The San Francisco call., 1908-08-30

Then, resuming his beat. he kicked
the pigeon toward the prison WINDOW
saying in loud voice.
You may have the bird II you nKe'
I care nothing for it,.
Mr. Maitland then put his hand out
again and managed with difficulty 70
squeeze the bird between the bars ana
threw 1t toward Bulge. who sat In a
corner patching some OF Captain Bain-
bridges clothing When the sentry ;
back was turned Mr.. Maitland picked
up the precious roll of very thin paper
and handed 1t to Captain cambridge
who opened 1T and read it over rapidly
1t was round robin. such as sailors
sometimes present to their officers. con-
tanning a request. No one desires to
append his name first. and therefore II
is drawn in the shape OF a circle, with
radiating lines like wheel, upon Wnlcn
the sailors inscribe their names This
one was dated:
.sU. S. S. Constitution.
"On TripoH. September IT. 1904.
ITO the Bashaw of Tripoli:
"Sir-This is to notify you that owing
to pressing business, especially the
wind we are compelled to cut short our
visit to you, but about the first OF next
June we shall return to pay you our
respects and to knock your forts about
your ears, and make you squeal like
stuck pig for ever having kept our men
in prison. Look for US. and instead or
six weeks we shall have near four
months before US. so make ready to
dance when our guns pipe up
Then followed the signatures in a
circle. Captain Bainbridge handed the
paper at once to MIR. Porter. BY the
time Mr. Porter finished reading IT the
sentry had turned. and it was impos-
sible to pass II on until he had gone
to the end OF his beat. A few whispered
words, however, explained the news BY
way of communicating II to the sailors
Bulge was sent with the pigeon 70 oe
picked and made into soup FOR the
officers dinner. Strict instructions were
sent to the sailors that they were not
TO give any Indication OF having re-
ceived information. This Bulge did.
and the word was quickly passed
around among the men, 1t was MI
Maitland who conveyed the encouraging
news to the midshipmen- They were
lust sitting down to their dinner OF
mutton and rice when Mr.. Maitland
appeared
1T have come. gentlemen" he said in
his lacxadaisical voice, TO convey 20
you a piece OF very inspiring news But
must first give you the captains or
ders. that there is to be no cheering.
or dancing or pounding on the table,
or rafting the dishes, or any OF those
extraordinary means by which mtdship-
men snow LndL Ln6y cousl1oR HO4SS o-AN
pleasure synonymous.
He then told the strange circup-
stances Of the pigeon and handed
around q copy OF the precious paper
All OF the midshipmen remained quiet
except Dicky Falconer, who could not,
to save his life, refrain from giving
a kind Of yeIp OF Joy, at which Mr..
Maitland frowned severely. and then
went or smiling.
Then came preparations for the
spending of the second winter In cap
tivity The changes among the mid
shipmen within the year were only
slightly visible, but they were pro-
found The spirit Of restlessness had
been met and subdued; not only were
they all year older, but year wiser
The time which might have been a
fearful loss to them had been one or
study and advance in many ways While
they had been deprived OF the pracrl-
cal opportunities OF cruising. they had
made enormous Improvement In the
scientific part OF their profession
In mathematics, geography and his
tory they were far beyond any other
midsbipuen OF the grade in the SER
vice And this was also the case with
regard TO languages Mr.. Maitland
was an accomplished French scholar.
and he drilled his class well In that
beautiful tongue Captain cambridge,
who also spoke French well. gave them
q
which the nidshipmen were required
to make a summary In the same Ian
guage-
Dicky Falconer and Roger Thorns
had been boys the year before. but now
they were almost men. and when they
measured themselves again at the mark
on the wall, each had gained an inch
and a half in height and more IN
breadth.
The uniforms OF all were getting
shabby, but under Budge's instruction
a aewtnx class was organized among
tbs sailors. who stitched away indus
triously. darning, mending and clean
y ing the clothes OF the officers as well
n as their own So all still presented a
g neat and sailorlike appearances.
Sidi Mohammed D'Ghies continued the
g Arm friend OF the Americans Not
/, onIv because OF his natural nobility Of
It heart. but, being an enlightened states
!, man. he realized the power OF the
5. Americans, and deplored that this had
g not been the case with his master.
y The cost Of maintaining three hun
% dred and nine officers and mon for q
: wear was considerable. but the pun
l, ishment brought upon the feet. the
e forts and the town would cost an
: enormous sum OF money to repair. The
e Tripolitans had become thoroughly de-
j. moralized, and although they had
n fought desperately during the six
We6kS Oh the A1uGIACdlAo atN0I1s e4ACJ
a no longer carried with them the stolid
le determination to sell their lives as
1t dearly as possible to the dreaded
~ Americanos.
I. The stern warning had been con-
le veyed by Commodore Preble to the
bashaw that on June IN the following
j. year the American squadron would
again appear. and II the prisoners were
e not given up then a repetition OF the
3, assaults OF the previous six weeks
Ie might be expected with reinforcernents
u then on their way from America
u The observation OF the imprisoned
70 American officers. in spite OF their lin
e tied opportunities. convinced them that
ss the end OF their long captivity was ap-
y preaching. This conviction. together
with their undying courage. made the
70 prospect of the coming winter one OF
= cheerful expectancy rather than o1
J, gloom and apprehension
~ As Christmas drew near. there was
great rivalry between the watch on