The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-11-20
even the crack of the small arms died
away. The smoke drifted slowly off to
leeward
CHAPTER Xxx.
THE INnnNIIr, III Il ECO

shot from the Ions. Is Founders OF
the Scraps had played havoc with her
Pearson naturally thought that it was
about time for Jones to surrender
though the hour vixen Jones thought
it time to surrender would never strike.
The sudden silence which had fallen
upon the conflict was broken by voice
from the British ship. In high inter
rogation It rang over the waters in the
moonlight
"Have you struck" was the QueS-
ton of the Scraps. From the shatter-
ed Richard came Jones' immortal an
swer:
Il have not yet begun to fight.'
A roar of wild eXultation, a gigantic
Homeric laugh, broke from the throats
of the crew of the Richard as the reply
Of the captain was passed from deck
to deck until the whole ship from
truck to keelson quivered with re-
sponsive joy 1t was q joke the char
acter of which those blood stained ruff
fans could well appreciate, but the
captain was in no mood for joking.
He was serious, and in the simplicity
of the answer lay its greatness. Strike!
Not now nor ever! Beaten! The fight
ing is but just begun! The preposter
Gus possibility of surrender cannot
even be considered What manner of
man this with whom you battle in the
moonlight, brave Pearson? An unfa-
miliar kind to you and to most. such
as has not been before nor shall be
again. Yet all the world shall see and
understand at this time.
81 have not yet begun to fight
Surprising answer. On Il ship shat
tered beyond repair, her best guns ex
ploded and useless, her crew decimat-
ed, ringed about with dead and dying,
the captain has not yet begun to fight!
But there was no delay after the an
swer, no philosophizing. no heroics.
| The man of action was there. He
meant business. Every moment when
the guns were silent was wasted
one.
| The helm was shifted to starboard
and the headsails shivered. The Rich
ard slowly swung off to port and gath
cred Roadway again. The Scraps had
| lost an opportunity of lacking and
raking. In order more quickly to
bring his guns to bear and perhaps
to prevent a raking by the enemy, Cap
/ tain Pearson threw all aback. And
the two ships. one backing and the
[ other reaching ahead, slowly drew
| abreast each other, the batteries speak
| ing again as soon as the guns bore.
| The wind was very light. and the mo-
| ton of both ships was sluggish in the
extreme, so that they practically lay
side bv side. steerage way almost gone,
slowly drifting in for long minutes, un-
! til there came a sudden, temporary
breath of wind.
! The position was most advantageous
| for the Scraps. as with her heavier
and more numerous guns she could de-
Hberately knock the Richard into a
| cooked hat" She was much the
/ speedier and handler ship. and might
reasonably hope to choose her own
distance. and. having selected point
or vantage. maintain 1t to the end.
Pearson's game was to fight at long
range until he had sunk his enemy. No
| difficult, task that last-she was half
sinking now! But what the Richard
| lacked in mobility and direction, she
made up in her captain. Jones did
! things instinctively. Pearson had to
| think about them. Jones only hope
was in getting to close quarters and
making use of the disciplined French
soldiery upon his decks.
| ho1 oil "
! in clearing the spar deck of the Eng
tish. Therefore, as the Richard gath
ering way. gradually forged ahead, her
helm was shifted to port and the YES
! sci slowly swung across the bow of
the Scraps, which had just begun to
| fill away again as Pearson saw that
! he had nearly backed out of action.
starboard quarter of the Richard, the
! jib boom thrusting itself violently
| through the mizzen rigging. There
| was q terrific crash at the moment
of impact. and a second later the Eng
fish. cheering frantically, jumped upon
the heel of the bowsprit and clambered
upon the rail of their ship.
They were led by a tall, distin-
| guished looking officer, who attracted
double attention as he wore the red
| uniform of the English army. AS
their heads appeared over the rail the
powerful voice of Jones could be heard
shouting, "Boarders awayw Not wait
ing for the men who came springing up
on the quarter deck in obedience to his
summons, the dauntless captain seized
| pike from the rack and hurled it
through the air at the leader of the
Englishmen. Good fortune guided his
hand, and the steel head of the lance
| struck fair in the bosom of the soldier.
The British wavered moment as their
officer fell, and Jones discharged his
pistols full among them. Then De
Chamillard and those of his marines
left alive upon the deck. by well di-
rected point blank volley, drove back
the boarding party of the English.
The two ships were grinding against
each other, and the wind on the after
sail Of the Scraps slowly forced her
around until she swung parallel to the
| Richard The jib boom snapped off
short under the strain and her star
board anchor caught in the tangled rig
ging Of the American frigate, and Sta
cey, the sailing master, sprang TO lash
the ships together. Stacey snatched a
rope from the rattle on the deck and
strove to overhaul it. 1t was tangled
and he found great difficulty in clear
ing it. An impatient man at best, and
now greatly excited, he swore rOundly
as he tugged at the vexatious rope.
'Don't swear, Mr.. Stacey" said