Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-11-16
CHAPTER TX.

oroan water was cleaved into two
uu-- raves of foam before their bows
II the spray fell in tons upon their
decks. ..;
,,,g in shape and dark in color; she had
+no tunnels painted white, but marked
;1, +be anchor which clearly set her
', ~ he one of the famous Black An
lIor feet Her decks were dark with the
e-,,ros NJ passengers and crew all crowd
mo +o the port side, wherefrom the other
chin was approaching her.
Il was this other ship which drew our
ro7a Almost of the same length as the
aossongpr steamer which she now ap-
proacbpd 0bliQuely, she rode the long swell
Nth narfect grace, and many of her deck
bonsps and part of her PROV shone with
+bn brightness of pure gold. Full the sun
fnn nnon her in a sheen of shimmering
calender throwing great reflected lights
wbicb dazzIed the eye. Every ornament
m her seemed to be made of the precious
metal now glowing to exceeding ordnance
in the full power of the sunlight.
She was a very big ship, and she had
all the shape of a ship of war, while the
+nrrpts fore and aft of her capacious fun
mol showed the muzzles of two big guns.
could see by my glass whole wealth
Of armament in the foretop of her short
mast forward There was great deck
erection with a gallery and bridge for
navigation: but no men showed upon the
platform. and for the matter of that, no
souI trod her decks, so far as our observ-
alton went Yet her speed was such as
do not believe any ship achieved before.
Now rising majestically on the long roll
of the swell, now falling into the concave
Of the sea. she rushed onward towards the
steamer she was evidently pursuing as
though driven by all the furies of the
deep,
As we watched her the gun in her fore
most turret belched out flame and smoke,
and we observed the rise and fall OF
shell which cut the water a cables length
ahead of the straining steamer. At that
moment she ran up flag upon her signal
mast. and. as I read it with my glass, l
saw that it was the flag of the Gillian
republic.
1t was a matter of satisfaction to me
that Mary still slept, and | looked for
the appearance of Paolo with some ques
ton. But he remained below through it
all. The skipper was the first to speak
That ship yonder," said he, jerking
his thumb to starboard, sis it any business
of ours?'
None that I know Of" l replied: ''but
it's a mighty fine sight, skipper, don't you
think, CHILEAN warship running after
liner in broad daylight? What's your
opinion"
ITS fine sight enough but 1 would
give half I'm worth to be a hundred miles
away from it; do you want me to get
this boat into port again?'
"Of course"
Then I'm going to put up the helm
and sheer off I'm not a man that loves
fighting myself, and, with a ship and crew
to look after, I've no business in any af-
fair of this sort
Hold on a bit, skipper" said Roder-
lex, "as we are, if you please why, man,
its a sight I wouldn't miss for a for
tune"
| had my glass to my eye in a moment
and the light was so full upon the vessel,
which must have then been a mile and
half away from us. There was now some
one moving upon the bridge, and could
recognize the shape of a man.
Throughout the strange scene, this yes
sci Of mystery never gave one sign that
men worked at her furnaces below. No
evidence of that terrible power which was
then driving her through the seas at
such fearful speed.
But Of the activity of her human crew
We had speedily further sign; for, there
was some belching of flame from her
turret and this time the shell, crashed full
upon the fCrepart of the great liner, and
We heard the shout of terror which rose
from those on the decks. Then men ap-
peared at the signal-mast of the pursuer,
and rapidly made signals in the common
code
Then there was activity on the deck of
the nameless ship. and men were swinging
on launch, which dropped presently into
The sea and with a crew of some half doz-
en- men. Again 1 got glass full upon the
man who walked the bridge; and l knew
am He was the man l had met at Paris,
he one styled Captain Black by my friend
Hall.
welded then The whole truth of that
weird document, so fantastical, so seem
@s-y Wild, 50 fearful, was made manifest;
TIE dead mans words were indicated
mere on the great Atlantic waste, l had
'Ied to see one of those terrible pictures
""1eo he had conceived in the midst of
rs long dreaming
Marx, said Roderick, tits time to go !;
We" De the next when that ships at the
board"
Indeed, she stood by us as we spoke.
rH pale and quiet, looking where the
wv SHIPS lay motionless, the boat from
-s one now at the very side of the black
o, 'S'neF whose name, the Ocean King, we
could plainly read.
NJ Don you think you're better below,
'a .n asked Roderick.
NOT until you go; and why should I
~a @Ae any difference? 1 overheard what
n ~ ou said Am to stand between you and
49Se mems liyes?"
7, 49, am Tor standing by to the end" said
40 u we can save one SOUL"