The Irish standard., 1905-05-20

gun. Every brace and bOWline cut.
away, her canvas torn to rags, her
hull shot through, and half the meR
dead or wounded, she was, indeed, a.
sorry sight. The Niagara went by on
the safe side Of us, needless of our
plight. Perry stood near, cursing as
he looked off at her. Two of my gum
ners had been hurt by bursting can
lister. Dri and l picked them up, and
made for the cockpit. D'ri's man kept
bowling and kicking. AS we hurried
along over the bloody deck, there came
mighty crash beside us and burst
of old iron that turabled me to my
knees.
A cloud of smoke covered US. felt
the man l bore struggle and then go
limp in my arms felt my knees get.
ting warm and wet The smoke roses
the tall, herculean back of D'ri was
! just ahead of me. His sleeveshad been
ripped away from shoulder to elbow.
and a spray OF blood from his upper
arm was flying back upon me. His hat
crown had been torn off, and there was
big rent in his trousers, but" he kept
In my arms by piece of chain, buried
to its last link in his breast. was, SO
confused by the shock of it all
that | had not the sense to lay
| him down, but followed Dri to the
cockpit He stumbled on the stairs,
falling heavily with his burden. Then
dropped my poor gunner and helped
them carry D'ri to a table, where they
bade me lie down beside him.
1T is no time for iesting," said L.
with some dignity.
my dear fellow the surgeon an,
.swered, your wound is no jest. You
are not fit for duty"
| | looked down at the big hole in my
trousers and the cut in my thigh, OF
Which had known nothing until then
| had no sooner seen it and the blood
than saw that also was in some need
Of repair, and lay down with a quick
sense OF faintness. My wound was mo-
! pretty thing to see, but was of little
| consequence, a missile having torn the
| surface only. | was able to help Sur
| geon Usher as he caught the severed
| veins and bathed the bloody strands
of muscle in Dri's arm, while another
dressed my thigh. That room was
| full Of the wounded, some lying ON
the floor, some standing, some stretched
upon cots and tables. Every moment
| they were crowding down the compan-
| ionway with Others. The cannonadins
was now so close and heavy that it
gave me an ache in the ears, but above
| its quaking thunder ! could hear tho
shrill cries of men sinking to hasty
death in the grip of pain. The brig
was in sore distress, her umbers creall-
ing, swapping, quiyerHg like one being
beaten to death, his bones craclingo
his muscles pulping under heavy blows.
| We were above water"line there in the
cockpit, we could feel her finch and
stagger. On her side there came sud-
denly n crushing blow, as if some grea&
hammer, swung far in the sky, haG
come down upon her. could heac
the split and break Of heavy timberss
could see splintcrs flying over me in
a rush of smoke, and the legs Of a man
so humping on the beams above. Then
came another crash Of timbers on tho
port side. leaped off the table ana
ran, limping, to the deck, do not know
why; was driven ny some quick and
irresistible impulse. l was near out OF
my head, anyway, with the rage Of
battle in me and no chance to fight.
Well, suddenly, l found myself stum-
bling, with drawn sAber, over heaps OF
the hurt and dead there on our
reelling deck. 1t was horrible place:
everything tipped over, man and gun
and mast and bulNarli. The air was
full of smoke, but near me | could see
a topsail Of the enemy. Balls we're
now plungng in the water alongside,
The spray drcnching our deck. Some
poor man lying low among the dead
5aueht me by the loot-leg with an ap.
pealing gesture took hold of his
collar, dragging him to the cockpit.
The surgeon had Just finished with
D'ri. His arm was now in sling and
bandages. He was lying on his back
the good arm over his face. There was
| quickly to his side.
GLOW are you fee ing?" asked, Civ
Ing his hand good grip.
"Nuthin' t. Drag NV" he answered.
Never see nobody git hell rose with
en- s. quick es we did--never."
Just then we heard the voice Of
Perry. He stood on the stairs calling
into the cockpit.
"Can any wounded man below there
pull rope?" he shouted.
-, D'ri was on his feet in jiffy, and
VIC were both clambering to the deck
as another scud Of Junk went over US
Perry was trying with block and tackle
to mount carronade. A handful OF
men were helping him. D'ri rushed to
the ropes, l following, and we both
| pulled with a will. A sailor who had
been hit in the legs hobbled up, ask
ing for room on the rope. l told him
| he could be of no nse but he spat an
oath, and pointing at my leg, which
was now bleeding, swDrc he was
sounder than I, and put up his fists toe
prove it. | have seen no better show
of pluck in all my fighting, nor any
that ever gave me greater pride OF
my own people and my country. War
is great evil, Eegin TO think, but
there is nothing finer than the sight OF
| a man who, forgetting himself, rushesss
into the shadow of death for the sake
Of something that Is better At every
heave on the rope Cur blood came ouc
of us, until a ball shattered a pulley,
np1 4ho own foil Darrv boI tIo, -