Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-08-18
repeated the signal, which was finally

C 1850 81 ia
answered by the frigate. hull down
ahead. The corvet. a half mile away
perhaps. responded Immediately and.
wearing short round. came 10 on the
other tack and headed for the last Of
the line. beating to quarters the while.
All the lanterns of the Ranger were
again e~xtinguished and the .Aen sent
quietly to their quarters, wi1h the
strictest injunctions not to make a
sound or fire a gun until ordered under
pain of death. Every other prepura
ton had long since been made for nc
ton. so he officers slipped ON their
boarding caps, loosened their swords
in their sheaths and looked to TIE
printing of their pistols; then, receiving
their final commands. departed quietly
to their several stations-Simpson, now
occupying the position of first lieuten-
ant vacated by Seymour. having charge
Of the batteries, and Wallingford. on
deck with the captain, in command OF
h sail trimmers, who were clustered
about tine masts, the sloop being still.
heavily manned.
MAN the starboard battery said the
captain in a low but distinct voice.
Men, we've got our work cut ont For
us tonight. No cheering until the first
shot is fired. and no firing till | give tie
order, and then, all together, give it to
them. DO you understand
A chorus of subdued Aye. ayes in
dicated that the orders were heard.
"Mr. Wallingford do YOU stand ready
to back the main topsail when she Is
alongside, though if she attempts to
pass in front Of us wen up helm and
take her IN the port side. Two OF you
afterguards go below and bring up the
captain of the Mellish. Lively! We
shall soon have the sloop down on u.s.
In a few moments the unfortunate
British skipper was standing on the
poop deck beside Captain Jones.
Now, my man, you are the master
OF the Mellish, are you not?"
IL was a few moments ago." replied
the man sullenly.
swell, you are to stand right heRe
and answer halls just as | tell you. Do
you understands"
Eyes"
civilians, you and another hold him,
and if he hesitates to answer, or an
swers other than / tell him, blow his
brains out. Now we have nothing to do
but wait. Keep her a good full at the
helm there"
AYE, aye. sir!' replied the veteran
quartermaster, stationed at the ron.
Meanwhile the Juno had come abeam
of the vessel next ahead of the Ranger,
and the conversation which followed
was as plainly audible in the latter
ship as had been the beating to quar-
tiers just after she wore.
Providence ahoy therel' came from
the Juno. what is the matter? What
are you burning blue lights for?"
Nothing is the matter with us, sir,
but we heard pistol shots and cries on
the Mellish astern and thought we
saw two ships instead of one. It's so
beastly black tonight we couldn't
make out anything very WELL"
"All right; better keep off a little,
out of the way. / will run down and
see what's wrong"
The present course Of the Juno would
have brought her across the bows Of
the Ranger, but the ships were near
ing SO rapidly that a collision would
have resulted, so the Juno was kept
away a little and soon ran down on
the lee bow Of the Ranger. The two
ships were thus placed side by side,
tho Don0nr an fha MORT tanH haytDsr tla
advantage of the weather gauge of the
Juno, which had the wind free, AN adj
vantage the captain of the English
ship would never have yielded with
out an effort had he imagined the
character of the ship opposite him.
The battle lanterns of the Juno were
lighted, the ports triced up, and she
presented a brilliant picture of a gal
liant ship ready for action. The
Ranger, black as the night and silent
as death, could barely be discerned in
dim outline from the Juno.
"Melllsh ahoyr'
"Ahoy, the JUNIOR
whats wrong on board of your
Nothing, sirr'
pistol hot and screams were
heard by the ship ahead! But who
halls? Where is Captain Brentf''
Answer himi' Missed Jones in the
ear Of the British captain. '"Tell him
there were some drunken soldiers of
the highlanders in a row! Speak out,
manp' be continued INCREASINGLY.
"Why don't you answer" came from
the Juno. II shall send a boat aboard.
Call away the first CUTTER the voice
continued. But the British seaman
on the Rangers deck was made OF
sterner stuff than the other. BY a vio-
lent and unexpected movement he
wrenched his arm free from the grasp
Of N of the men, struck the other
heavily in the chest, and before any
one could seize him he leaped upon
the rail, shouting loudly: "Treacheryl
You are betrayed! This is a Yankee
pirateg' Then he sprang into the wa
ter between the two ships. Williams
raised his pistol.
"Let him go" cried Jones. "He is
a bray va faIIow Than lifting bia