The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-09-07
Copyright 1898. by CHARLES scRIBNER's SONS
Author of THE Grip of Honor" THE Souther
''Sir Henry Mortar, Buccaneer." "a
rof ~ e..


< ! e ( *
'Deau, ST. answered one OF the
seamen who had been seized by the
boarders. Him you killed when you
boarded"
"Poor fellow! He was brave man
snd fought his ship WELL"
captain, the frigate is bearing down
upon us!' cried one Of the Rangers
men.
"Aye, aye. Well, gentlemen, we can
not take possession, so we will have to
leave you to your consort," he said to
the British officers. "Give the captain
of the Acasta the compliments Of Cap
tain John Paul Jones Of the American
Continental ship Ranger and say that
he will find me in the British channel.
Thank him for our entertainment to-
night he said, bowling courteously,
and then: Back to the ship, all you
Rangers. Let that mans sword alone,
slrrah! He used it WELL Let it re-
main with him on his own ship. But
first haul down and bring the Juno's
flag with u.s.
The men hastily scrambled over the
rails to their own ship, the grapnels
were cut loose, and none too soon the
ship slowly gathered way and slipped
by the stern of the Juno, whose miz-
zenmast fell moment after, and she
lay rolling, a CHASTITY, shattered hulk
on the waters, fire breaking out for
ward.
lie frlgate. coming down rapidly on
the starboard tack, luffed up into the
wind and fired broadside at the rap
idly disappearing Ranger, which, how
ever, did no harm and was only an
sWered by musket shot in contempt.
ana then she ranged down beside her
battered and shattered consort. AS
soon as she reached the side of the
Juno she was hove to, and a boat was
sent OF at once. An officer stepped
on board. He was Mortified at the
scene OF carnage which presented it.
self. The ship aloft was a wreck; the
decks were perfect shambles; wound
ed and dying men lay around in every
position. The masts were gone; the
ship was full of shot holes; the water
was rushing and gurgling in through
the shot holes below the water line:
flames were breaking out forward.
Where is Captain Burden?" cried
the officer. .
Dead" replied the wounded first
lieutenant in a hollow voice.
did you strikeY'
"Yes.''
what was the ship with which YOU
Fought"
The American ship Ranger, Captain
John Paul Jones. He says he will see
you in the English channel. Heavens.
LaWless, isn't this awful? Three
fourths of ours are dead or wounded!
The cursed rebel captured the Mellish;
we ranged alongside at quarters; they
got in the first broadside; the main top
mast went, then the jib; they fell off,
raked us through the stern, boarded:
Jones cut down Burden with his
sword; we could not get gun to bear;
they were pounding through US; we
could not keep the men at quarters:
we struck; they took our flag, too;
then you came down, and he sheered
of; then the mizzenmast went. I ex-
pect the fore will go next"
Whats his force? Was it a frig-
ate?'
Il can answer that" said the brave
master of the Mellish, who had gained
the Juno and fought we'll in the fight.
She's sloop of eighteen guns"
LESS than ours! We have twenty
two. Oh, Lawless, what a disgrace!
1 can't understand it, Our men did
we'll And she goes free, and look at
us!'
Ship is making water fast. We
can't get at the fire forward, either.
sir" reported one of the Juno's off,
GERS.
Cant we save the Ship" queried
Lieutenant Lawless of the Acasta.
mo- 1t will be as much as we can
do to get off the wounded. I fear"
Back" cried Lawless, turning to
the cutter in which they had come,
to the Acasta, and tell her to send all
her boats alongside. This ship is a per-
feet wreck. She must sink in q few
minutes. We have hardly time to get
the wounded off. Lively! Bear a hand
for your lives, menu
However, in spite of all that could
be done by willing and able hands.
some Of the helpless men were still on
board when the Juno pitched forward
suddenly and then sank bow foremost
into the dark waters, carrying many
OF her gallant defenders into the deep
with her. Among them on the quar-
ter deck lay the body of the dead cap-
tain, the sword which the magnanim-
1ty of his conquerer had left to him
lying by his side.
And this is war upon the sea!
CHAPTER XIV.
m 1HREE days after the sinking
i OF the Juno, the Mellish,
|1SSMN| which had escaped in the
- dark without pursuit from
the feet, after witnessing the success
full termination of the action between
the two SlOODS of war was Headline