and along the Yang
tse-kang by running the government
blockade in praus or launches, and SNUG
Cling articles Of war to the Chinese re-
bells. Many English and German sea-
al, H,, ga
ardous busiress, but aboard the Wan
derer such a design was not to be OPEN
" considered In that restrictions had
been unusually rigid and the monotony
aboard ship almost unbearable may be
found some extenuation for the conduct
here to be recorded.
The night was very calm. The mag
nifcent harbor Of Annoy was without a
ripple. and lay like dark mirror re-
Hecting the lights OF the countless ships
then sheltered there. and the myriad OF
stars that twinkled in the purple dome
OF sky. The bum boats, fruit vendors
and curio peddlers had long since put
ashore. and the stiffness was In vivid
contrast with the midday tumult and
confusion.
It happened this evening that Ben
Logan and his companion We're alone
aboard ship, there being local celebra-
ton ashore in which the captain and
crew had been requested to participate,
and only the two men had been left to
constitute the watch till midnight.
q Archie Walton was not averse to COM
plying with Ben's suggestion, and side
by side they lolled over the port rail, to
gaze across the dark surface OF the
placid bay.
Amid the many vessels OF nearly all
Z maritime nations, which at that time
were harbored at Annoy. some special
features certainly should have distin-5
guished DIE craft the two men had been
discusssngt"to have warranted their mis-
givings. SheHhad dropped anchor near
iy ten days before. and the fact that her
topmasts had been housed. indicating
to disarm suspicion. Yet the symmetry
OF her long black hull, the rake Of her
taperlng masts. and her general aspect
81 trmness, were suggestive OF a vessel
built chiefly for mobility and speed
They've had busy day aboard the
Nord Brandt, too' observed Ben. care
lessly jerking his head in the direction
Of trim little brig lying cables
length larboard.
1.-The German7'
"Aye. lad-or leastwlse she flies the
German flag" said Ben. with an odd
little laugh. She's making ready to
BAH"
IT'S that so?' querted Walton. tndiffer-
ently.
1.-THE blue peter was sent to her fore
truck Just afore shutdown, lad. That's
signal she'll weigh anchor inside o. "a
hours. I'd not be averse to haulin
sheets aboard her when she makes trim,
either."
''Nor I. Benz" WAS the rather innocent
admission. TIN heartily sick OF Annoy
and our lazy-dos life OF the past six
months"
The erizzled old seaman laughed softly
Something In the laugh led the younger
man TO turn a pair OF, inquirlng eyes
upon him. and Logan observed quite
dryly:
1--WE might fare wuss aboard yonder
craft, lad, Still I'd take chances!"
WHAT do you mean. BENZ"
The latter drew little nearer and
lowered his voice
This, lad said he, 1--WE had my
peepers on her for the past three days
and nights and her matches cover suth-
In moro than rice, bean cake and dried
fruits. Same has -heen sent aboard I'M
der cover O darkness, lad and YOU