Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-16
CHAPTER /.
IN THE FOG OFF UsHANf:
.oR two days H. B. M; brig-of-
IL war Boxer had been CROPPING
ALI.1x P1rr Nff
CHAPTER /.

the Breton llttOral: AT least; III ue-
fault Of astronomical observation;
that is where Lieut. Philip Grafton,
her commander, imagined his ship
to be- The Boxer was bound In for
Portsmouth, England, with dispatches
from Admiral Boscawen, then COM
handing at Gibraltar. She had made
a quick passage from the Straits and
had met with no bad luck or misfor-
tune until she had run into the fog
near Belle Isle, since which time she
had been slowly working her way
northward, as the f1tful breezes and
mist-hidden seas permitted: The dis
patches she bore were of grave i'm
portance, and haste in their delivery
had been enjoined upon the young
commander. Therefore, he chafed
under the yexatious delays with all
the impatience of a sailor to whose
progress fogs and Gains are obstacles
! well-nigh insurmountable by his sea-
philosophy.
To his Impotence was added a vivid
consciousness of probable and immt-
nent danger, for the Boxer was drift
ing about within easy striking dis
| lance of the great French naval de-
pot of Brest, which was filled with
the capital ships and cruisers of the
enemy; and the narrow seas, in the
absence of any English fleet nearer
than Gibraltar, swarmed with men
of-war coming and going. At that
time no English blockade had been
established on the French seaboard,
and the ships of the "well beloved"
king ran in and out of Brest at their
pleasure.
So long as the fog held, the English
brig was safe from observation and the
| danger of capture by ship of SUI
perior force was minimized; 1t
amounted to almost nothing in fact.
But when the fog lifted-unless It
were accompanied by a good breeze,
which would scarcely be likely at that
season of the year-the Boxer would
be at the mercy of anything of suffi-
Client size that happened along.
Though young in the service, Lieut.
Grafton had earned well-deserved
reputation for daring and skill, and
gladly would he have welcomed an
4 opportunity for brush with a cruiser
of force equal to, or even somewhat
greater than, his own. English ships
then were accustomed to giving odds;
indeed, unless there was some prepon-
derance in force in favor of the
French, they took but little credit for
victory. But vessel which would
at all match his own was not likely
to appear.
Grafton was one of the few Ameri-
can provincials in the royal naval serv-
ice. His father had been in command
of one Of the armed vessels Of the
squadron of the colony of Massachu-
sets which had done remarkably
good work in Pepperell's successful
campaign against Louisburg in 1745.
AS reward for his services on that
| occasion--services by no means in
considerable-stout old John Grafton
: had been given commission in the
kings navy, and was now a rear-ad-
miral, retired, living in the enjoy
ment of his halors in his ancestral
!, home in Massachusetts. His son, who
! had followed his fathers profession
. also enjoyed the royal favor and had
r risen rapidly through the various
4 grades of the naval service to the rank
of lieutenant. He had, in his brief
career, given evidence of superior
ability, and it was thought with his
Q influence that he would eventually OBJ.
tain high rank in the service
Y On the morning Of the Sd Of July
a 1854, the young captain was restlessly
pacing the weather side of the small
Y quarterback of his brig in close con,
sultation with his first lieutenant, {
), kindred spirit, named Stanhope.
Dash me, joint" he exclaimed i'm
patiently, dropping the quarterback
for the nonce, as they were out O
hearing of everybody except an OLE
). seaman at the wheel. who had sailet
!, with Grafton's father from boyhoot
and had, naturally, attached himsel
y to the fortunes of the son. dash me
IL but this is vexing! Here we lie toss
ing about like an empty bottle in thes
= beastly swells and not thing to tel
q lis where we are or where we ar
drifting!"
e True, Capt Grafton" answered tn
lieutenant, giving his superior hi
<. courtesy title, "the fogs so thick yo
-, could almost cut it. l can't even Sc
the heel Of the bowsprit for'ard TT
u most annoying"
= "Hark! what's that?" cried Graf
q ton, stopping short and catching hi
subordinate by the arm There!
IL pointing aft, didn't you hear it?
ships bell"
E. AS he spoke the sound Of a be
!. struck, in couplets, four times, cam
" family toward them through the gra
mist-laden air of the morning.
y "Ay, surely, heard it, answere
~ Stanhope, turning about, lifting h
- hand to his ear as he spoke, and COZ
- centrating his attention in the dire'
or ton of the sound
Where do you make it to con