The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-03-09

radiance or nor rlQlng leHp, LlBntlels
were sghoFing family through several
iportholes nmidshipss certninT proof that n !,
/ she wan I not emit deserted yet
the cabins aitlwsre dark, and the only
moving figure 1tcould distinguish with
certainty was slowly pacing back and
forth along the lee Srall sof the poop.
Suddenly, 5out from the euyeloplng
smudge, came a shower Of sparks
and AIRED glare. and, a moment later.
i traced the outlines Of a steam launch
icleaving the black water. 1t quickly
vanished behind the fog wreaths hang.
Ing to seaward, the faint sound Of Its
churnlng dying away, leaving the 81.
lent loneliness behind more solemnly
impressive than ever. Only from of
the land came echo!ng the noises OF
mcn-the loud vivas. the reiterated
boom Of explosives. the ceaseless
blare Of bands. is 'i.i.5
THE scene became oppressive In Its
barrenness, and l felt the need OF
movement. to overcome Its weakening
effect upon the nerves. This was to
be a night Of action, not Of dreams. so
u CROPPED my uncertain path back
along the Uttered wharf and around
the curve OF the shore line, beneath
the gloomy shadows OF coal sheds. OF
lights there were comparatively none.
II | except the uncertain glinmer Of
rockets along the waters surface, and
! was consequently compelled to feel
my way from object to object like a
blinded man. Still. the course was
sufficiently familiar SO that success.
fully maintained both footing and d..
rection, finally emerging safely close
beside the spot appointed for our rem.
devious. There was considerable open
space here. the Mercantile Company's
sheds standing some 80 feet back Of
the shore line, and their wharf for
the. unloading of barges extending
more than 50 feet out into the harbor.i
l could dImly perceive a great crane
at the farther extremity, with dan.
Cling buckets, outlined against the
sky. The night was too dark for me
to decipher the face Of my watch, yet
It could not now be long before the
arrival of the men. | crouched down
beside a post to await their coming,
once again searching the harbor With
my night.glasses.
The company at last arrived by twos
from out the enve1opfng gloom. silent.
ly grouping themselves amid the shad.
ows. could distinguish an occasional
gruff cough, and the shnl1ling Of feet,
but there was no sound Of conversa.
ton or hilarIty. Evidently De Nova
had sufficiently sobered them to their
duty. At last one man detached
himself from among tile crowd
and moved stcalthlly forward. met
him at the shore end Of the wharf,
peered into bis face, half.concealed
beneath the visor of his cap, until
recognized the fellow.
"Crew all here. Mr.. Tuttle?" y
YES. sir" he answered, startled by
my sudden appearance into courteous
response. but mighty uneasy to be
or" ~
They shall not be delayed. Get the
boats out at once. You are TO take
charge Of the whaleboat and | will
accompany De Nova in the cutter. Pull
silently to the end Of the wharf and
lie by there to await Instructions. Do
your men understand the boats they
are assigned to-" Is n,
"Ay. ay, SIR"
VERY we'll. then; get the boats out
and the crews aboard. Not sound
remember. for there are guards patrol
ling the harbor."
l must confess this preparatory work
was we'll and smartly accomplished,
the men the merest silent shadows as
they hauled the two hidden boats
forth from concealment and quietly
took their assigned places at the oars.
Tuttle's crew was first afoat, De
Nova experiencing some difficulty from
attempting to load too near shore, In
somewhat shallow water.
Drop overheard, two Of you,' and
shove off," ordered, finally. Lively
now, lads, but no splashing." +.
The two fellows In the stern low
cred themselves into the shallow wa
ter, bending down so as to put their
shoulders against the planks for q
heave. Suddenly, not three feet dis
tant, n smudge Of shadow upllfted, and
l became conscious OF a pallid human
face cleaning family through the
dark. Instantly ! lenped toward 1t.
with such force as to send the heavily
laden boat swirling forward, the heav.
Ing men plunging face downward into
the water. There was startled ex-
clamation In Spanish, short.arm
blow shot Into dlmly revealed, half
familiar face, fierce grip ut the
throat, and tho two Of us were on the
sand. graphing like wild cats. Out
NJ the wafer drinnInr from their
bath, the two seamen came to my aid,
and. between us, we pinned the fellow
to helpless silence. Y,
Toss him into the boat" I said.
painting from exertion. HE will be
safer with us than left ashore"
1t appeared even darker out on the
water than when We looked of upon It
from the land, but, with a. few eau
tlous strokes. we discovered the
s,nudre which rnnrnspnted Tnttle's