Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-26
The Argus Daily Short Story
A Fight on the Eaglet-By Louis La Ross.
Copyrighted. 1910. by Associated Litera ~ Press.

The American privateer Eaglet cruir-
ing of Nova Scotia captured a British
merchantmen, Ellen Boyne. but the
Eaglet's captain, not finding her cargo
OF sufficient value to make it worth
his while to tow her into port or be-
ing prevented from doing so by the
proximity of British cruisers, decided
TO burn her. The crew of the Boyne
We're taken aboard the Eaglet and a
few days later were put ashore not far
from Halifax.
When it became known what was to
be done with them one of the English
men stepped up to the Eaglets captain
and said to him:
81 would like to join your crew, cap
tain. / don't care much what flag 1
sail under. I've been a soldier in the
British army, but deserted to get rid
of q sergeant'S wife who wanted to
get me tangled up with her. Thus /
took to the sea, and here l am If l
go ashore l might be recognized, for
the regiment 1 deserted from is at
Halifax. Besides, 1 would rather re-
main afloat."
"You don't look rugged enough to.
breast ocean storms" replied the cap
tain, eying the youthful figure of the
man, whose eyes were blue, hair flax
en- and on whose rosy checks not the
slightest sign of beard had yet ap
peared. How old are you?"
The man hesitated, then said that
he didn't know; he had never known
his parents and never had been told
his age. 81 can fight, captain" he
added. "In the army 1 learned sword
and bayonet exercise"
whats your name"
Ralph Bronson"
"Weu, you may stay with us If you
like"
Ralph Bronson, leaving the captain,
went straight to one of the American
sailors and, with pleased expression,
said to him:
ITS all right, Jack; I'm to be one of
you"
"Well. Ralph" replied the other,
"sfnce you don't wish to go I'm glad
you're permitted to join u.s."
From the moment Ralph Bronson
had come aboard the Eaglet he had
strtven to make friends with Jack
Drury. Drury had neither encouraged
nor repulsed the youngsters proffered
friendship. The two were very differ
ent, Ralph being delicately organized,
while Jack was a stalwart fellow and
something of a leader among his fell
low tars. 81 don't see what the boy
wants Of me-" he said to them, 'un-
less it is protection, and he seems quite
able to take care of himself"
One morning a ship was espied On
the horizon, and the Eaglet's captain
stood over to investigate her. He had
breeze which the ship had not, and
by noon was near enough to her to
make her out. He judged she was
British, but could not tell. He fired
shot across her bow, whereupon she
broke the blood red banner Of Eng
land and, opening ports, ran out sew
eral guns. The Eaglet responded by
breaking a flag on which there were a
palmetto tree and snake-the stars
and stripes had not yet-been adopted
and the fight commenced. When it
ended by the British vessel striking
her colors Jack Drury had taking
leadership and covered himself with
glory, but he had lost his right arm
and an eye. Ralph Bronson had kept
beside him and when the crew of the
privateer boarded the Britisher par
ried a blow of a cutlass which would
otherwise have split his friends skull.
But just then Bronson was knocked
senseless by blow from a musket,
and before he had regained conscious
ness Drury received the wounds that
cost him his arm and an eye.
But Ralph was only temporarily dis
abled and during the next few months
devoted himself when not on watch
to nursing the hero. When Drury was
able to be about again he appeared q
very different man from what he had
been. At first he was honored By his