Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-12-21
CHAPTER XXI


we drove rapidly and took train for
TiIbury. The journey was ACCOMPLISHED
IN something under an hour: and when
we alighted and got upon the bank of
the river, L saw steam launch with the
man John In the bows of her. entered
the launch and we started immediately.
gong at great pace towards Sheerness
and reached the More after some buffet
WIN the seas in the open. At this point
we sighted the tender, and went aboard
her, when we made full speed towards the
North Foreland
Black had made a colossal mistake
from his point of view, in setting foot in
England; but the browning blunder of his
life was that fatal act of folly by which
he had sought to shield me from the men.
Now the object of letting Black reach his
vessel again was as clear as daylight; it
was not so much the man as his shin
which they wished to take.
But were we followed? I had seen
nothing to lead me to that conclusion as
L came down the Thames; and now, IA
vored by an intensely dark night, we
promised, If nothing should intervene, to
gain the Atlantic in two days, and to be
aboard that strange citadel which was our
stronghold against the nations. There
was no sign of any warship pursuing; no
indication whatever that the tender, then
steaming at thirteen knots towards Dover,
was watched or observed by any living
being.
I was dead worn out and slept twelve
hours at the least, for it was afternoon
when I awoke. Black was not in the
cabin and / oh0uo To him fha
bridge. There was no land then to be
seen; but the clear play of sparkling
waves shone away to the horizon over a
tumbling sea, upon which were a few
ships. Upon one of these he constantly
turned his glass.
By and by all the crew began to OBJ
serve Blacks anxiety and to crowd to the
starboard side; but he told them moth
ing, although he never left the bridge. 1t
was somewhat perplexing to me to OBJ
serve that, while the great ship was I'M
doubtedly following us, she did not gain
yard upon us.
This strange pursuit lasted three days
and into the third night when I was
awakened from a snatch of sleep by the
firing of a gun above my head I got on
deck, where my eyes were almost blinded
by great volume of light which spread
over the sea from point some two miles
away on our starboard bow. We had been
in the Atlantic then for twenty-four
hours, and I did not doubt for a moment
that we had reached the nameless ship.
Had there been any uncertainty, the wild
Joy of the men would have banished it.
I heard the voice Of Black singing,
cto nd hu RI 1oxxynp hna re- w Ar
that moment the cruiser showed her teeth.
Suddenly there was a rush of flame from
her bows, and a shell Kissed above us
joining our own ship.
We were no more than a quarter of a
mile from safety, but the run was full of
peril, and as the launch stood out, the
nameless ship of sudden shut off her
light, if possible to shield us in the dark.
But the pursuer instantly flooded us with
her own arc, and, following it with quick
shots, she hit the jolly-boat at the third.
Of the eight men there, only two rose
when the hull had disappeared.
Fire away!" cried Black, shaking his
fist, and mad with passion; land get your
hands in; you'll want all the bark you've
got just now"
But we had hauled the men aboard as
he spoke, and, though two shells foamed
in the sea and wetted US to the skin in
the passage, we were at the ladder Of the
nameless ship without other harm, and
with fierce shouts the men gained the
decks.
For them it was a glorious moment.
They had weathered the perils of city,
and stood wbere they could best face the
crisis of the pursuit. 1t was spectacle
to move the most stolid apathy; the slgnt
of q connie of hundred demoniacal figures
lighted by the great white wave OF light
from the enemy's ship, their faces up
turned as they waited Blacks orders,
their hands fourishing knives and cut
Iasses, their hunger for the contest De
trayed in every gesture.
"Roys.'' cried Black, "yonder's a gov
eminent ship. You know me, that don't
rnn after war scum every day, for that's
49, NV business. But we're short of oil,
and the cylinders are heating. Boys, it's
a--;rr or take that ship and the oil aboard
her." Us
"Took out aft-the torpedo r
A tinv line of foam was just visible
60 second in the way of the light; but,
tha moment the cruiser had shot 1t from
bar tube. she extinguished her arc leaV-
~ no IN light the waters with our own.
Thera was no difficulty whatever IN FOL
loving the line of the deadly message.
.F,7lI speed astern! !" roared Black, and
49, ,o-naless ship moved backwards, fast
ar and vet faster. But the black oeapn-
hao~ar followed her, as a shark follows
doo+b shin. we seemed even to have oacn-
ed into It's course-it came Oh as tnous4
TO strike us full amidships, put tne grea'
ship swung round with majestic sweep,
and as we waited breathlessly' the torpeoo