The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-08
THE
SLAVE SQUADRON
A THRILLING TALE OF ADVENTURE
By HARRY COLLNGwOOD
CHAPTER XIX.

PUT our foes. willy as savages always
had evidently I'm their recent hand
|nand struggle with us detected the evil
fceS OF our extreme fatigue. and were
no means disposed 90 allow US much
| c or opportunity 10 recuperate our ex-
Fsted energies, for the men had scarce
Hung themselves upon the ground
Pre- sleep instantly seized upon them.
|en the canoes Were once more put In
ion and again the unhappy blue Jack
were called upon TO resist an attack
ow began TO feel strong suspicion
II the enemy had quite counted upon
being kept upon the alert during the
pie Of the previous night the perfect
nee which they had maintained being.
they very probably surmised rather
arassing than a reassuring circum-
hce TO US. and that they fully Intended
take the fullest possible advantage
his during the ensuing day. But their
Ivy losses I'm killed and wounded had
the same time made them increasingly
". and for the next hour or two they
tented themselves with continuous
les Of demonstrations which drew our
and kept us necessarily on the alert,
khout actually renewing their attack.
{ length the wind dropped away TO a
beat remorselessly down upon us with
eroe intensity which in our exhausted
kdition was positive agony. A burning.
uenchable thirst took possession OF US,
the men resorted TO the water kegs
ncessantly that the water diminished
b startling rapidlty. and foreseeing
possible difficulty of obtaining a fur
supply / was at last reluctantly COM
ed 10 put them upon an allowance. so
h very speedily we had thirst added
bur other miseries And during all this
e our aching eyes were every moment
cted down the river in the hope,
ch grew less and less as the day wore
OF detecting the approach Of the boats
ch we felt certain were on their
TO effect our rescue.
CHAPTER Xxx.
Rescued.
finally the long. harassing. anxious
drew to n close the sun set, the
ht mists gathered once more about US,
the hoped-for rescue had not ap-
red.
-e were by this time completely worn
and / foresaw that unless the men
ID obtain a little rest our pertinacious
nies must inevitably prove victorious
depended upon the behavior OF the
II from principle or superstition
Tor any other reason. IL was their In
able habit TO obstain from fighting
,ieht all might yet be well with US
though our stock of provisions and
or was getting low. and the ammuni-
for our muskets was getting short
It convinced that, could our lads bui
bre three or four hours OF unbroker
they were quite equal to holding
battery for another "a hours at least
fortunately. / knew nothing whatever
M the fighting customs of the ma
L. and was consequently quite with
a guide OF any kind beyond by OWL
on. -
felt convinced that the blacks hao
n realized the advantage to them o.
tagged condition during the past uay
had little doubt but that they Wer,
he enough 10 trace II 10 lts SVI,cc
&c: the question then was. would the9
w ia TO pass an undisturbed night
thus sacrifice an important adVhh
7 | greatly doubted II. But theS
hit allow a few hours cesshuot W
lities In the hope of lulling us INTO !
ing OF false security, and thus MAKING
he victims of an easy. yet well-exe
"a surprlse. The more | Thought apou
matter the more probable did thll
rse OF action appear: and az last
|lved 10 put it TO the test by. dlvlulhl
men into watches and allowing theu
hours sleep at a time.
M before doing this thought
la repeat my experiment Of the pre-
night and endeavor 10 secure
more water. and this I did witt
signal success that we actually re
all our breakers besides givini
man an opportunity To completel!
his thirst.
was just o'clock y. m. by the tiin'
we had completed our prepara tons
I then made half the men lie down
IN they did. falling Instantly asleep
of course necessitated Increased vig
ce on the part OF the watchers, encl
whom had to guard n double lengtl
,arapet: but the first hour passe'
eefully away, and the sleepers wer
kened in order that we might hav
turn. II was really amusing, not