Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-08-20

station, my lad" replied the captain.
| keep them under hatchcs DO not
hesitate to shoot the first man who
makes move to break out. They
must not be allowed to gain the deck.
At all hazards keep them down! I
repeat It, sir, keep them down! DO
you unders tand:"
eyes, sir" gravely answered the boy
awed by the emphasis of the captains
| manner.
you, Mr.. Mayrant. with Mr.. Mease,
| the purser, and Mr.. Brooks. will re-
main on deck with Mr.. Stacey and
mo-" continued the captain. you Mr..
McCollin. will take charge of the old
Is Founders on tho berth deck. You,
too. have n post of danger. BE careful
Of them! dstrust them greatly. yet
they must be tried"
Aye, aye, sir. Thank you. sir" said
the young maishipman, delighted at
being thus distinguished.
"Mr. Casweil," he added. turning to
the largest and oldest. Won will take
| charge of the forecastle. MIR. Fan
ming, confide the maintop to you. The
rest of you will command the several
divisions in the main batteries and the
other tops. Now, young gentlemen,
before you go to your stations would
take you by the hand. And So" lifting
his cooked hat reverently. an example
all present followed, may God guard
the right There was n suspicious
moisture in some of the eyes looking
upon the captain, but the midshpmen
would have died rather than permit
an actual tear to be seen.
Three cheers for Commodore Jones
and the bully Riehard.' at last shouted
Payne breaking the insupportable 81
lencc. The little party, somewhat for
getful of discipline for the moment,
crowded around their captain. shaking
him by the hand, and turned away.
They had come up to the quarter deck
a rollicking set of boys. They returned
from it Il group of grave eyed men.
What n splendid sct of youngsters"
said Jones to himself as he watched
them spring lightly toward their sta
tiOns. Then he turned toward the
sailing master. "Mr. Stacey. take the
deck for few moments and hold on
as we are. Ahw he said, pausing with
his foot on the ladder as he saw the
pallas a much swifter sailer than the
Richard, rushing by on the starboard
side with every breadth of canvas
drawing heading for the smaller of
the two English ships before them,
there goes the Pallas. Cottincau at
least is IA brave man. | shall re-
member him. Come. Dale AS he
stepped down the ladder a hearty cheer
rang out from the passing frigate
which, without order, was Justify re-
turned from the Richard, and then the
two officers walked through the bat
tcres
The sun had set for some time. and
night had long since fallen over the
sea. Tho lighthouse on marlborough
head was sending out a great beam Of
warning from that jutting point. Far
on the horizon Il silvery brightness had
spread itself in the heavens, bespeak-
ing the harvest moon. the FURNISHED
rim of which even before sunset had
leapod into being on the edge of the
water. Lights twnkled here and there
on the English ships before them and
crowned the hills of the di/tant town
and harbor. Battle lanterns We're
lighted between decks on the Richard
the yellow fickering radiance from
which was reflected from the siuewy,
half naked. sweat covered bodies of
the stalwart men at their quarters as
the captain walked through the crew.
n,i,,I Il, 10, Of n1,a NJ
300 men which manned the guns and
filled the tops The crew had been
made up in France out of such ma
terials as came to hand. There were
about seventy-five tried and true
American seamen. most of them vet
Grams of many a hard fight and bold
adventure. These commanded the diff
fercnt guns and filed the more i'm
portant stations. There We're, per
haps. $50 veteran French soldiers
old artillerists- some of whom had
volunteered ut the guns. A few
of the most expert marlsmen among
them We're stationed in the tops,
hut the greater portion was divided
into two large bodies drawn up on
the quarter deck and forecastle. The
balance of the crew had been gathered
from the riffraf of all nations. Perhaps
a tougher, rougher, harder. more des
perate body of men never fought in II
ship They had but one virtue-they
would fight.
Only resolute hand and an indomi-
table will like that of Jones had ever
held the motley crowd in any kind of