The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-12-22
CHAPTER vi.


! At midnight I went on deck as the
captain had asked me. Abel, the quar-
| termaster, stood at the wheel, and all
| our officers were with Larry upon the
bridge. The sea still ran high, but the
wind moderated. l perceived sky
that was black and thunderous to lee
ward, but clearing in the suns path
There were wonderful lights upon the
| raging waters, beams of gold and gray
and green interviewed and superb In
their weirdness. The waves ran high,
but with less power I'm their assault;
and though a fine rain was falling, the
measure of II became less with every
minute that passed. These things
observed almost as l stepped from the
stood side by side with Captain
Larry upon the bridge that / knew
why he had summoned me.
He turned as 1 mounted the ladder,
and helped me up with an Icy cold
hand. The little group there. thought,
seemed awed and afraid to speak.
Larry himself merely pointed with his
hand to sailing ship sagging heavily
in the swell perhaps half mile from
out port quarter. The glass which he
put into my hand helped me but little,
so dense was the spray upon its lens.
could at the first glance make little
of the spectacle. save that the ship had
seemed to be standing well up to the
gale, although her masts were bare.
For the rest, she might have been any
ship you like bound from Europe to
down under" and thence returning by
Cape Horn. told Larry as much, and
then looked at the stranger again. I'm
doubtedly there was something queer
about her. Yet what it was, lands
man might well have been unable to
say.
well Larry, and what do you make
of Il now?' 1 asked the captain pres
emily. Had / not known him too well
his answer would have made me doubt
his sanity.
Il think she is the ship you are
seeking, sir"
"She is a sailing ship, Larry" ! said,
"and yet not sailing ship"
Far from 1t, SIR Yon's no sailing
ship"
with auxiliary steam!'
arms on board her to serve a cruiser
of the line. Machine guns fore and
aft and a 10-inch amidships. The
masts are all blarney. sir, or I'm q
Dutchman. That vessels heavily en-
gined. and we may thank God we're
the fastest yacht afioat. II there were
less sea running, they would have fired
at us already"
you mean II, Larry?"
las true as there's blue sky above.
SIR, yonder ship will sink us IL we
stand by. I'm telling you what I see
with an old sailors eyes. Ten min
utes ago we came on her suddenly
out Of the mists. She had so men on
her poop then, and one dead man she
put overheard. The sound of a gun
they were firing called my attention
to her. ! saw a group of hands on
the quarter deck and one shot down
in cold blood. They put him over
board and then discovered me. What
happens then. The men go out Of
sight like SO many spiders to their
webs. The ship is nayigated, heaven
knows how She keeps by US and
wants to know our business. / sig
nal to them and no man answers. What
shall / make of that, sir?
1 answered him without, moments
hesitation.
"You will make full speed ahead.
Larry--now, this instant, let the yacht
do what she cam
He rang the order down to the engi-
neers, and White Wings began to race
as a human thing over the great seas
which swept upward toward the equa-
tor The words were not spoken q
moment too soon. Even as the bells
rang out. shell came hurtling after
W from the 10-inch gun Larry's clevsa