The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-03-15

again the great ship rolled almosr =,
her destruction. Things now 1ooka5
hope.ess; it was apparent thar sooner
Or later one Of the dreadful rnissiIss
would reach its mark. But. 10 the sur
prise Of those on deck. the three air-
shps etrcled about and headed back
to"aru the Fujiyama. which by this
time haa drawn out Of range OF the
cruisers guns.
Queer maneuver that" said the
Captain.
They've gone after more ammuni-
ton" suggested the executive. level
ling his glass,
We've got to smash the Fujiyama
before they leave her. again. muttered
the Captain. What are we making.
Keelson?"
''Twenty-one and a half. SIR an
sWered the executive, with a glanc at
the indicator.
Tell the engine-room TO use oil"
The cruiser vibrated from stem to
stern as the revolutions of her screws
increased. Black smoke and fiery
tongues of flame trailed astern from
her heated tunnels. A jet Of white
spray rose almost to the catheads on
either side, and her wake stretched
broad and foaming astern: but the
enemy kept her distance, and the bow
guns could not reach. The air-ships
overlook the Futiyama and settled
easily down upon her deck A brief
interval Of suspense, and they appear
ed again, heading as before, one TO
Gt3Tk02TH RI
at the cruiser.
Muster the crew on deck" ordered
the Captain, in low voice, land sta
ton the band aft
1t was calm and lovely setting for
the final act of an ocean tragedy. The
long blue swell of the Pacific was
white-fiecked here and there by the
morning breeze. The sun cleaned
through a pale gold mist over fieecy
clouds and tender skies and cleaning
sea- All seemed peace from where the
Fujiyama, her harsh outline softened
by distance, sped toward the sharp rim
of the western horizon to where the
stately bulk of the American ship adj
vanced grandly over the waters. The
flags futtered serenely aloft; the crew
stood erect and defiant at their sta
tions, the officers stern and determine
ed at their posts. An increasing rattle
and clatter of small arms broke out
forward; aft. the band crashed into
the opening strains of the star Span
gled Banner"
And so that Yankee crew sped on
ward to meet their doom. Their faces
were white. but their souls composed:
no thought of surrender was in my
heart. And the mysterious foes grew
closer.
But now, to break in upon the ter
rible suspense, strange sound came
from off the cruisers quarter sound
of boiling seas and engines gone to
chaos. The good ship was making well
over her twenty-five knots, but
grotesque gray shape drew up on her
beam, forged ahead, and left her be-
hind as though she had been lying
idly at navy-yard dock.
THE franklin burst from the lips
of the officers on the bridge. u
The little craft steered directly to-
ward the nearest of the approaching
air-ships. No sign of life was visible
on her deck, but the flexible tube for
ward, which had not ceased it's vibra-
lions from the moment of her launch
ing, suddenly became rigidly still, and
pointed like a finger of steel toward
the birdlike thing aloft.
call him back!' cried the Captain
Tell him to withdraw! He doesn't
know -"
No spout of flame slipped from the
of the mysterious finger, no
smoke burst from it's hidden chamber,
but the day was darkened with
shock, and a binding blue glare went |
flashing from sea to sky. Far aloft |
muffled roar echoed over the heavens
like a rafting peal Of thunder.
Daylight returned dimIy, and the men
of the cruiser raised their dazzled eyes
to the blue space where they had seen
their nearest foe. Nothing was there !
save dull brown cloud, which drifted /