The San Francisco call., 1908-08-02
Copyright. .leos. D. Appleton & Co.
CHAPTER III


Moorish ship could be seen
;crowding on sail and taking
every advantage Of the fresh
breeze blowing: TO escape. The Phila-
oelphiac then made after the Moorish
ship. which. like the smaller vessel.
showed a clean pair OF heels within
ar hour the Philadelphia had over
hauled the armed vessel and forged
eiongside. A warning gun was fired.
70 which the Moorish vessel paid no
attention. As the vessel continued de-
haptly upon her course Dicky Felconer.
who was keenly watching her through
the port said 70 Bulge:
Look. Bulge. did you ever see such
fmPudence in your lifeT'
Bulge shook his head.
Pirates is mostly all impudence. Mr
Fa3coner." he answered. But Captain
Bainbridge ain't the. man to put UP
with no impudenee so long as guns is
Q gans. sir"
A:skot. however. fred over the Mesh
bohs- which was the name Of the yes
sci; made the Moorish captain under
stand that the Philadelphia was not
TO be trihed with and the Meshboha
hauled aboard her tacks. A boat was
then lowered from the Philadelphia.
and: to the delight OF Dicky FaIconer
he was one OF the two rnidshipmen who
accompanied Mr.. Porter in the boat
BY this time the twilight OF the early
autumn was falling and the sea was
darkened except for a faint streak OF
white moonlight trembling in the pur-
pie sky
When the Philadelphia's boat reached
the Moorish ship Mr.. Porter hailed and
demanded the vessels name. The an
swer came back boldly:
The Meshboha-22 guns. com
mended by Ibrahim Lubarez, Of his
majesty the emperor of Morocco"
II desire TO come aboard" shouted
Nj, Porter. standing up in the boat,
and 20 know the nationality Of the
' brig which is accompanying you"
For answer the captain Of the Mesh
boha- a big. dark man in handsome
oriental uniform. shouted back:
The Meshboha is in haste 70 pro-
oeea and cannot stop 10 answer in
ouiries or TO receive visits"
Mr.. Porter Immediately gave orders
TO have the boat put about and re-
turned TO the Philadelphia. Captain
Befnbridge was standing at the gang
way as the boat came alongside. Mr..
Porter repeated 10 Captain cambridge
the insoient answer OF the Moorish cap
tain.
Then. sir" replied Captain Balm
bridge. arm your boats crew and take
a earronade with you. and see II the
vessel viii not then let you aboard"
BY the lights. which now shone upon
the frIgate. the people on the Meshboha
could plainly see the arms being handed
down 10 the boats crew and the car
rOusde slung into the boat The sailors
then pulled rapidly across the water to
the Meshboha. which dared not make
Ean under the guns Of the Philadelphia
or 70 refuse Porter's second peremptory
demand to come aboard.
In q few minutes Mr. Porter. with
Totten. the senior midxhipman, and
Dicky Falconer. was standing on the
Meshboha's deck. The Moorish cruiser
was a fine vessel OF her class, although
lacking the neatness and precision Of
su American man-of-waF. Her crew
we're dirty and sIovenIy in bearing, yet
they looked dangerous enough at close
quarters. Ibrahim Lubariz. in reply to
A6r. Porter's stern command. admitted
that the brig in question was an Amer
lean which he had captured nine days
before. Il being understood at Morocco
that hostilities with the United States
had already been declared.
o. Then. said Mr.. Porter promptly. you
VIII oblige me by accompanying me
20 the Philadelphia. where Captain
Rainbridge Will hear what you have
70 say"
Not the smallest change appeared in
Tbrahirn Lubariz's dark and stolid
ecuntenance as he went over the side.
accompanied by one OF his lieutenants,
and got into the Phiiadelphia's boat 1t
was now quite dark. and by the boats
lanterns Dicky could see the Moorish
oficers and the singular stolidity Of
their bearing. Not a word was ex-
changed until the Moorish captain. ac-
eompanied by Mr.. Porter and Totten.
reached the Philadelphia's deck. where
Captain Bainbridge awaited them
Then, politely greeting him. Captain
y cambridge escorted him to the great
cabin. Dicky remained the sole officer
IN charge OF the boats crew. For 20
minutes the boat lay tossing up and
down on the great waves, under the