Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1911-12-08

We'll, Talbot" I said cheerfully,
there's only one thing to be done.
Your shirts older than mine-give me
piece"
mot while can fire another shot,
Adams" replied Talbot sulkily. @Sur-
render? What for?"
Because our positions hopeless" |
retorted. 1--WE can't get away, and If
we could they'd catch us again. Tai
bot, they'll release you. It's me they
want Make flag out of your shirt"
"You be damned" retorted Talbot
sulkily. 'Say that again and I'll bash
yer blarsted fyce in"
"Silence!" I shouted. 'Tm COM
manding officer here, my man. or
der you as your officer to hoist that
flag"
20, orl right" said Talbot sullenly.
l heard the z-z-z of linen in the tear
ing. And then, slowly, Talbot hoisted
the white flag on his rifle barrel.
A moment later a little squint-eyed
Japanese tripped out of the wood and
beckoned to US.
''This way, gentlemen" he shouted,
pointing to a line of coarse tussock
grass that grew near and, as | now
perceived, formed an excellent path
way through the moraSs. Fling down
your rifles!" he added. Nov your PTS
tolls! Sol"
At signal from him three Indians
stepped forward from among the
trees and bound us, after which we
were led along narrow trail that
seemed to disappear right over the
face Of the cliffs. In places the path
was so narrow that we literally chung
| to the side Of the precipice. Presently
| 1t widened out; we were descending
wooded chine that led to the little
cove, on which already we could hear
the booming of the sea-rollers. A turn
disclosed it to us. A neat little mill
tary house, the encampment of the In
| dams, and large shed, surmounted
| by high pole for wireless transmits
sion, stood just at the boundary of the
| high tide, fringed with coarse sea-
weed and almost washed by the spray.
At the encampment we were halted.
What are you going to do with us?'
I asked Kitachi.
| The little man turned round and
looked at me quizzically.
do you know why I spared your
| 1ives?" he asked.
"And murdered our companions" I
retorted bitterly.
Kitachi shrugged his shoulders. II
obey my emperor" he said, saluting
at the word Their lives are moth
ing, my life is nothing, and yours are
nothing, to be weighed in the balance
| with his command. spared yours
because, gentlemen-you are to be the
torpedoesi"
WHAT" T cried
"Since you will never leave this
spot alive, I will explain the matter
gladly. The principle of the new di-
| rigible torpedo is different entirely
from that Of any other. It is not only
directed, but is set in action from the
shore; in other words, instead of be-
ing discharged at a high rate of We
locity, it proceeds at constant and
| 1eisurely speed through the waves, un-
| til within aiming distance of its tar
get Then, and then only, does the
| operator on shore de onate the charge
| and hurl the missile into the vitals of
the ship. Now you will readily see
that, proceeding at such low rate
| Of speed, torpedo of metal would
simply sink below the surface Of the
! waves. We must make use, there
| fore, of something of the same rela-
| tive gravity as water-in other words,
the human body. Now, when you are
| incased in hollow shell of aluminium,
and discharged at a constant speed Of
some ten miles per hour, you will
make your course half submerged,
and, when the charge is detonated,
| you will hit the flagship betwixt wind
and water-exactly on the water line. "
what, make torpedo out Of me?''
cried Talbot, advancing upon the
Japanese with whirling fists. pulled
him back with difficulty from the
| Japanese's revolver.
while there's life there's hope, Tai
bot" I whispered. Kitachi heard.
"You have until tomorrow morning
at ten, gentlemen" he answered
briefly. "At that hour the flagship
will be passing abreast of our sta
ton. They are now nearing the en-
trance; you see, I am picking up their
position by means Of wireless"
| He smiled dispassionately. He
seemed inhuman, discarnate, living
intelligence not subordinate to the
human emotions Of man, but dedicated
| wholly to his duty.
'Will you be paroled until tomor-
row, or will you be tied?" he asked.
We gave our parole. Apparently XII
| tachi had entire confidence in it, for
ne merely indicated tent in which
we were to sleep and went into his
| house.
| I shall never forget the horrors of
that night. At ten in the morning we
were to die, to fulfil the forged COM
munication to K.tachi. And, this be-
| ing so, and escape impossible, he had
| placed us upon our honor as soldiers
| fo Of m