The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-11-16

roaring on our deck. We we're 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.
I'VE was tn ones at got SPIT on"
said a gunner, looking at D'ri.
wish they'd let us holler back"
said the latter. placidly Sick O holdin'
in"
We kept tanning down upon the
enemy, now little more than mile
away, signalling the feet TO follow.
My God. see therel" a gunner
shouted.
The British line had turned into a
reeling, whirling ridge of smoke lirI-
ing over spurts OF flame &C the bottom.
We knew what was coming. Untried
in the perils OF shot and shell, some
Of my gunners stopped TO cover under
the bulwarks.
pull 'em out o. there" called, turn
ing 90 D'ri. who stood beside me.
The storm of iron hit us. A heavy
ball crashed into the after bulwarks.
tearing them away and slamming over
gun and carriage. that slid a space.
grinding the gunners under A. One
end of a bowline whipped over Us: a jib
dropped; a brace fell crawling over Eg
shoulders like a big snake; the fore
mast went into splinters a few feet
above the decks. 'ts top falling over.
its canvas sagging in great folds. Il
oil he = r,r
hasty flight OF iron. coming out Of
the air, thick as n flock OF pigeons,
had gone through huh and rigging in a
wink of the eye. And a fine mess il
had made Men lay scattered along
the deck, bleeding, yelling, struggling,
There were two lying near us with
blood squirting out of their necks. One
rose upon a knee, choking horribly.
shaken with the last throes of his
flooded heart, and reeled over. The
Scorpion OF our feet had got her guns
in action; the little Ariel was also FIR
ing. D'ri leaned over, shouting in my
ear.
Don't like tn way they re whalin
NV us" he said, his cheeks red with
anger.
Nor l." was my answer.
Dent like Z stan mere an dew
nuthin' but git licked" he went on.
1T ain no way nat'ral."
Perry came hurrying forward.
"Fire." he commanded, with a quick
gesture, and we began to warm up our
big twenty-pounder there in the bow
n,,4 thc daoaI,. oo,,d- - frC., lr,vt a..
ing over and upon our deck, bursting
into awful showers of bolt and chain
and spike and hammerheads. We saw
shortly that our brig was badly out OF
gear. She began to drift TO leeward,
and being unable to aim at the enemy.
we could make no use OF the bow
gun. Every brace and bowline cut
away, her canvas torn to rags, her
huh shot through. and half the men
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 of At her. Two of my gun
ners had been hurt by bursting can
lister. D'ri 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
a mighty crash beside us and a burst
Of old iron that tumbled me to my
knees.
A cloud of smoke covered us. l felt
the man l bore struggle and then go
limp In my arms felt my knees get
he
the tall. herculean back Of D'rl was
Just ahead of me. His sleeve had been
ripped away from shoulder to elbow,
and q spray Of blood from his upper
arm was flying back upon ME. His hat
crown had been torn of, and there was
a big rent in his trousers, but he kept
going. I saw my man had been killed
in my arms by piece Of chain. buried
TO its last link In his breast was so
confused by the shock OF Il all
that had not the sense to lay
him down. but followed D'ri to the
cockpit. He stumbled on the stairs,
falling heavily with his burden. Then
I dropped my poor gunner and helped
them carry D'ri TO a table. where they
bauc ut tlC 0ONn OCaA1C
1T Is no time for testing" said !,
with some dignity.
MY dear fellow" the surgeon an
swered, your wound is no Jest. You
are not AZ for duty"
looked down at the big hole in my
trousers and the cut In my thigh, OF
which had known nothing until then.
I had no sooner seen 1t 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 no
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 'D'ri'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
the, were crowding down the compan-