The Irish standard., 1905-05-27
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D'ri and I
By IRVING BACHELLER
Author Of Eben Holden" "Darrel Of
the Blessed Isles" Etc.
Copyright 1901. by Lothrop Publishing Company.
CHAPTER NNII.-CoNrINUED.

We were all crying. we poor devils
that were left behind. One, mere
BOY, stood near me swinging his hat
above his head, cheering. Hat and
hand fell TO the deck as l turned to
him He was reeling, when Dri caught
him quickly with his good arm and
bore him to the cockpit
The little boat was barely a length
off when a heavy shot fell splashins
in her wake. Soon they were droppins
all around her. One crossed her bow,
ripping long furrow in the sea- A
chip flew Off her stern: lift OF splin-
ters from an oar scattered behind her.
Plun2ing missiles marked her course
with plait OF foam. but she rode on
bravely. We saw her cropping under the
smoke clouds: we saw her nearing the
other brig, and were all on tiptoe.
| The air cleared a little, and we could
see them ship oars and go up the side.
Then we set our blood dripping with
cheers again, we who were wounded
on the deck of the Lawrence. Lieut.,
Yarnell ordered her one flag down. AS
| 1t sank fluttering, we groaned. Our dis
may went quickly from man to man.
Presently we could hear the cries of
| the wounded there below. a man came
staggering out of the cockpit, and fell
to his hands and knees, creeping
toward us and protesting fiercely, the
blood dripping from his mouth be-
! tween curses.
"Another shot would sink her."
Yarnell shouted.
Let 'er sink, d-n 'er," said D'ri.
"Wish t. God I c'ud put my foot
through 'er bottom. When the nag
goes down I wan t. go tew."
The British turned their guns; we
were no longer in the smoky paths of
! laundering canister. The Niagara was
now under fire. We could see the dogs
| of war rushing at her in leashes OF
flame and smoke. Our little gunboats
| urged by oar and sweep. were Fastening
to the battle front. We could see their
men. waist-high above the bulwarks,
| firing as they came The Detroit and
the Queen Charlotte, two heavy brigs
of the British line, had run afoul of
each other. The Niagara. signalling
for close action, bore down upon them,
Crossing the bow Of one ship and tho
stern of the other. shc raked them
with broadsidcs We saw braces fly
and masts fall in the volley. The
Niagara shccred off, pouring shoals of
metal on a British schooner, stripping
her bare. Our little boats had come
UP, and were boring into the briggs.
In brief time-it was then near
three o'clock-a white flag, at the end
OF boarding-piie, iluttcred over a
British deck. D'ri, who had been sit
ting awhile, was now up and cheering
as he waved his crownlcss hat. He had
lent his flag, and, in the furry, some
one dropped it overheard. D'ri saw
1t fall, and before we could stop him
he had leaped into the sea. | FASTENED
to his help, tossing a ropes end as
he came up, swimming with one arm,
the flag in his teeth. | towcd him to
the landins-stair and helped him
| over. Leaning on my shoulder, he
shook out the tattered flag. it's white
laced with his own blood.
Ready t jump in hell fer thet OIL
rag any day" said he, as we all chccred
him.
Each grabbed a latter of the good
flag, pressing hard upon D'ri and put
1t to his lips and kissed it proudly.
Then we marched up and down, D'ri
waving it above us-a bloody squad
as ever walked, shouting loudly. D'ri
had begun to weaken with loss of
blood, so I coaxed him to go below
with me.
The battle was over: a Yankee hand
was playing near by.
"Perry is coming! Perry is coming!"
we heard them shouting above.
A feeble cry that had in ii pride and
Joy and inextinguishable devotion
passed many fevered lip in the cock
pit.
There were those near who had won
better peace, and they lay as man
that listens to what were now the
merest mockery.
Perry came, when the sun was low.
with a number Of British officers, and
received their surrender on his own
bloody deck. I remember, as they
stood by the ruined bulwarhs and
looked down upon tokens of wreck
and slaughter. a dog began bowling
dismally in the cockpit.