Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-12-30

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Captain larry" ! said. they have
arms aboard for certain, and j VIII
risk tire life OF no man who came TO
serve M. In ignorance OF this. Let Mr..
Benson be a little more discreet. We
will keep out OF gunshot, II you please.
II understand you. sir. And none too
early"
He meant that we were already upon
the point OF being within guushot OF
pursued, and he rang down for "half
speed as he spoke. The order was
not obeyed a minute too soon. a
gun ~thuudcred at US presently, and a
shell fell impotently into the seat NOT
a furiong from a starboard bow. The
effect OF this upOn my crew was such
as words can express with difficulty.
1t may be that the scene had been
unreal to them until his time, a vision
OF which they could make little. But
powder and shot! The poorest intellect
OF them all understood.
. The men gave q great cheer. It was
answered d~istantly from h racing
Gunboat. echoed again by a low. sob
bling sound as OF winds, given back to
us by q murmur OF the sea which al
ready fretted as though at the far voice
OF tempest A storm had crept upon
us unseen. We had no eyes for any
thing but the black shape OF the
g%unboat.
There's water for your soup, SIR"
said tho quartermaster they called
Cain: begging your pardon for the
liberty. there's more than a capful or
wind coming"
They've doused their lights. Larry"
| said; the night is their luck. We may
lose them yet, but we shall find them
again II we cross the Atlantic to do It,
May | go with . IL It's twice round
the world and back!"
Low voices cried AYE" to that. The
| excitement of the night worked
strangely upon the nerves Of men, who,
like all sailors, were aWestruck in the
| presence OF mystery. Yonder In the
trough OF a black ocean was the un-
known ship we had set out to seek. The
darkness hid her from US; the sea rose
rapidly, the wind had begun to blow
half a gale. No longer could there be
any though Of firing 81 gun or declaring
an open attack upon us. Each ran for
the open and for safety.
When the gale broke upon us, a swift
c~yclonic tempest Characteristic OF the
southern ocean and her humor, ! per-
ceived my folly and could but laugh
s~ardonicaliy. So near had we been to
tnat DAY of discovery OF which / had
dreamed! And now we were but q
shell OF steel tossed impotently amidst
a raging cataract OF sounds, swept by
a hall OF spray, or carried olindly at
sued appeared to have been lost alto
gether In the darkness. II became for
any but a trained sailor almost a dan
gerous thing to remain upon the deck
OF the White Wings. The crash OF the
seas upon our plates was as the tremor
OF thunder about u house.
So for the hour we had failed. And
who would dare to speak with con-
hdence Of the morrow
CHAPTER VI.
Al midnight / went on deck az n
captain had asked me. Abel, the quar-
tsrmaSsSr, stood ct y wheel. and nj
our officers were with Larry upon tine
bridge. The sea still ran high, but the
wind moderated. | perceived a sky
rnat was black and t~hunderous 10 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 IL
their w~eirdness- The wave ran high,
but with less power In their assault;
and though a fne rain las falling, the
measure OF Ii became less with every
minute that passed. These things
observed almost as / stepped from the
companion hatch. But 1t was not until
/ stood side by side with Captain
Larry upon the bridge that / knew
why he had summoned me.
He turned as l mounted the ladder
| and helped me up with an Icy colo
hand. The little group there. ( Thought
seemed awed n afraid to speak
Larry himself merely pointed with his
hand TO a sailing ship sagging heavily
I'm the swell perhaps half u mile from
out port quarter, The glass which he
put into my hand helped me but little
SO dense was the spray upon It's len
| could at the first glance make little
OF the spectacle, save that the ship hae
four masts, was OF unusual size, aat
seemed 20 be standing well up to tht
gale. although her mastS were bare
For the rest, she might have been AM
ship you like bound from Europe tS
down under and thence returning pJ
Cape Horn. l told Larry as much. anC
then looked at the stranger again. I'm
doubtedly there was something Queel
about her. Yet what 1t was. a lands
mar might well have been unable t.
ssWell. Larry, and what do you make
OF II now % / asked the captain pres
emily. Had / not known him too wei
his answer would have made me doub
his sanity.
II think h Is the ship you arr
seeking. sir"
.She is a sailing ship. Larry" l said
and vet not a sailing ship"
Far from II, sir. Yon's no sailing
ship" 80.
with auxiliary steam"
Il am think that h q enough
arms on board her to serve q cruisel
OF the line. Machine guns fore ane
EFT and a l0-inch amidships. Tn,
+ masts are all Dlarney, Sir, or I'm I
Dutchman. That vessels heavily en-
gined, and we may thank God were
the fastest yacht afoat II there wer,
less sea running. they would have fired
at us already"
"You mean II. Larry"
As true as there's ! sky above
sir. vaader ship win sink US IL W.
stand by. I'm telling you what l se,
with an old sailors eyes Ten min
utes ago we came on her suddenly
out OF the mists. She had so men OF
her poor then. and one dead man shs
nut overheard. The sound or a gur
they were firing called my attention
to her. say a group OF hands OF
the quarter deck and one shot dowr
/ In cold blood. They put tim over
board and then discovered me. Whal
happens then. The men SC out o
sight like so many spiders to thet
webs. The ship Is ne vigated. HEAVIER
knows how. She keeps by us ant
wants 70 know our business. sig
lnai IN fhcrn ard M, man Mia