Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-11-08
CHAPTER NJ.

1t was near noon when we had buried
the two stokers shot by the skipper. and
more on in the afternoon before the decks
were made straight, and the traces of the
scu,ile quite ohliterated. But Paolo Law
all day in deiriu1a, and Mary went in
and out, bearing Il gentle hand to the
wounded, who alternately cried with the
pain Of il. and begged grace for their in
sanity. After the hour Of lunch the skip
per called Roderick and me into the cabin.
'One thing is clear" he said; you've
brought me on more than a pleasure trim.
and while | don't complain, it will be nee
essary at New York for me to know some
thing more-or, maybe to leave this shin
Last nights work must be made plain. of
course and this second officer of vours
must stand to his trial. The men l would
willingly let go, for they're no more than
lubberly fools whose heads have been turn
ed. But one thing | now make bold to
claim take this yacht straight from
here to Sandy Hook; and we poke our
noses into no business on The way"
That's quite right l said there's no
reason now why we shouldn't go straight
on-if we don't meet with anyone to ask
questions on the way"
We all went out on deck after we had
agreed to let him have his will. We found
the first officer on the bridge looking
away to the southeast, at the black hull of
a steamer l noticed that she steamed at
a fearful speed. and she showed no smoke
from her tunnels.
skipper" l said. will You look at that
hull? Isn't the boat making uncommon
headway?"
You're right. She's going more than
twenty knots. I've seen that ship be-
fore" he said.
'Where?" asked Roderick laconically.
Five days ago when she fred a shell
into the Ocean King"
TN that case" said 1. there isn't much
doubt about her intentions; she's chasing
US -
That may or may not be-" he replied,
as he raised his glass again, but she's
the same ship, I'll wager my life. Look at
the rake of her-and the lubbers, they've
left some Of their bright metal showing
amidships -
He indicated the deck house by the
bridge, where my glass showed me shin
ing spot in the cloak of black for the
sun fell upon the place. and reflected from
1t as from a mirror of gold. There was
no longer any doubt; we were pursued
by the nameless ship.
What are you going 20 do, skipper
asked Roderick, as gloom fell upon the
three of us; and we stood together, each
man afraid to tell the others all he
thought.
What am l going to do?" said he
I'm going to see the boats cleared, anC
all hands in the stoke-hole that have tho
right there" and then be sang out
Stand by.' and the men Swarmed III
from below, and heard the order to cleal
the boats.
They had all the grit of the old sea
dogs in them. The thought of a brushul
put dash and daring into them; they hat
the boats cleared, the water barrels filled
and the ffe-belts free, with an activit,
that was remarkable. Then they stood tt
watch the oncoming of the Dameless ship
and when we hoisted our ensign the.
burst again into a hoarse roar of applause
which rolled across the water waste, an,
must have sounded as Wanting mocker.
TO the men behind the walls of metal. Blu
they answered us in turn, running up al
ensign, and 4 cry came from all of u
as we saw its color, for it was the blu
satire on white ground.