Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-08-17

very ketch, he riske.1 the lives of him
self and sixty-two companions in th'
destruction of tie Philadelphia"
"Old Pepper" les..ing across the ia
BILE, suddenly grasped hand each o
his two young companions.
| My boys" he Iald, with shining
eyes, 1.-The first dey III sat with me a
this table the 81 ;ht o. your youth ant
the knowledge e the duties you hat
to perform gave me one Of the mos
terrible fits OF depression I ever suf
fered. I deeply regretted that I hat
assumed charge of sucn an expedition
which what I bitterly called then 1
parcel of schoolboy captains. Now
can only say that you have all turnet
out the best boys I ever SAVIOR
cannot yet call you men,"
This outburst, so unlike Commodore
Prebles usual stern and somewha
morose manner, touched both Decatur
and Somers, and Decatur said, laugh
ing, but with moisture in his eyes:
You see, commodore, it is because
we have had a good schoolmaster II
the art of war;"
The conversation that followed wal
long and animated, and when Decatur
and Somers left the ship and were
rowed across the dark water the com
modore's permission had been given
On the Enterprise, the very nex'
morning the squadron being we'll out
of sight of the town and at anchor
the preparation Of the ketch began.
The boatswain, who was ready, pip.
ed up and in few minutes every mar
of the eighty that formed the company
Of the handsome brig was reported "uE
and aft
Somers then, with a glow upon his
fine face, addressed the men, the off,
GERS standing near him:
my men, he said, you see tina,
ketch yonder-rightly named the In
trepid, after the glorious use to which
our brave Decatur put her. She has
on board 100 barrels Of gunpowder
100 shells and all the apparatus fol
lighting these combustibles, and to-
night, If wind and tide serve, she is to
be taken into the harbor Of Tripoll
and exploded among the shipping.
have obtained the honor Of taking
charge of this expedition and wish
my boat manned by four men who
would rather die than be captured;
for the pirates are short Of gunpowder,
and they can get no more from Eu-
rope, so that unless they capture this,
it will be easy work to reduce them
next spring when We shall take anoth-
er and a last whack at them. But
the Intrepid must not be captured!
The commodore, on this condition
only, gave 1t me. do not disguise
from you that the enterprise is one
full of danger, but fuller Of glory. No
man shall be ordered to go; but want
four men to volunteer who are ready,
If necessary, to die for their country
this very night; and let them hold UP
their right hands and say 'Aye!'"
Every man in the briggs company
held up his hand, and their deep
voices, like the roar Of the sea, shout
ed out, AYE, sir!"
Somers shook his head and smiled,
but his eyes shone with pleasure at the
readiness Of his brave crew.
"Ah," he cried, II might have
known! My men, I can only take four
of you. 1 shall take the four that are
most able-bodied and who have no
wife or family. You Moriarity,' he
said to the quartermaster Il know you
are alone in the world. / want you.'
"Thankee, sor," answered Moriar-
ity, stepping out of the line with a
grin.
And you-and you-and you," said
Somers, walking along the line as he
picked out three more men, and every
man smiled and said: "Thankee, SIR
A hearty American cheer rang out,
Somers shook hands with the four
men. He then ordered his boat, and
in a few moments was pulling towards
the frigate.
BY sunset everything was ready.
Decatur was with Somers on the Maui
titus, and just as the sun was sinking
they stood together at the gangway'
1t was a clear and beautiful Septem-
l. xx,ffh ht1f q faint
and lovely starlight Over the dark
bosom of the sea was light haze
that was the thing most desired by
Somers to conceal the Intrepid as she
made her perilous way toward the city
Of the Corsairs. A soft breeze ruftied
the water and gently rocked the tall
ships. AS the two friends stood watch
ing the dying glow in the west, Deca-
tur was pale and agitated while Som
ers, instead of his usual gravity, wore
an air Of JOY and even gayety.
Decatur, unable to speak. looked at
Somers with sort of passion OF
brotherly love shining out of his eyes.
He felt, as sure as that he was then
living, that he would never see his
friend again.
The boat being made ready, Moriar-
ity and his three companions were
called forward. AS they advanced,
Somers, smiling, said to them:
There Is bound to be some disap-
pointment among you. Each one Of you
has come privately to ask that he may
be the one to apply the match; but
that honor, my fine fellows, have re-
served for myself"
Somers and Decatur then went
down the ladder. followed by the four