The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-05-19
CHAPTER XIX.
The Eaole's FLIGHT.

The Eagles Flight.
No stranger spectacle was ever out.
lined against the sky than that Of the
fate-laden morning, when at height
of more than three miles above the
sea the emperor's ships were borne
away A child full of life. energy and
vivacity, clutched in the inflexible
talons of merciless eagle. and hur-
ried into the empyrean. would have
been no more helpless. The suns rays
were now painting the surface of a far
reaching, untenanted ocean. on whose
waves no sail caught the breeze. and
across whose depths sailed no squad
rOns. The day of its abandonment
was at hand. and the time not distant
when seafaring was to become merely
Legendary.
In the profound solitude of the up
per air the radioplanes swung males
tically in a wide circle, and then like
flock of geese in homeward flight
formed a long line which in stately
procession directed its course to the
east.
The japanese knew by the faces
staring at them from the bellies of the
monsters which had gathered them in
that they were in the grasp of the
enemy. and impotent, although
throughout that trying day no word
was addressed to them. Once. from
their lofty planes of transit. they saw
through their glasses dim outline on
the far southern horizon whose faint
blue haze held Honolulu, designated
as stopping place. but which they
were never to reach--destined to be a
port for naught but phantom ships-a
port OF dreams.
To them their progress through the
air was at terrifying speed. and the
wind OF fight sweeping in a gale
across across their decks drove them
to shelter; but they did not know that
the machines above them were work
ing at slow strength, in order that
their coming to the shores of the
American continent might be unwit-
messed and unheralded. The hours
slipped away, until below them the
shadows heightened and deepened and
the waves were no longer seen. Up
in their aerial path the dusk was fall
ing. when simultaneously they came to
a halt and hung motionless in midair.
Officers and men hurried to the decks
to learn what this change might pro-
tend, and As they did SO they discov-
cred that the silent monsters were
clustered in what seemed perilous
proximity to the craft holding their
redOubtable flagship, the Ito. On the
bridge of the latter appeared the ad-
miral of the fleet. Kamigawa, his i'm
passive face showing nothing to his
followers of the strain under which he
had labored during those long hours
of captivity. Like his fellow oflcers.
he looked at the assemblage, anxious
to know the cause of the abrupt stop,
and then aloft to the engines of vic
tory. from each of which there
whipped and cracked in the evening
breeze the stars and stripes.
The grinding noise of metal sliding
over metal attracted his attention, and
almost before it had ceased a man
clad in the blue uniform of the
United States navy leaned out of q
huge port. holding himself by his hand.
and browning down at the men upon
the ItO's bridge.
Good evening, Kamigawa:" a
voice hailed with gruff resonance. and
he recognized Bevins, who had been
an Instructor in the naval academy of
the nation which had presented him
with postgraduate instruction, and
which he had come to assault.
Good evening. admiral" he re-
sponded in excellent English, mentally
thankful that he had offered no great
er resistance to this famous bulldog
Of the sea; but with no faint of shame
clouding his mind in thus being re-
called to the fact that he had at
tempted war upon a country which
had helped to educate him. of which
he had been a guest of honor, and to
which he owed much in knowledge of
seamanship.
1T gives me much pleasure" re.
sumed the voice above in a tone of
cold courtesy. to request that you at
once 60 through the formality of sur
rendering your entire feet, and sig
nal the other vessels from your flag
ship that in behalf of yourself and
men you accept parole under the usual
provision that neither you nor any
of your men will bear arms against
the United States during the re-
of this war"
But l can't do that" Kamigawa |
protested in tone of bitterness.
Very we'll" came the curt answer.
Il shall at once drop you. and 1 can |
assure you that nothing will give me
greater JOY"
The blue figure with its tapping |