The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-11-01
S'WERE ALL GoINTo
DRINK TO YOUR
ETERNAi DOMINATION -

in a similar manner, when one of the
soldiers whom we had left to watch
on deck came tumbling down the COM
panionway.
"Fellers." he cried. there's a boat
COMMIT"
1t took Jackson to grasp the situa-
ton instantly.
"Off with the lazerette scuttIe!" he
cried.
In a moment we had uncovered the
hatch In the cabin floor. We quickly
gagged the three prisoners with hand
kerchiefs and unceremoniouslv hurled
them down, replacing the hatch. All
except Jackson and l crowded into the
three empty staterooms, shutting the
doors. Jackson and I held a hurried
consultation. Then I went on deck
and he remained in the companionway.
1 was just in time.
"Silver Star. ahoy!" came the hail.
"Hello" I shouted.
as all well aboard?"
"All's we'll"
The patrol launch came alongside and
a man leaped aboard. He was a naval
officer, 1 could see, by his light duck
uniform.
who are you!" he asked.
"Bos'n and night watchman." re-
spnnded.
w nat Ndo lilctl SHOL LOT d WlllG
ago." he demanded, rather testify.
why, I saw a big shark alongside
and took a pop at him."
The officer looked about him, rather
suspiciously, l thought, but asked no
more questions. Finally he volun-
teered:
You forgot to hoist your boat"
l acknowledged the oversight.
He stayed about ten minutes, even
antarn6 int hT.ia
things in general, and told me that the
Spaniards were soon expected to make
another sortie. 1 feigned great inter-
est.
well, good night, bos'n," he said at
last. Don't be popping off your gun
at night unless it's necessary"
He dropped into his launch, and with
a few coughs it shot off toward the
flagship.
jackson had heard all.
Bully, old boy" he cried, grasping
my hand. 'Now, let's sneak as soon's
we can"
Leaving our prisoners to be released
by the stevedores in the morning we
all crowded into the boat and silently
pulled for the beach below Cavite In
half an hour our keel scraped pebbles.
The seven men, the crew of the Nova
Scotiamen, waded ashore, Jackson and
I with them.
Now, fellers," said Jackson. as we
reached land, you hit the road for
Camp Dewey. Scatter among the out
fits, and the boys'll treat you well. I'm
coming ashore in few days, and I'll
see you then.P
And they left us.
We pulled cautiously back to the
Zealandia, reaching her an hour be-
fore dawn. My watchmate met us at
the gangway and helped make the
boat fast astern. The men retired at
once, while 1 took up my post at the
gangway. An hour later the chief Of
ficer appeared.
well, how have things gone during
the night?" he asked.
Good" 1 replied and meant what
I said
1t became known next day through
out the fleet that the Nova Scotiaman
had been boarded by pirates" during
the night, as the captain put it, and
that his crew had decamped, but no
discoveries were ever made. The naval
officers had something more serious to
consider than capturing runaway sail
ors, so the incident soon dropped out
of notice.
Jackson went ashore to join his reg
iment some days later Some of the de-
serters afterwards joined his command
and several were killed in action. La
ter, during the campaigning, 1 met
some of them. Jackson afterwards
went to South Africa, where he fought
against his own countrymen in the
Boer ranks. That was the last l