Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-08-24
DAILY STORY
THE RAID ON MINERVA ISLAND.

[OriginaLl
Boat, ahoy! Any harbOr on that
island?"
YES. but you can't go in there"
"Why not?'
THAT'S Minerva island. Occupied
and managed by women. They don't
allow any men there. Got guns
mounted to protect the channel"
odd girls or young oncs?"
''NIostly young ones"
That was enough for the yachtsmen.
y council was held. and it was deter
mined to make conquest of Minerva
island or die in the attempt. There
were Lynn Poaeroy, TRULY Miller,
Reid Scarborough and Henry Rud-
dock. The had all been graduated
the preceding June in the same class
at college, ard Pomeroy. the wealthy
one of the lot. had invited the rest for
a summer cruise on his yacht. the Nul-
can. Ten minutes after the council
broke up they sailed between two
points Of land up toward the harbor.
They had not gone far before Il boat
| put off from shore manned 10y six
girls in white. with blue sailor collars
and blue tam-o'-shanter hats with
white bands. They came alongside the
| yacht. and one in the stern politely
| requested the party to keep off Pom
crOy bowed nearly to the deck and
| declared that he had come to make
| an inspection of Minerva island and
| write up an account of it for the hcne-
| fit of the women of America who were
| interested i'll fl. He was informed
that this would not be permitted.
Then. with a warning to proceed no
farther, the boat was pulled away.
/ The yacht sailed on up the channel
1 between two forts. Suddenly dozen
i girls in each fort Sprang to the guns
and two shots We're fired simultanc-
ously. One cut away the yachts bow
u spirit; the other put Il hole amidShipS.
i This looked serious. The wrcckaGe
forward occaSiOncd Il loss Of control.
and the yacht driftcd down stern fore
most. AS soon as possible the anchor
was dropped. and the Vulcan remain
ed hors de combat half a mile below
the forts. Not having guns aboard, an
offensive move was impracticable.
Soon after dark Henry RuddOck. n
ScapeGrace of the first order and the
crack liar of his class i'll college. bid
adieu to his shipmatcs and. pIunging
into the water. struck out for the shore.
He got within few yards Of it when
he gave a cry for help. y boat put out
from landing, and. following his cries
he was rescued. Taken ashore and
revived. he was asked TO explain.
: Those men on the yacht" he gasped,
: care set of devils. Just because l adj
I vocated letting you young ladies alone
2 they pitched me overheard, knowing /
couldn't swim stroke"
: The wretChes"' exclaimed the girls
: at once.
! How l got as far as | did / don't
:. know. Permit me to thank you young
) ladies for my life" The last words
< We're spoken in tremulous voice, and
z the girls simultaneously exclaimed:
( Poor fellow
2 Nothing was heard aboard the Yacht
< of the man who had been "throwr
: overheard" He was treated kindly by
: the owners and defenders of Minerva
, island and at once started Il violent
love affair Concealed, of course) witt
the captain of the battery. The mex
D evening TRULY Miller was pulled il
g the dingey under cover of the darkness.
]. past the forts up to the main dock nea1
u where were the principal buildings o.
!. the community. He. too, was pitched
overheard and. reaching the dock
asked the first woman he met to tax,
s him at once. before the governor of tn,