The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-26
Dk4RD TIE DE7CYIAV7zER.

I bowling up and down before the beau tiful coast of Martinique, waiting to
 pick up Frenchman. Several prizes
 had been taken, among them a slayer
 with more than 500 slaves, when they discovered a large privateering schoon-
 CT in the harbor of St. Pierre, and de- cided to cut her out that night.
 Their attempt was a dire failure. The
 privateer was ready for them and after bloody fight, which cost the English half
 their men in killed and wounded. they were beaten off and crawled away. To
 avoid the fire from the shore batteries thep kept close under the land on their
 way out of the harbor. Just as they were
 approaching the harbor entrance they spied a great vessel standing in under
 royals and Peter Simple snatched at the
 chance to come out with prize after all Quietly he passed the word along the boats to lie on the oars and let her rass abreast. Then they pulled swiftly for her quarter and boarded without a sound
 They caught the crew at an utter dsad-
 vantage In two minutes they had pos
 session of her and were laying her head
 around to take her out.
 The breeze freshened as soon as they had
 the enemy under matches. In half an
 hour they were beating toward sea- head
 ing for the frgate. They found thas their
 prize was not harmless merchant ship,
 but Bordeaux privateer of fourteen guns and that she had number of French
 women aboard, who had come out to join
 their husbands stationed in Martinique.
 Peter decided at once to set the passen-
 gers on shore and, though he more than
 suspected the men of being officers, he
 informed them that they were free also and that he would send them all ashore
 before he cleared the harbor entrance.
 When the women came on deck and
 went up to him to express their thanks,
 Peter started back at the sight of one and stood speeches.. It was Celeste.
 She smiled and then burst into tears as
 she held out her hands to him. She told him that her father was now a general and commanded at Martinique, and Peter,
 holding her hands, forgot the war and
 the ship till his quartermaster reported
 that the Rattlesnake was bearing down.
 Hastily the French people embarked, showering thanks on the young lieutenant,
 and Peter stood at the rail and looked
 after Celeste till she disappeared.
 The French ship turned out to be a
 magnificent prize, richly laden. After she
 had been taken into Barbados, the Rattle
 snake cruised into the Gulf Of Mexico.
 and one day made out three French pri-
 vateers with three British merchantmen,
 which they had captured. OBrien did not hesitate a moment but sailed down
 on them as if he were whole squadron.
 By clever handling he brought the Rat tlesnake where she raked two of the pri-, vateers in the first exchange of shot.
 Then he swung up between the two ships and gave them broadsides that soon dis
 mantled them, leaving him free to recap ture the prizes, the third privateer having
 made his escape.
 Great was the delight of the men at the successful exploit; and still greater
 was their joy when they discovered that
 the larger of the captured privateers
 was the very one that had given them so sad a drubbing In St. Pierre.
 When they sailed into Barbados with
 their five prizes Peter received a sad let ter from his sister, saying that their father was quite broken and that she
 did not know what would become of her if he should die, as he was Incapable of making any provision for her.
 Never mind," said O'Brien when he saw the letter. "To whom is it I am in
 debted for this brig and for my promo o1I
 money which, by the head of St. Patrick, amounts to a very decent sum? Make yourself quite easy about your dear little sister. We'll club your prize money and
 mine together"
 The Rattlesnake was ordered back to her station off Martinique again, and soon there came another chance for a cutting out expedition. The boats were lowered | away in d pitch-black night The heat
 was excessive and unaccountable. The men had not pulled long before they were almost overcome. Suddenly, without warning, there came moaning that in creased almost at once into a roar, and the next moment a hurricane burst on the boats with a force that drove the oars hack on the men and dashed them under the thwarts.
 Nothing could be done before that fear full wind. The helms were put down and 1 the boats drove before it. The sea rose awfully and lowered around them. while the wind cut off the crests of the waves | and filled the small craft The men bailed in silence. Suddenly large wave | eliminated over the stern of Peter s | boat. filling it to the thwart
 The next instant there came terrible | shock. The coxwain was hurled over 1, simple's head, and the boat seemed to | dissolve under them. The sea dashed ] the men high upon rocks. It smashed
 Peter against cliff and broke two of