Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-09-27

y Joseph B. Bowles9
obliged to exhibit his wounds, but he
knew they could not be concealed in
the morning.
Whats that?" cried Capt Knapp
of the American ship Winnisook,
when he heard of the melee. Led by
a British officer? This is outrageous
and l won't stand it! Call away the
cutter, sir"
Capt. Knapp proceeded straight to
the American legation and, accom-
panied by the minister, called on the
British commissioner. The three then
went to the Amphibian, where formal
complaint was made to Capt. Clean
4 that one of his officers had led the
British tars in disgraceful attack on
American seamen.
Midshipman Leigh's black eye and
swollen cheek were all that were neces-
sary to point him out as the culprit;
but he frankly acknowledged that he
had been participant in the melee,
and made poor fist of explaining the
extenuating circumstances. Midship-
man Leigh was ordered in arrest, and
the next steamer carried to San Fran.
cisco brief telegram to the admiralty
and a long official report to go for
ward by mail.
Three miserable weeks were spent
by Midshipman Leigh on board the
Amphibian. Then came another mail
steamer with telegraphic instructions
from the admiralty to send Midship-
man Leigh home. The admiralty was
willing to hear any statement he had
to make, said the instructions, in or
der to determine whether he should
be dismissed or given the opportunity
to resign. \
]. Thompson. seaman, U. s. N, went
aloft the very day that the instructions
from the admiralty were received, to
fix some spars of the Winnisook, and
missed his footing Midshipman Ger
aid Leigh, sitting disconsolate on the
deck of the Amphibian, hundred
yards away, saw the man fall.
In an instant Leigh was overheard,
and when the cutter from the Winni-
sock reached the spot where Thompson
had disappeared, Leigh rose to the sur
face with the dead body of the sea.
man in his arms. When he handed it
over to the boats crew, Leigh swan
back to his own ship.
The cry of Man overheard" brought
Capt. Knapp to the deck. He was just
in time to see Leigh appear with the
seamans body. who was that man."
he asked, when the boat returned to
the Winnisook.
Little chap-beg pardon, sir-mid-
shipman who fought our men, sir"
answered the coxswain.
Capt. Knapp was nothing if not
man of action. Stay in your places"
was his order to the boats crew, and
when Thompson's body had been
hoisted aboard, the commanding of.
ficer nimbly went down the side ladder
and took his place in the stern. "Ths
Amphibian," said he.
Capt. Knapp appeared to be excited
when he reached the deck of the Am.
phibian.
Capt Gleam," he burst forth
you've got an officer on your shin
who has just performed a gallant act,
sir, which my government will moi
pass unnoticed! I understand, sir, that
he is about to be sent to England to
suffer for some slight infraction or the
regulations. To punish that young
man, sir, would be an outrage, sir"
II may remark, Capt. Knapp" the
British commander said, that it was
your complaint that caused the ad-
miralty to take the action it did with
reference to Midshipman Leigh"
Then l withdraw my complaint, sir.
and desire that the admiralty be mott.
fed to that effect, SIR
When the mail steamer Alcatraz left
her wharf two hours later she car
ried some official communications in
which the name of Midshipman Leigh
appeared more than once.
Nearly month later, the Alcatraz
was again at her wharf in Honolulu.
She had just arrived from San Fran
cisco. Her commander personally de.
livered the official mail addressed to
Capt. Clean.
When Capt. CLEAN had finished
reading his mail, he sent for Midship.
man Leigh. "Mr. Leigh" he said, you
will send an admonitory letter; but in
view of your act of heroism and the
request of Capt. Knapp, you are to
suffer no other punishment"
AS the Winnisook steamed out past
the Amphibian next day, the Ameri-
can blue-jackets manned the rigging
and cheered. The officers and the
crew of the Englishmen were too sur.
prised to respond. A lot of bunting
broke out from the signal-mast of the
Winnisook. 1t took a minute for those
on board the Amphibian to read the
flag-symbols. Then there was a scram-
BILE for the sides and rigging. Capt.
Clean led the responsive cheers
three of them and a tiger.
And a midshipman on her majesty's
ship found his eyes so dim that he
couldn't read the signal again. This
is what it said, Bully boy, Leigh"
A DEFINITION AND ITS