The Press., 1906-01-10
NeMan Who
Went WrOng
By C. B. LEWIS
Copyright, 1906, by P. c. Eastment

the CUBAN SCOUTS looked out OF the
thicket in which they had lain through
the night the white topped waves were
chasing each other ashore like so many
wild horses. They were there to meet
a blockade runner which was to have
landed a cargo for them the previous
night, but the gale had kept her away
from the coast.
What Is itP' was asked as one Of
the group uttered a shout and pointed
out to sea.
"Boomw came the report of a can
non as If in answer.
Three miles off the coast was tiny
craft heading straight for the shore
| under a bit Of sail, and not half a mile
behind her was a Spanish gunboat
which had opened fire at the Keeling,
dancing target. Such was the tumble
| of the waves that the larger craft
might have fired all day long and only
planted lucky shot by accident, and it
soon became apparent to the watchers
that If the little craft were handled
| right she would at least reach the
breakers in safety. Then heaven help
the man who was sailing her. She
came on like a gull, sometimes hove up
| until she seemed to launch herself
| through the air and again sinking so
far out Of sight and being hidden so
long that the watchers held their
breath and spoke no word.
"A-h-h-h! Cheer!'
~, % kI1o
boat slowed her head around and wal
lowed in the trough of the sea for
| moment, as If she would turn turtle,
| and then got her keel under her and
steamed out to sea. The scouts waved
| their hats and cheered the man who
was holding the stem Of the boat,
hardly more than skiff, straight for
the beach at their feet. They ran and
pulled down a vine from tree, form
ed in line with the outer man up to
his waist in the boiling foam, and
when the craft struck the first breaker
and was hurled end over end the
stranger was caught by the collar of
his jacket and drawn out of the grip
of the deadly undertow.
"Well done and thanks for it, he
said five minutes later, when he had
cleared his eyes and mouth Of salt
water.
How came you afloat in that craft?"
asked the leader.
II came from Key West to join you.
You are insurgents, take it? Take me
to headquarters.
But you braved the gale in that
craft?
II scudded before it ali night"
And you-you have come to help us
fightY'
Take me to headquarters" answer
ed the man. And he shut his jaws and
would talk no more.
A man was detailed to conduct him
to insurgent headquarters. What the
stranger said to the general never
will be known. Perhaps he told all;
perhaps he simply said that like many
another American free lance he had
come to help Cuba win her indepen-
dence. Good men were too scarce for
any caviling. In two days the stran-
ger, who had simply been dubbed
Yankee" was scouting. He was 81
lent and taciturn and made no friends,
but when it was found that he had
plenty of courage the men rallied to
him and were led by him without
heartburnings or jealousies. They said
of him to each other when out Of ear
shot:
He is educated. He is a gentleman.
He has gone wrong somehow. Let it
be his secret, however"
Three months after the landing, Cen
eral Weyler had offered a reward for
Yankee, dead or alive. He detailed
fifty scouts for no other purpose but to
look for him.
Day by day he rallied at them for
their want of success. One by one their
number dwindled away under the bull
lets Of Yankees little band of ten.
The Spanish tried bribery, but the in
surgents turned their backs on the
sums named. They set traps, but the
Cuban scouts scented them and refused
to walk in.
In six months hundred Spanish SOL
diers owed their death to the little
band, and hundred night alarms could
be laid to the same cause. Then there
came a day when Spanish cunning pre-
vailed. Men were sent out to be de-
feated and fall beneath Cuban bullets,
while those who lived fell back in seem
ing panic. The ruse succeeded, and the
ten, led by Yankee, suddenly found
themselves surrounded.
1t was on the edge Of an old sugar
plantation. When the leader saw that
retreat was cut off and that he was sur
rounded on all sides, he gave orders to
retreat to the engine house Of the MILL
1t was small brick building, and when
doors and windows had been barricad-
ed it made a strong little fort. 1t was
SO strong that, although there were 400
Spanish infantry on the ground, they
dared not rush it. They simply sur
rounded it and sent for cannon to bat
ter down the walls.
The Cubans were trapped like rats.
They had neither food nor water, and
their cartridges were reduced to seven
per man. 1t did not take the slowest
witted man among them more than a
quarter of an hour to realize that the
engine house was death trap. All in
stinctively gathered about the leader.
No one asked a question. The posture
Of each man spoke for him.
''They are 400 to TO-" said Yankee as
he looked around him. I'VE have sew
enty bullets, and we must kill seventy
Of the enemy. After that
"What?"
''We must die lighting with our ma
chetes. We will make a rush for il
and die fighting"
But if we could send word to Go
mezY
HE has 200 men with him." answer
ed the leader, with a laugh. IF he
had a thousand, who Of us is to pene-
trate the Spanish lines and notify himT