Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-01-31
D'ri and /
BY IRVING BACfIELLER
Author Of Eben Holden Darrell tho Blessed Isles, Etc.
WING BAcHELLER
!" Darrell. Of tho Blessed Isles" Etc.
Copyright. lsu. By IstArs, ruhush,.s cs.pa.y.l

side purity soon, mebbe. Then she
IL switch 'er tail m go on bout 'er
business"
In a moment we heard roaring
cheer back amidships. Perry had come
up the companionway with his blue
battle-flag. He held 1t before him at
arms-length. / could see part OF
Its legend, in white letters, Don't give
up the ship"
my brave lads" he shouted, shall
we hoist it?"
Our FAY, ay' sir!" could have been
heard mile away, and the flag rose
above tossing hats and bowling voices
to the mainroyalmasthead.
The wind came; we could hear the
sails snap and stiffen as 1t overhauled
the feet behind US. In jiffy it hunted
our own hulls and canvas, and again we
began to plough the water. 1t grew
into smart breeze, and scattered the
feet of clouds that lowered over us.
The rain passed; sunlight sparkled on
the ripping plain Of water. We could
see the enemy; he had hove to, and
was waiting for US in a line. A crowd
was gathering on the high shores we
had left to see the battle. We were
we'll In advance, crowding our canvas
in good breeze. could hear only
the roaring burrows Of water on each
side Of the Prov. Every man Of us
held his tongue. mentally trimming
ship, as they say. for whatever might
come. Three men scuffed by, sanding
the decks. D'ri was leaning placidly
over the big gun. He looked of at the
white line, sQuinted knowingly, and
spat over the bulwarks. Then he
Strengthened up, fitting his hat to his
right ear.
They're p'intin' their guns" said
q swabber.
"Fust they know they'll git spit on"
said D'ri, calmly.
Well. for two hours 1t was all
creeping and talking under the
breath, and here and there an
oath as some nervous chap frightened
the ropes Of his resolution. Then sud-
denly, as we swung about, a murmur
went up and down the deck. We could
see with our naked eyes the men who
were to give US battle. Perry shouted
sternly to some gunners who thought
1t high time to fire. Then word came:
there would be no firing until we got
close. Little gusts of music came chas-
ing over the water faint-footed to our
decks-a band playing "Rule Britain
MIA" was looking at brig in the
line of the enemy when a bolt of fire
smoke rushed to her topsails. Then
something hit the sea near by great
kissing slap, and we turned quickly to
see chunks of the shattered lake sur
face fly up In nets Of spray and fall
roaring on our deck. We were all
drenched there at the bow gun. re-
member some of those water-drops had
the sting Of hard-hung pebbles, but we
only bent our heads, waiting eagerly
for the word fire.
eve was tn ones at got spit on,
said gunner, looking at D'ri.
"Wish they'd let US holler back,
said the latter, placidly. "Sicko' holdin
Iu."
We kept tanning down upon the
enemy, now little more than a mile
away. signalling the feet to follow.
my God! see thsre!" q gunner
shouted.
The British line had turned into ,
Keeling, whirling ridge Of smoke lift
Ing over spurts Of lame at the bottom
We knew what was coming. Untriet
in the perils Of shot and shell, som
| Of my gunners stopped to cover unde
| the bulwarks.
Pull 'em out o. there" called, turn
ing to Dri, who stood beside me.
The storm OF iron hit US. A heav.
ball crashed into the after bulwarks
tearing them away and slamming owe
gun and carriage, that slid space
grinding the gunners under 1t. ON
end Of bowline whipped over Us; a jill
dropped; brace fell crawling over m.
shoulders like big snake; the fore
mast went into splinters a few fee
above the decks. its top falling over
Its canvas sagging in great folds. I
was all the work Of a second. Tha
hasty flight of iron, coming out o
the air, thick as q flock Of pigeons
had gone through hull and rigging In
wink Of the eye. And fine mess
had made. Men lay scattered alonl
the deck, bleeding. yelling, struggling
There were two lying near US witt
blood squirting out Of their necks. On
rose upon knee, choking horribly
shaken with the last throes Of hi
flooded heart, and reeled over. TIL
Scorpion of our feet had got her gun
in action; the little Ariel was also fir
ing. D'ri leaned over, shouting in m,
ear.
| Don't like tn way they re whalin
Nv u.s." he said, his cheeks red wit
anger.
"Nor l." was my answer.
Don't like t. stan here an de,
nuthin' but git licked" he went or
"'T ain no way nat'ral.'
Perry came hurrying forward.
"Fire" he commanded, with quic
gesture, and we began to warm up GU
big twenty-pounder there In the bow
But the deadly scuds Of iron kept fly
ing over and upon our deck, burstin
into awful showers Of bolt and chat
and spike and hammerheads. We ga,
shortly that our brig was badly out {
gear. She began to drift to leewart
and being unable to aim at the enem,
we could make no use Of the boz
gun. Every brace and bowline Gu
away, her canvas torn to rags, he
hull shot through, and half the me
dead or wounded, she was, indeed,
sorry sight The Niagara want NV q