The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-08-16

Barnes ana Clancy stood still, as ~,
stunned. A cask of powder was brought
on deck. two sets of men got to work and
the cannon were quickly loaded. AT this
point Barnes came to his senses. He ran
to the master. who was sweating like a
han and swearing like a trooper. He
touched him on the shoulder.
Take my advice. Cross, and quit; you're
being chased now for violating The neu-
tral!ty laws. Fire one of those cannon on
a United States vessel and YOU become a
pirate"
Cross turned to him in anazement. h
look on his face was mureerous. The
veins on the bull neck swelled loathsome-
ly. Rage halted his speech, but his an
swer was not in words. He swung his
gortlia-like arm wildly and the thumb
less hand struck Barnes square In the
face with terrific force. The chief lost he
Cross went up to him and shook his Shout,
balance and fell on the deck with q Cud
The act made all the blood In Clancy's
body boil. He rushed over and. doubling
up his fist. struck the master full In the
bullying neck. But his fist bounded back
as If he had hit a bale of wood. Stimuli
taneouSly the chief mate put his loot out
and dexterously tripped the young man
and he fell In a heap by the side OF his
chief.
'Mntiny." bawied the master. The
their hands and feet and throw 'em in the
hold"
The struggle was brief. When 1t ended
Barnes and Clancy were tied and lay
helpless in the bow of the boat. One Of
the crew was for tossing them in the
hold. The others thought the game not
worth the candle, and the two prisoners
| law panf{pD yjYh thair hackS ON tho hQar5a
and their eyes gazing UP into the Nm
plying sky.
Now. boys shouted the master hoAEse-
ly, go at EN- With both guns; give EN-
a broadside.
The orders were quickly executed. Two
Loud reports sounded across the broad en-
panso OF water. One shot fell wide of the
mark. and the iron ball fell into the faith
oLnless depths OF the ocean. The other
grszed the edge of the wooden mermaid
which served as a tigurehead beneath the
bow of the Aibatross. The officers on the
revenue cutter conferred on the quarter
deck. AS they parted it became evident
that the challenge from the Code Rod
was accepted. The three guns on the star
board side We're trained In the direction
of the fleeing steamer. Three vivid puffs
of white smoke and then something struck
the tramp boat that made 1t culver from
stem to stern.
WHed llc lTellDIlnS ceased lne doldeu
Rod looked as IL 1t had been struck by q
cyclone. One shot had taken away half
of the ~sInokestack; another tore open a
side of the pilot house and scattered
boards, glass and spiinters all over the
deck; tho third cut away the upper sec
ton of the stern. The hapless Barnes
and his assistant We're covered with the
debris. The face of Polk, the chief mate.
became White as chalk and he was inca
pable of speech. The crew clustered to-
gether and covered behind the uninjured
section OF the pilot htnse like wet hens
In a thunder storm. The master was the
only one who had any nerve left, and he
was hysterical from the shock.
Load EN- up again" he shrieked, and
be quick about lt.'
Polk pulled himself together and urged
the men to speed. Another cask of pow
der was brought up and opened. The
cannon was filled and the order given tc
fire. There was no response. The mar
in charge pulled the stout cords, the
caps mapped, but the big guns were
silent. once again the cords on the ole
fashioned ordnance We're pulled, and once
again all was dead silence. Some unac.
countable impulse sent the master over tt
the half emptied powder barrel.
He put his hand in it, and something
about the gritty substance made him 90
] pale. He ordered up two more casks. Iht
tops were quickly knocked out of them
3 and Cross PUT his hands into both stimuli
taneously. When he looked up his eye
were dancing as if they were possessed
4 of devils, the color left the bull neck. Thu
3 firm mouth dropped and he fell back a.
limp as a wet rag.
] What's the matter? Speak, mani
shouted the mate.
r Cross tried to articulate, and failed. H
tried again, and was just able to gasp:
. "Betrayed-sold out. We've got a carg
of-of sand"
S Sand"
Yes, plain sand. Jack Fenwick's even
S ed up scores"
d height, shook convulsively and fell for
ward, from an apoplectic stroke, with
o shock thai shivered the timbers of tn
d crippled steamer.
t Barnes realized the significance of tn
scene. He shouted to the mate:
: Quick. unite me! | may save you be
fore the Albatross fires again"
p Folks look was distrusting, but ther
was no time for hesitancy. Besides, h
noted a commanding ring in Barne
voice. JIG released the prisoner. AS SOC
as the cords were loosened the chi,
y umped to his feet and, grabbed a whit
shirt that lay near by, fastened it to
& stick and waved it furiously. The cal
tain of tho Albatross signalled back. "A
right" and the pirate crew prepared ft
the formal surrender.
q In less than an hour mate. crew ar
. recruits We're prisoners and the wreck
the Golden Rod was being towed ba1
s. to port by the revenue cutter. Barn
n and Clancy were guests of honor on II
10 overnment boat, although they modest
VI and with some truth-insisted they hi
10 done nothing to entitle them to speci
- honors. The last thing they saw as the
~ stepped ashore was the stark remains
p Captain Levi Cross, with the bull nee
y, the wrinkled. weather beaten face al
= the ~thumbless. gorita-like hand. stretc
y, ed out imposingly on the forecastle de,
" of the wrecked Golden Rod.
Much Used Wedding Present.
n. From the Providence Journal.
A. Providence girl. who has been marri
III about six months, had wedding cards
er short time ago from an old school frie1
p. who had given her a wedding prese1
!, It'll .o,.-,o -.