Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-10-18
showing through the fog, which still
enshrouded that quarter Of the sea.
CHAPTER II.

heel and rapidly took in the situation.
"And Frenchman, by heaven!" he
roared. mo English ship has bows
like that! Break out the stuns1s. Mr..
Stanhope. we may need them present.
ly."
At the same instant they were seen
from the ship Of the line.
"Ship ahoy! What ship Is thatf'
came up the wind from the French ves-
sci.
We'll soon show you," said Graft
on, under his breath. "Man the port
battery, lads! Jump lively! We must
escape II we can!"
The two ships were sailing at right
angles to each other now, one going
free and the other just coming by the
wind on the port tack. They were so
near each other that the men clustered
forward on the top-gallant forecastle
of the French ship could easily be
made out. The fog was going as II by
magic.
"Stand by!" roared Grafton, as they
passed squarely across the French
mans bow. "Fire!"
The eight six-pounders on the port
side of the brig saluted the liner with
an impudent broadside.
"Well done, my boys! Now then,
hard up with the helm!" shouted
Grafton. Hands by the weather
braces! Flow the spanker-sheets!
Lively, lads!"
Before the men on the ship Of the
line had recovered from the astonish-
ment inspired by Grafton's audacity,
the Boxer swung around and ran of
free, again heading toward Ushant
For few moments there was no little
confusion on the French ship. Her
jib-stay had been cut, the sail unsup-
ported was dragging in the water.
Rents appeared in the foresail, and
parted shrouds here and there showed
that the well-aimed discharge had
done good service, although It had no
effect on the heavy scantling and tim
,bers Of the liner. But no material
damage, Of course, had been or could
be effected by the six-pound guns Of q
little 300-ton brig against a French "a.
Still, the confusion consequent upon
her intrepid attack enabled the brig
to gain considerable lead. It was
necessary for him to get some distance
away from his pursuer before Grafton
could come by the wind again, In or
der to weather the western point OF
Ushant; which, to anticipate. he pres
emily succeeded in doing.
In short time. however-painfully
sh ort for the pursued-the liner, emu
lating the movements Of the English
cruiser, got the wind on her quarter
and commenced bowling along after
the brig. Her nimble crew had set
sail after sail on her lofty spars, and
she swept along In the bright sunny
morning a towering and splendid pic
ture Of sea power and sea beauty. She
had been wonderfully well handled for
a Frenchman, and the evolutions were
as smartly done as they could have
been by crack English crew-then
the best sailors in the world. And as
the English brig, having run free as
long as she dared, at last bore up, her
gigantic pursuer promptly did the
same. 80 .. t
"They may talk as they please about
the frog-eaters not being seamen," !"
said Grafton to the young officers con-
gregated about him on the quarter
deck; "the man that handles that ship
doesn't need to take lessons from any
body. Wheel, there! Edge up into the
wind, will you? See how she follows
us, gentlemen! She gains on us hand
over fist! See how she comes down!
Bring up the dispatches, Mr.. Stan
hope, and have them ready to heave
overheard; they mustn't get them II
we are captured! All! They're giving
us a taste Of their metal at last. Steady
now, keep her up to 1t! Luff her
hard!"
AS he spoke the line-of-battle ship
suddenly yawed, a pun OF smoke
broke out forward as her bow-chaser
bore and a shot from a 32-pounder
came hurtling through the air at the
brig. Fortunately 1t missed her.
shall we make any reply, sir?"
asked Stanhope.
"Nonsense!" replied Grafton. 1--WE
haven't gun on board that could
carry half the distance. No, hold on
as we are. I don't think she'll fire
again. She's overhauling us 80 rapid
ly that there is no use of their damag-
ing their prize"
They watched the chasing ship care
fully for a few moments in gloomy 81
lence. There was no escape for them
apparently.
Now, l have an idea," burst out
Grafton at last. IF it fails, guess we
are good for a cruise on shore In one
of Johnnie's prisons. Slocum, let her
off a bit more, now. l think we've
enough offing to weather Ushant, with
something to spare, and l want mon
sieur to get we'll to windward OF US.
Stanhope, yon's a noble ship. We
can Outright these Frenchmen, but we
can't outbuild them. The best ships
in our navy are those captured from
King Louis"
What's the use Of our bothering to
build ships If the French will build
them for us?" asked the matter-of-
fact and practical Stanhope. "Al
we've got to do is to 60 out and take
EN-"
eve won't take that one, though"
"No, sir, we won't" answered STAN
hope, signing over the gloomy pros
pect.
81 wish to God we had the old Tor
bay under US, then we'd not show yon
fellow our heels but our teeth, hey,
Stanhope?" exclaimed the captain.
"Ay, sir; and with old Hawke In
command"
mo, man." answered the young cap
tain nrorontlv. Cpd want Tn command