The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-10-30

pause, broken by q rough voice, which
its owner evidently tried to render
more gentle In hoarse whisper
the man at the oars asked:
"Where are we a-headin of the boat,
yer leddyship:'
81 know notr' she answered wildly,
Selling the tiller again. only away
from that awful ship"'
"Who is this man at the oars"
asked her lover, rising and sitting
down by her when he took the tiller
from her nervous hands.
well, yer honor" said low, deep
voice, with n smothering laugh in it,
"my name ashore, were | was left
by Captain Jones t'other night to look
arter you. mought be Smith, or Brown,
or any old name; but yere in this boat
it's Price-William p. Price-w'ich is
wot my mother told me, at any rate,
though l amt got no evidence but
her word fur it, an she's dead, an
God be thanked 1 see yer honor alive"
"Price! Your exclaimed O'Neill in
great surprise. How did you find
hliD, uCdiCSl!
81 found her. please yer honor" re-
piled the man. 81 seed her leddyship
a-comin' down to the beach, an
ups an captures n small boat from
the English, witch the man III be awful
disappointed like wen he don't find
her tomorrow, an then l ups an Of
fers to take her off, an | tells her
L, ~, ~,
here We are"
They were not yet so far from the
Scraps, even by this time, but that
the quick ear of the girl detected the
confusion on her deckS-the Shrill pip
ing of the boatswain and his mates,
the sharp commands of the officers,
the trampling of many feet, were east
ly heard She clutched her lover nerv
ously, all alert at the thought Of
possible further danger to him.
"Oh," she whispered, they are doing
something on the ship. Our escape is
discovered. They will come after us!'
mot with the whole ship" he an
swered, smiling, though listening with
straining apprehension as well.
81 think they're a-gettin' under way,
SIR said the old seaman. Listen to
the clankin' O. the pawls, yer honor"
"You are right. 1t cannot be after
us, though. A cutter or two would
suffice for that"
ut III be fur the Richard an the rest
Of 'em. Capn Jones, he said he'd cap
ture them ships afore the mornin'
watch, an if you wasn't hung afore
that time he'd trice up the whole
crowd to the yardarms unless they'd
let you go free. Our vessels ought to
be a-comin' up from Flamburry putty
soon now. But if l mought make so
bold, were are We headin' fur now,
sirY'
1--WE head for the Richard, Of
course" said the young man promptly.
THAT'S Were we b'long," said the
sailor joyfully. 81 don't want no
fightin' goin' on an l amt there!''
"Nor l." replied O'Neill. 81 would
put you ashore, Elizabeth, before we
go, but
WHITTIER thou goest 1 will go; thy
people shall be my people," she quot
ed softly. "Whom have l now but
you? To whom can l go but to you"
she murmured, laying her hand upon
his own. 1t was dark on the boat, but
If it had been broad daylight he could
not have helped 1.-THE kissed her.
"Oh, to be worthy of it all, to be
worthy" he answered.
William grinned sympathetically,
wiped his mouth wistfully with the
back of his hand, and tried to look
away. Presently, unshipping the oars,
the two men stepped the mast and
hoisted the small SAIL The little boat,
under the freshening breeze, began
to draw through the water rapidly. In
order to win out of the mouth of the
harbor. they would have to pass in a
direction which would bring them
once more near the moving Scraps.
They could hardly hope to escape dis
covery. They had, of course, gained
a good start on the frigate. But as she
was soon covered with sails, and her
great height enabled her to catch the
freshening breeze blowing over the
hills, which was lost to the smaller
craft, she literally rushed down upon
them.
A noble picture she made to those on
the boat Ghostlike and eerie in the
pale moonlight, shining fitfully through
the overcast hea vens, the great white
ship lowered above them, her soaring
masts covered with clouds of snowy
canvas stretching far out on either side
Of the spreading yardarms. Her sails
swept the skies. Her keel plowed
the deeps. The wind sang in the top
hamper. The white water, shot with
sparks, piled up in front Of her, bub
bled and played around her fore foot
and rolled away on either side in
broad sheets of foamy phosphores-
cence. The yellow lights of the battle
lanterns streamed through her open
ports. A drum was grimly rolling the
call to battle on her decks. Dark
forms passed to and fro. Men leaped
hither and thither in casting loose the
double row of great black guns. Some
times a vivid flash in the moonlight
proclaimed drawn sword. Presently
the cries and orders died away. The
! men settled down at their stations.
Silently the huge fabric, a splendid
example of that power which for twice
two hundred years had ruled the seas,
| swept toward them. O'Neill watched
| her in generous admiration.
"a fit antagonist even for our great
! captain" he cried. all his enthusiasm
aroused by the ship, 'and nobly han
| died. he added. mark the discipline
| See the orderv'
| "Aye, sir, that III be hard one tt
| 10 hui ro,I1 %aI har