The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-08-09
CHAPTER l.
IN THE roc OFF usHANr.


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
n 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 fitful breezes and
mist-hidden seas permitted. The dis
patches she bore were of grave inn
portance, and haste in their delivery
commander, Therefore, he chafed
under the vexatious delays with all
the impatience of sailor to whose
progress fogs and Gains are obstacles
wsll-nigh insurmountable by his sea-
philosophy.
TO his impatience was added vivid
consciousness of probable and imSni-
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
peror force was minimized It
amounted 10 almost nothing in fact
But when the fog lifted-unless 1t
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-
cient size that happened along.
Though young in the service, Lieut.
Grafton had earned a well-deserved
reputation for daring and SKILL and
gladly would he have welcomed an
opportunity for a brush with cruiser
of force equal to, or even somewhat
greater than, his own. English ships
then we're accustomed to giving odds;
indeed, unless there was some prepon-
derance in force in favor of the
French, they took but little credit for
a 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 Pepperel's successful
campaign against Louisburg in l745.
As reward for his services on the
occasion-services by no means in
considerable-stout old John Grafton
had been given a commission in the
kings navy, and was now a rear-ad-
miral, retired, living in the enjoy
ment of his honors in his ancestral
home in Massachusetts,. His son, who
had followed his fathers profession,
also enjoyed the royal favor and had
risen rapidly through the various
grades of the naval service 10 the rank
of lieutenant He had, in his brief
career, given evidence OF superior
ability, and it was thought with his
influence that he would eventually OBJ
tain high rank in the service.
On the morning of the Sd of July,
1854. the young captain was restlessly
pacing the weather side OF the small
quarterback of his brig in close con-
sultation with his first lieutenant, a
kindred spirit, named Stanhope.
Dash nae, john" he exclaimed i'm
patiently, dropping the quarterback
for the nonce, as they were ont OF
hearing of everybody except an old
seaman at the wheel, who had sailed
with Grafton's father from boyhood
and had, naturally, attached himself
TO the fortunes of the son. Dash me,
but this is vexing, Here we lie toss
ing about like an empty bottle in these
beastly swells and not thing to tell
us where We are or whers we are
drifling."
True. Capt. Grafton" answered the
lieutenant giving his superior his
courtesy title. the fog's so thick you
could almost cut it, | can't even see
the heel of the bowsprit for'ard. tbs
most annoying"
"Hark, what's that" cried Graf
ton. stopping short and catching his
subordinate by the arm. "There,
pointing aft. didn't you hear it? A
ships bell,"
As he spoke the sound o. a bell
struck. in eouplets. four times, came
family toward them through the gray
m.st-laden air of the morning.
"Ay. surely. I heard it," answered
SianhOpe. turning about. lifting his
hand to his ear as he spoke. and con-
centrsting his attention in the direc-
ton of the sound.
Where do you make # to come
from"
why. about there. dead sstern. /
should say. sir" replied the other.
pointing ait