The Washington times., 1910-06-01
CHAPTER III.
The Attack That Failed.

scream MI. COnant heard IT.
~ and so, too. did big Francois.
Captain Hiram surmised that
the enemy were attacking the poop. but
he did not dare to leave the group on
the quarter deck They were on the
verge Of retreat. and to weaken the
pressure upon them for a minute would
be to give them the ship.
"Conant! Francois he shouted,
while vigorously belaboring a British
sailor with his sword ITO the poop
with you, Miss susaaT'
Mr.. Conant, however, could not an
sWer 10 the appeal A gigantic Cornish
man had grappled with him bear fash
Ion, and the two were wrestling about
the deck like wild beasts, forgetful of
everything but the immediate fury Of
personal combat
Francois. who had been none too
active in the fray. did respond He
turned and ran up the ladder to the
poop deck
The British attack had been cleverlv
planned. A fourth boat had made
VIDE detour, and had hooked on 10 the
stern in the midst OF the battle; rightly
Judgln gthat. since the stern was the
most inaccessible place from the water
the high poop had been noted from the
brl Il shlp-lt would be lightly guarded
al best, and that probably no one would
De there since the natural tendency
would be to draw everyone to the main
defense in the waist
Through some oversight, the Jacobs
ladder which usually trailed over the
stern OF such ships had not been lifted.
The British, coming softly along
SIDE, unheard by Susan, who was in
deed straiuing her eyes at the huddle
OF black forms forward, congratulated
themselves upon this as a great piece
OF good fortune. II did not prove so.
however, for in the end It was their
undoing-
Only one man at a time could climb
up the Jacobs ladder. II they had
come along under the miZzen chains
and made their way aboard that way,
as they hau intended, a swarm would
nave gained the poop deck before
anything could have been done by it's
Solltary occupant, and the ship would
have been TrCtTievaOly lost But the
dangling Jacobs ladder was too
tempting. They took the line Of least
resistance, generally fatal in warfare
and in love.
A half-naked sailor, his cutlass be-
tween his teeth, his pistols loose in
his belt, scram bled up the ladder. as
many as could get on it following
him.
Something-sOm noise. some pre-
monttiOn-at the instant his head ap-
peared above the deck drew Susan's
glance backward. A fash from a pis-
tol discharged far on the forward
OF the mans sword for a second He
had got his left hand over the ran,
and had his sword in his right. It
was another attack, and the safety Of
her father the snip. the men. depend
ed upon her.
She held her pistol in one hand and
her sword in the other, ready for anv
emergency Without thought, she
bounded across the deck, and with the
wild cry which her father had heard,
she struck at the mans head with her
cutlass, forgetting the more effective
weapon, the pistol, and thrust at him
again and again, screaming with eX-
element. The man strOve, with oaths
and curses. to protect himself. but he
was taken at too great a disadvantage.
Although Susan for the moment lost
all her skill and science at sword play,
one Of her random blows got home in
his shoulder. She felt, with sickening
emotion, the resistance offered by hu-
man flesh to the trust OF a sword. The
men yelled. threw up mis- hands, and,
as the woman pressed upon him, fell
The Jacobs ladder was swarming
with men, and as he went down he car
died the whole number with him, some
Of them into the sea, others into the
boat
Susan stood appalled,. The next in
slant a burly figure doomed out Of the
darkness beside her
you have driven them over! he
cried Your pistols?"
without a word Susan handed them
10 him. He leaned over and fired point
blank into the huddleG mass in the boat.
A scattering volley hastily aimed and
doing no damage was the answer, and
a moment later the boat drifted away IN
the darkness.
fSacre bIeut' cried the sailor, you
have saved US all It was well done
You are a woman IN thousand
They were alone - the quarterback
He slipped his arm around her waist,
and before she knew what he was DO
ing he kissed her full upon the lips
Susan. Infatuated. W-enched herself free
and drove at him with her sword Fran
COTS was too near for her 70 strike him
He caught her wrist with his arm
FORGIVE met he said. but love
YOU. I am a great man in ny own
and. For love Of you have come on
his shi9."
"You coward You dogi" cried Susan,
Wrenching her hand away.
Father" she screamed loudly.
Stop cried Francois. IF you tell
him I will kill him. The crew are
With me. Mark vow
What Is it2" erie. Captain Hiram
;pringing up on the poop.
I'VE have driven them away from the
oooD deck, captain" cried Francois. /
stepping forward quickly. thanks 20 the |
Of your daughter"
Thank Godp cried Captain Hiram; !
and we've repulsed them from the
waist Go forward. Francois; the ship |
s clear OF the British dogs"
''Wnl they come back AGAIN. asked J
susan