The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-05-31

does not mean that the ship
was still. although there was no
breeze.
The Hiram and Susan. and her pur-
suer as well. a half a league away,
out Of Sunshot astern and to wind
ward, were rolling back and forth
with long, deliberate. sluggish mo-
tions, under the influence of that
heaving swell which is rarely absent
from the ocean. no matter how pro-
found the calm
An observer midway between the
two ships would have seen not a sign
of life about either of them. Yet II
he could have stood on the decks OF
first one and then the other he would
have been amazed at the scene OF
activity before him.
] In the minds of the men of ths
Hiram and Susan was all the fear OF
the pursued. and in the minds OF the
men OF the other ship all the zeal and
lust of the pUrsuer. A stern chase is
a long chase. and this one had been
/ going on for several days, amid baf-
fling airs and alternating periods of
calm.
II anything. the pursUer had gained
and weathered on the pursued, but
I
changed little since the morning of
I two days before, when the rising sun
! suddenly disclosed TO the watchers on
/ the smaller vessel the larger ship
! close at hand. Each captain had used
| all the skill and seamanship that his
| experience suggested. Both were past
! masters Of the art, and the change in
relative positions, therefore, indicated
- Hg.g . - ~
! The light variable winds had at last
! definitely abandoned that section Of the
! ocean, and the most weatherwise could
/ see no promise Of breeze It was in
! the nature of events that the crews of
the two ships should have been as idle
as their vessels. and that they were
busy indicated the nature Of the ext
gency. Unless the night brought wind it
would inevitably. in the Judgment of the
| captain Of the Hiram and Susan, bring
danger.
| The ships were near enough for a boat
expedition and the Hiram and Susan
was a sufficiently valuable prize to risk
much in the gaining.
| Therefore. while the man on the big
/ frigate were busily laying plans for a
/ cutting-out expedition the men on the
]
preparing for their reception
! II was about sunset. and the older and
more experienced sailors on the mer-
/ chairman realized that e the attack
| came at all II would come soon. In de-
| fault OF boarding netting. lines were run
| between the shrouds at short intervals
which would offer some obstacle TO a
man attempting to Chamber up tie sides
/ Of the ship
The five guns on each broadside, which
/ constituted the armament Of the Hiram
| and Susan. and the longer gun in the
! high topgallant forecastie were cast
loose and provided. The arms chests
were broken open and the men supplied
with cutasses and pistols.
! Can't Hiram Hubbell ard his jealous
an energetic mate. one Owen Conant. al
Nantucket. a gigantic New EnglaRder r,
consulted together and made every
4 preparation they could think Of.
Even the Spanish cook ana his boy
Manuel were busy in heating caldrons
of water Bars of iron and other heavy
articles were arranged amidships HANDY
to either side.
When eli had been done the men were
given their slippers and were ordered TO
turn in on the spar deck. so that In
1 ease of an alarm they could be imme-
diately called into action. Owing to the
seriousness Of the situation, the mate
went forward TO keep watch on the
1 fOrecastle, while the captain remained
| on the high poop which balanced Tie
| topgallant forecastle-
Here and there appointed sedmGn OF
the watch kept their feet along the
| gangwayS, and As night came the little
/ group moved about among the slSepers
/ in the waist, with every faculty alert
/ for the slightest indication Of an ap-
| preaching enemy
There was no moon, and the warm,
| thick haze obscured even the stars The
night was as black as pitch. there was
| not light showing on the ship. even
/ the lantern over the pinnacle aft, where
! the compass swung, was carefully hood
/ ed. The ship was making no way, ard
| there we're no hands at the wheel
Captain Hiram paced softly up and
| down with the Cat-like tread of the vet
/ eran seaman from one side of the pOOp
deck 10 the other and then aft, peering
about him anXiOuSly in every direc-
ton. He was not alone in his watch
A slight and slender figure paced by his
side. and with eyes more youthful and
I brilliant strOve TO see what was MD
from the giances of the weather-beatsn
sailor.
Twenty years before another figure
had thus and often paced by the side of
Capt. Hiram Hubbell, master and owner
OF the EL4nCn merchant EnlD Hiram
and Susan. He often thought of 1t,
especially when he walked the deck
with this slender STRIPPING
Captain Hiram. the son Of a wealthy
Boston merchant, had chosen TO follow
the sea. In one Of his yoyaglngs he
met and married Susan Anderson, on
the distan side Of New England Oirrh
but through her father of Danisn-that
is, Viking-blood. She had gone to sea
with the yOung captain and had died
at the birth OF her daughter, another
Susan Hubbell, 20 whom she had left
one half of the stout ship. which her
cOwTy, in conjunction with her nus
bands earnings, had built, and which
bore their joint names.
Captain Hiram had kept his daugh-
ter at sea with him during the great
er portion Of her life. He himself
had educated her, and as he was by
no means an ignOramus she knew
much, and what she knew she knew
well.
But she was entirely unacquainted
with the social life of the women of
her day, when TO be fashionable IL
was necessary to be able to faint on
vapOrs- was the prevalent feminine
disease. Captain Hiram had kept the
girl sweet and pure, guarding her as
Jealously as the angel at the gate
protected Paradise from treSpass by
the sons of Adam.
he had taught her, IN addition to
what book learning he had at com
mand all the nice art of the sailor.
At both fore-and-aft and quarter
deck seamanship she was proficient
She could hand and reef and steer