Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-07-28

"A snip, Slr-ANe, ana tnere Is an
other one with her. and third. ! cant
tell what she is. sir The first one
looks like large ship"
mir. Wallingford. take the glass and
go up the crosstrees and see what you
make of them, sir" said the captain.
Very good. sir" replied the leuten
ant, springing into the main rigging
and rapidly ascending to the cross
trees. glass in hand.
Gentlemen, we will have nearer
look at these gentry" continued the
captain. glancing back at the officers,
who had all come up from below. while
the men. equally interested. were
crowding on the forecastle and gazing
eagerly In the direction Of the report
ed sails, which were not yet visible
fiom the deck
"On deck, there"
aye. aye! What is it?"
81 can make out five ships, and two
brigs, and a schooner, and some other
sails Just rising. all close hauled on
the port tack. think there are more
OF them sir. but ! can't say yet We
are rapidly drawing on them and shall
he able TO make them out in minute.
| think II is q convoy or n fleet"
THAT will do. Mr.. Wallingford. Lay
down on deck. sir. Give the glass to
the man on the royal ysrd, though, be-
fore you come. who Is he?"
1T is me, sir-Jack Thompson"
Keep bright lookout then. Thomp-
son. and II yon's an enemy,s fleet or
convoy II means glass Of grog and n
guinea for you when your watch Is
over"
"Thankee, sir" cried the delighted
seaman.
Mr.. Wallingford, could you make
anything out of the size of the ships?'
"One of them | should say was a
large ship, a frigate or ship of the line
possibly The others we're too far off. $
at can't be fleet" replied Captain
Jones There are not so many of the
enemy's ships together In these wat
ers, II we are correctly informed.
suspect II must be a lot OF merchant
men and transports conveyed by two
or three men-of-war. Now is our OPP
portunity, gentlemen" he continued,
his eyes sparkling with delight. They
are apparently beating in for Halifax,
and probably the Mellish. our trans
port. will be among them. We will
pay them visit tonight In any event.
wouldn't let them pass by without a
bow or two II they were fleet of two
deckers."
Apparently this reckless bravado en-
tirely suited the ships company. for
one of the men who had heard the
doughty captains speech called for
three cheers, which were given with a
Twin.
1 AYE, that's n fine. hearty crew and
full Of fight. Call on all hands. Mr..
Simpson"
This was more or less a perfunctory
order. since every man from the jack
of-the-dust TO the captain was already
on deck.
Mr.. Seymour" said Jones to the
first lieutenant, who had taken the
trumpet at the call Of. all hands, I'VE
must dress for the ball, and our best
disguise for the present will be that OF
a merchantmen. | don't suppose that
the English imagine that We have a
ship afloat in these waters, and posi-
bly, they cant see us against this cloud
hank in this twilight, as we can see
them against the setting sun; but we
will be on the safe side for the few
moments OF daylight left us. They
may be looking at us over there, so we
will hoist the English flag at once, and
as we are nearing them little too rap
idly, better brazil up the fore and main
sails and take in the royals and the
fore and mizzen topgallant sails for the
present and slack off the running gear
Then beat to quarters and have the
guns run in and double shotted. close
the ports and have the arms distrib-
uted; clear the forecastle, too. except
Of two or three men, and bid everybody
observe the strictest quiet, especially
when We get in among the convoy" he
continued rapidly.
"You can see them now from the
deck, sir" said Lieutenant Simpson
handing the glass to the captain.
"Aye, so You can. but not well, Main
royal there, can you make them out
any better?"
"Yes, sir There's eighteen sail OF
them one Is frigate and one looks
like a sloop OF war. sir. The rest is
merchantmen, some Of 'em armed"
Very good, Have they seen us YETI
Don't appear TO take no notice on us
so far, sii"
Come down from aloft then and gel
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