Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-11-24

"dS up duu tuat uIS only course was
to fight
He ran up his black flag and dressed
his fier from stem to stern In the
same color. thus stamping her silhou-
cite with startling distinctness against
the rising clouds beyond and giving
her an aspect 80 fierce and menacing
that saw some Of my men regarding
her and one another with doubtful
looks and shrugs.
I called to Jim to pile on the speed
once more and to Ethan to follow the
range and announce It to me every
half minute.
-Four miller he presently sung out
''three mile an half
Before he called again a vast smoke
bellied cloud which had been piiing its
golden pagodas up into the sunshine
above seemed to make q sudden rush
all along its front and at the same time
crinkled with lightning. In an aston.
ishingly brief time its advance had
reached the Chameleon, while thanking
vapors ran out like a charge Of cav
airy and began to envelop US.
The sweep Of the storm was 20 sud-
den and swift that almost In a moment
the Chameleon vanished, and then the
Osprey was swallowed up with dark
ness, Illuminated now and then by
venomous lightning bolts.
The thunder growled and ratified all
about rs. and the aero lunged and
pitched SO dangerously that I advised
Mr.. Grayman and the secretary to
take refuge in the cabin. My men
managed the fier superbly, and in a
few minutes the storm passed. and we
found ourselves in q valley Of cloud
land - blue sky overhead, thunder.
clouds piled like vast rocks all around
and the earth beneath hidden with
dark nimbus.
Beyond the nearer clouds the vapor
peaks rose g1ittering in the sunshine
like snow clad mountains.
Then I caught sight Of the Chame-
leon. also Enclosed in a cloud walled
valley. not more than a quarter Of
mile Oh. Gigantic in the magnifying
mist. she was just pushing out Of the
scud. her great aeroplanes looking as
funeral as mighty pals and her black
dag whipping In the wind
She was broadside to. and Payton's
eye had been AZ quick as mine. His
action was quicker.
Hardly i've seconds had elapsed from
the moment that we caught sight Of
one another when both his guns spit
their blue flashes. and the shells
screamed 30 close that wondered at
our escape. IyeEled an order to the
steersman to bring our bow In line
with the Chameleon, meaning to run
her down, but before we had swung
into the desired position she fired twice
again and once more narrowly missed
her aim.
Ethan was ready now, and the word
"Fire!" had hardly left my lips before
his gun responded and knocked one Of
Payton's aeroplanes into a shapeless,
fiuttering mass His second shell burst
aboard her, sending my heart into my
throat In the fear that It had killed
half the people she carried
"carasuL Ethan~ I shouted. RE
member the prlsonersr'
IAN right. lootenant" he replied:
but blast him. he's fooled % long
enoughr"
Before either side could IRE again.
the Chameleon was once more swal.
lowed from sight by boiling. sulphur
tinted vapors. and. rs before. the o..
prey. too. was Immediately involved
In the second rush OF the storm. This
time the glare Of the lightning and the
vicious raps Of thunder were almost
incessant. We had all we could do
to retain nm upright position on the
pitching and swaylng deck. Yet again
the storm passed quickly. leaving US
in another blue domed and vapor bot
toned atmospheric valley among the
flashing thunder heads. And there
still was the Chameleon, like q black
demon Of the air, awaiting us.
The battle was instantly resumed
with greater impetuosity than before.
a. II the electric fury Of the tempest
had entered into our blood.
Still Payton presented his broadside,
circling to keep out of reach, while
endeavored to close, and Ethan pep
pered him with the bow gun.
Having two guns In action to our
one. Payton pumped the shells Into %
with a caution. but his aim was Wild
compared with Ethan's superb gun
merry. Still. they managed to cut mp
our rigging. tore few holes IN our
deck and finally sent shell aboard us
that wounded two men and knocked
over Mr.. Grayman. who. with the sec.
rotary. had insisted upon remaining
on deck. with flying splinter.
MI. Grantham ran to bis aid, ana
sent a man to help carry him into the
cabin.
Whish! Whish! Rattle! Crack!
went the sounds Of the guns and the
exploding shells. mingled at times
with the deep growls OF. thunder from
the encircling clouds. which menaced
another rush, as If we In turn had
stimulated them to renewed violence.
But they held OF while the fight to q
finish between the Chameleon and the
Osprey went on.
Presently one Of our aeroplanes was
knocked endwise; then our steering
machinery was damaged. The latter
injury caused Us to swing round 80
that our stern gun also came into
play. and the gunner. Eaton-a good
man. too-incited by Ethan's splendid
work and eager to take his share in
1t. began to fire without orders. OF
course let him go on. and the battle
became fercer than ever. Payton sent
Us some more smashers. and felt by