The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1909-04-16

1 deck battery. and our sails and SSngin1
soon we're 70 cut up that VIA "
| cane foul, . few minutes later, u
were jamDed fast: but nohoay q
either ship wished il Othervies. tn
Frenchman's main-yard sWuAg ii
rectly over our poop. and Capt Gull
ford himself made 1t fast to our nis
zen rigging. The Frenchman, how
| ever, vas not yet beaten at the gvas
and the firing Was SO heavy o. both
sides that q pail Of smoke eaveloped
both ships This was to our advaa
tase, for the friGate. having got some
sail on the stump of her mixzeanast
nov approached: but the wind dFifted
the smoke 80 between her and the two
| lighting ships. that she could not In
the dim twilight plainly discern friend
from foe. especially rs both vere
painted black. and ve swung t0gsthss
with the sea aud wind. When the
smoke drifted Oh. the gallant but un.
fortunate Xantippe found hersslf d.
rectly. under our broadside. We nave
her one round from our main battery,
and she troubled US no more.
OF my own feelings. can oily say
that welcomed the return Of my cour.
age so rapturously. felt capable Of
heroic things. Occasionally / recog.
nized Sir Peter as he fitted past; he
seemed everywhere At once. and ]
perceived that although Capt. Gull.
ford was technically fighting the ship.
Sir Peter was by no means an idle
spectator. Ny gun was on the en-.
gagged side all the time. and several
Of the guns on that side became dis.
abled. and oficers were wounded OF
killed; it brought Giles Vernon quite
close to me. Through the smoke and
the fast-falling darkness. lighted only
by the red Nash Of the guns and the
glare of the battle lanterns, I could
see his face. He never lost his smile,
and his ringing voice always led the
cheering.
Presently the Frenchman's fire
slackened, and then a dull. rumbling
sound was heard in the depths Of the
incompatible. followed by a roar and
streams of light from the forehstch
The forward magazine had exploded
and 1t seemed In the awful crash and
blaze as II all the masts and spars
went skyward. with the rags Of the
sails: and a solemn hush and silence
followed the explosion.
In another instant I heard Sir
Peters sharp voice shouting:
Call all hands to board! Boatswain
cheer the men up with the pipe!"
And then the clear notes Of the boat.
swain's pipe hoated out into the dark
ness. and with yell the men gathered
at the bulwarks. On the French ship
they appeared to be dazed by the ex.
plosion. and We could see only q few
Officers running about and trying to
collect the men.
In another instant I saw Mr.. Bux.
ton leap upon the Misunderstanding,
and about to spring, when . ilgure be-
hind him seissd him by the coatfsis,
and, dragging him backward. he 1Gs
ured his length on the deck. The ag-
ure was Giles Vernon.
After me-" he cried to the first
lieutenant: and the next moment he
made his spring. and landed, the first
man on the Indomptable's deck.
As soon - the ship was given mp.
We hauled up our courses and ran Oh
a little. rove new braces. and made
ready to capture the frigate. which. d.
though badly cut up, showed no dispo
sition to surrender, and stood gallant.
ly by her consort. In half an hour We
were ready to 90 into action again, II
necessary. with another ship Of the
line.
We got within range-the sea had
gone down much-and giving the
Xantippe our broadside. brought down
the tricolor which the Frenchmen had
nailed to the stump Of the mizEen-
mast. She proved to have on board
near = million sterling. which, with
the Indomptable. was the richest prise
taken in for years preceding.
The admiral and captain got ELL
900 sterling each. Tho senior ofiicsrs
received f2,500 sterling each The
juniors got $4,000 sterling. the mid
shipmen and petty ohicers f1,600
sterling, and every seaman got E7VV
sterling. and the landsmen and boys
G4O0 sterling in prize money. And
1 say 1t with dimdence. We got much
more in glory; for the two French
ships were not only beaten, but beaten
In the most seamanlike manner. Sir
Peter ever after kept the anniversary
/ as his day Of glory, putting on the
same uniform and cooked hat he had
worn, and going to church, II on shore.
with Lady Hawkshaw on his arm, and
giving thanks in . loud voice
| CTO BE CONTINUED.)
RABBITS ARE HARD FiGHrGRS.
The Charge Of cowardics slanasr-
| Defeat Of q Ferret.
| r@n . uc~n that hA he -V~aNp