The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-05-10
THE ADMIRAL'S MISTAKE.
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time he has told the signal boy to have
the message repeated as tho it was not
understood.
"This Is decided innovation in the
line of Admiral Inspection!" calculates
the astonished officer. "Must be the old
man is crazy or thinks we're all piped
down and asleep! Well, the chances
look d-n slim, but we'll try to give
them run for their money"
But no time is to be lost! The "Alli-
ance's" boats are already in the water,
manned and ready for the word to
sheer off; while the decks of the gun
boat, particularly. it would seem, in
the vicinity of the gun carriages; are
Uttered with "clothing bags" "dilty box
es" and sleeping men.
One messenger is dispatched aft
with word to the captains cabin and
the wardroom officers, while another
summons the bugler and drummer.
Naturally, this sudden slight activity
serves to arouse the hitherto list
less or sleeping crew to realization
that something is in the wind; and by
the time the alliances" sigma! is
finally acknowledged and her boats
ordered to "sheer off and board the
enemy" it scarcely requires the
promptly-sounded call to general quar-
ters to further clear the ''Tallapoosa's"
To
Bags, boxes, every obstruction to the
guns is whisked to Tone side as by
magic! Guns are cast loose, pivoted
and run out and riflemen called away
before the attacking boats have COW
cred more than half the distance be-
tween the two vessels; and by the time,
:. ttheY reach the aTallapoosa;s" sides,
sail hands repel boarders" has been
commanded, and every man is at his
station eager for the fun should the
"Alliance's" boats really attempt more
than, a feint at boarding, which is, of
! course, not expected.
When the somewhat erratic Ameri-
: can admiral hastily conceived what to
J., him seemed the brilliant idea of a
? real, practical "cutting out" expedi-
: tion, such as he had frequently par
I" ticipated in as "middy," it never
8 occurred to him that, within the time
: available, the crew of the little gun
8 boat would be able to sufficiently
shake themselves out of their Satur-
= day afternoon siesta to make anything
Q like formidable resistance. In fact
= that he expected NO effort at resistance
: seems indicated by the orders given as
+ the boats left the "Alliance," aboard the
r 'Tallapoosa' and fire primers from hel
v main battery as evidence that the YES
7, sci has been taken"
g If such is the case, however, the
# admiral had overlooked the fact that
a with no spars or sails to exercise at
n nothing but deck drills-the little gun
10 boats crew should be accustomed tt
is getting their battery into action quick
8, ly enough; or, perhaps, he has forgot
d ten that he has, upon more than on'
n occasion, complimented the "Talla
70 poosa's" commander upon the spee'
70 attained by his men in the variou
is gun exercises. His mistake is soon evi
I'd dent. The crews of the attacking
I'd boats, bent upon carrying out thei
ID orders literally and by sheer force i
necessary, are valiantly struggling t
le reach the "Tallapoosa's" deck at ever
y available point-gangways, open GU
III ports, quarter ladder, and even owe
is the forcastle by way of the moorin
to cables, but with scant success. Teu Q
or dozen of the enemy are swarming u
of the port gsngway ladder, headed by
lg junior officer who is loudly orderin
* the defenders to make way for his part
be 80 he can carry out the orders of th
1g commander-in-chief in the matter {
81 firing the handful of primers which b
ed has brought He is indignant at th
le: persistent resistance Of the defender
"Gangway there! Can't you see II
he an officer, you lubbers!" he fair
ID screams, brandishing his sword, .
,es which point he suddenly disappear
oy One of the "Tallspoosa" sailors has G,
ter the pennsnt supporting the gangws
he ladder and the attacking party at th'
lat point including the angry junior of
mt Ger, abruptly finds itself fioundering
lin the water.