The Grit-advocate., 1903-12-04

watch found Laura and her cousip
sitting at the cabin table at breakfast
while the man who could read stunned
the planks of the quarterback in
charge of the little fabric
After breakfast. Crystal lighted his
pipe. took Pope's telescope from its
brackets in the cabin, and went on
deck. His eye was Immediately taken
by the marble brightness of the sails
of ship about two points on the lee
bow. Crystal pointed his glass at the
ship on the leebow: he was an old
sailor and could not mistake; by her
hoist of topsail. by the squareness of
her yards, by the fit of the clews to
the yard-arms. he knew her at once
in the lenses to be British man-of
war.
He was disconnected; he turned a
shade pale; the glass sank with his
hand, he turned to the man who was
keeping lookout and said, She
looks to me like British frigate or
corvette"
IF that's so," answered the man.
hadn't we better up hellum while
times allowed us?"
III I shift my helm," said Crystal
after pondering, Il may provoke sus-
picion. She may be from the West
indies or South American port
How'll she have got the news to en-
able her to guess at us? No." said he
in tone Of decision, "hoist the En-
glish ensign. Well not stir from our
course by spoke. We look, and now
are, an honest English brig, and she's
got no excuse to stop us and overhaul
us. Dye see that now? Stand by to
dip as we pass; that tickles EN-"
Crystal had made fatal blunder:
but he did not know it. And now
there was no time to put change of
opinion into practice, even had his
heart nisgiven him. The man-of-war
was coming along handsomely with a
frequent curtsey that lined her glossy
black sides with the sifted snow Of
the crushed brine. over which in
grim line bristled her artillery, tom.
pions out, as Crystal, with ghastly
sinking sensation of soul at this mo-
ment, managed to see.
When the two vessels were within
gunshot, the corvette shook the wind
out of her canvas, her way was ar
rested. A stout, conspicuous figure
stood upon quarterback gun; he
grasped a speaking trumpet. AS the
Gypsy went floating past, without the
least shift of helm, the commander of
the corvette, if indeed that figure COM
manded her. raised the trumpet to his
lips; and while his proud ships helm
was again put down, causing the
spaces ON milky softness aloft to
tremble into hundred hurrying fng-
ers of shadow. the trumpet spoke in
a note of thunder:
"Ho, the Gypsy. ahoy! Back your
main-topsail that l may send boat
aboard of you."
Twas plain he had the vesse"s
name pat; nor was it possible as yet
that he could have read it upon her
stern!
I'VE have been reported" Crystal
instantly thought, andshe knew he was
a lost man.
They'll be firing into us If we don't
heave to- said the fellow who had
charge.
Crystal stood irresolute with his
hand upon the companion-hood. At
this instant, shot was fred by the
corvette.
What shall we do sir?" roared the
men.
Then, finding that Crystal had dis
appeared, they sprang to the main
topsail brace, and were in the act Of
rounding in upon 1t hand over hand.
when a second heavy shot, followed by
a third, struck the main-topsail, crash.
a foot above the main-masthead. In.
stantly, the whole fabric of yards, and
canvas, and masts, and stunsailbooms,
fluctuating on high as though gazed at
through the transparency Of running
water, fell aft in a roar as though a
gale of wind came sweeping from the
bows. The huge wreck missed the
wheel, but killed the fellow who was
standing at it. 1t smothered the
quarterback in vast heap Of canvas
and spars. A long space of bulwarks
was crushed fiat.
Back your fore-topsail!" was roared
through the trumpet.
This was promptly done by the
wretched and terrified remnant of the
crew of the pirate, and in few min
utes a boatful of armed seamen, in
charge of lieutenant, arrived along
side. It was of course known that the
Gypsy was the pirate brig that was
wanted; no need to ask any questions.
Her crew were at once ordered over
the side, and sent on board the Saxon.
Meanwhile, gang Of naval seamen
cleared the quarterback so as to pro-
vide access to the cabin. and the lieu
tenant and two or three seamen de-
scended the steps. They found
beautiful Young Woman white and