Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-07


 .Good afternoon, .Mr Peyton,'' satd the from her home ana gees IosI and we have to bring her back event.
 t'Even if we batter her to pieces in the bringing" interrupted the admiral, smiling.
 'ssWell, of course these things will happen. have to punish my own children sometimes" commented the flag captain.
 'sWeH, gentlemen. I think 1t is pretty much over now. thoughtit was prac- tically oyer after Vicksburg and Get. tysburg, but Chickamauga gave them a lift. Now am sure of it.''
 '"The south has only been beaten by her own sons, sir,' cried Peyton sud- denly.
 "Well, not exactly" laughed the ad- miral. We four happen to be southern men, but Grant, Sherman and Sheridan and some of the rest can't lay claim to the happy title- However" lifting his glasses, let's to the chart. You know this harbor?''
 .'Yes, sir. I have sailed over every fathom of it, believe" answered Peyton.
 "What in?'
 My own sloop, sir"
 And not alone, I'll be bound" chuckled the admiral amusedly, as he scanned the chart.
 No, sir" said Peyton, paling visibly under the brown of his cheek.
 With many young girl for a ship mate, I'll warrant continued the old CT man, not needing the others agfta- ton as he scrut1nized the chart.
 With one, sir. My-an old friend, sir.''
 Peyton bit his lip to keep from trembling at the recollection of the happy but vanished past
 Forgive me, lad, 7 said the old sailor, looking quickly up at him, as he re marked his changed voice, touched by the reticence with which Peyton spoke of that one, a reticence which conveyed a great deal to the quick apprehension of the admiral l-' forgive me. didn't mean to call up recollections of that kind"
 "There is nothing to forgive, sir, an swered the young officer quietly. T put all that out of my mind when I refused to resign and came north to follow the flag"
 As the admiral gazed at Peyton the old mans ready sympathy, apparent in his expressive face, almost unnamed him. He mastered his feelings, how ever, and turned to the chart
 ''That chart appears to be all right, sir, so far as can make it out" he said at last, after scrutinizing it care fully. I think there is a little more water here and not quite so much there, pilot" he added, turning to the officer and pointing at different places.
 You may be right, Mir. Peyton," an swered the pilot
 T used to notice that right there was pretty shoal and it used to be deeper here. Tn it's main features, however, think your lines are very accurate"
 That's goodv' exlaimed the admiral. 1fNow as to the Instructions You have been up there two or three times at night. You never saw any obstruc- tions close under Fort MorganY'
 No, sir, never; at least, no evidence of them. The piles come down there to starboard," pointing, but the waters are shoal there; we could not pass any, way. Of course, there is a triple line of torpedoes right across the channel except that space under the guns of the fort to the eastward of that buoy, about 25o yards across, take it, which seems to be clear channel. We sunk the buoys, but doubt if we have uam- aged the torpedoes any.'
 They've left that space open for blockaders, of course" said Drayton.
 'sWell, we'll run our own blockade in the morning in spite of ships, fort or torpedoes. You have been in Fort Morgan, Peyton, suppose, in the old daysY
 ''Yes, sir. Many times.''
 How is this plan of y' thrusting another paper toward him.
 'sThat is the way it used to be, as recall it. Of course, they may have done great deal to it since then.''
 3'And the water battery you say is right thereY'
 ''Yes, sir. It masks the curtain that looks to the northwest between these two bastions. It's guns bear square across the channel"
 "And the fort has raking fire on us until we come abreast of it?"
 "Yes, sir"
 Freeman" said the admiral, turning to the pilot, you know just how to take us in tomorrow morning?''
 "Yes, admiral"
 ssYou will be in the maintop, as usual?"
 Yes, sir. That's the best place for me. can communicate with the deck by the speaking tube along the mast, and can direct our consort, the Meta comet, by hand z