The Press., 1911-02-08
A Fight on The Eaglet Story of an American
 PriVateer By LOUISE LA ROSS Copyright, 1910, by American Press
 Association.

Eaglet's captain, not finding her cargo ~ of sufficient value to make it worth his while to tow her into port or be- ing prevented from doing so by the proximity of British cruisers, decided to burn her. The crew of the Boyne were taken aboard the Eaglet and few days later were put ashore not far from Halifax. ...-- When it became known what was to l be done with them one of the English men stepped up to the Eaglet's captain and said to him:
 "I would like to join your crew, cap- tain. I don't care much what flag sail under. I've been soldier in the British army, but deserted to get rid of a sergeant's wife who wanted to get me tangled up with her. Thus I took to the sea, and here I am. If go ashore 1 might be recognized, for the regiment I deserted from is at Halifax. Besides, would rather re- main afoat,"
 "You don't look rugged enough to breast ocean storms," replied the cap- tain, eying the youthful figure of the man, whose eyes were blue, hair flax en and on whose rosy cheeks not the slightest sign of a beard had yet ap- peared. ''How old are you?"
 The man hesitated, then said that he didn't know; he had never known his parents and never had been told his age. ''I can fight, captain" he added. "In the army learned sword and bayonet exercise"
 "What's your name%
 "Ralph Bronson"
 'Well, you may stay with US if yon like"
 Ralph Bronson, leaving the captain, went straight to one of the American sailors and, with pleased expression. said to him:
 'It's all right, Jack; I'm to be one of you"
 "Well, Ralph," replied the other, ''since you don't wish to go I'm glad you're permitted to join us,'
 From the moment Ralph Bronson had come aboard the Eaglet he had striven to make friends with Jack Drury. Drury had neither encouraged nor repulsed the youngsters proffered
 
 ent, Ralph being delicately organized, while Jack was a stalwart fellow and something of leader among his fel- low tars, "I don't see what the boy wants of me-" he said to them, ''un- less it is protection, and he seems quite able to take care of himse1f.''
 One morning a ship was espied on the horizon, and the Eaglet's captain stood over to investigate her. He had a breeze which the ship had not and by noon was near enough to her to make her out. He judged she was British, but could not tell. He fired shot across her bow, whereupon she broke the blood red banner of Eng land and, opening ports, ran out sev- eral guns. The Eaglet responded by breaking a flag on which there were a palmetto tree and a snake-the stars and stripes had not yet been adopted and the fight commenced. When it ended by the British vessel striking her cOlors Jack Drury had taking a leadership and covered himself with glory, but he had lost his right arm and an eye. Ralph Bronson had kept beside him and when the crew of the privateer boarded the Britisher par ried a blow of a cutlass which would otherwise have split his friends skull. But just then Bronson was knocked senseless by a blow from a musket, and before he had regained conscious ness Drury received the wounds that cost him his arm and an eye.
 But Ralph was only temporarily dis abled and during the next few months devoted himself when not on watch to nursing the hero. When Drury was able to be about again he appeared very different man from what he had been. At first he was honored by his fellows, but the enthusiasm attending war heroes after they have become useless is short lived. Drury could not do a seaman's work, nor was he, thus disabled, fitted for an officer. He was invited by his captain to remain on board as scullion in the galley, and in this unwarlike position his glory faded
 Among a crew made up of heteroge- neous elements it was natural that there should be enmities. Notwith- standing the affection the Eaglet'S crew bore Drury there were several of them who hated him and one who, no sooner had Jack got about again after being disabled, began to show his spleen toward him. It was the old story of the sick lion. This man, Par sons, had been thrashed by Drury and had suffered the ignominy of having his nose rubbed in the scuppers. Upon Jacks disability he had made up his mind secretly to get his revenge. But he knew that with the whole crew be- hind his enemy he must continue to throw the responsibility of quarrel upon him. He began by casting slur on everything Jack said. One day when Parsons had virtually given Dru- ry the lie the latter turned oD him and said:
 "See here, Parsons; this has been go- ing on long enough. You have been trying to pick a fight with me and have succeeded. But you must be handicapped to meet my conditions. Bandage your left eye and tie your right arm behind your back and we'll settle the matter with cutlasses."
 ParsorEs agreed, but the crew ob- jected on the ground that Drury since the inf1iction of his wounds had never regained his general health and strength. But Drury would not listen to their objection, and meeting was arranged. It must take place when the captain was in his bunk. He would not allow fighting among the crew, since he considered that such liberty would eventually cost him every man jack of them. The junior officers were not so particular, and if the captain could be eliminated their interference was not to be feared. So 1t was agreed that the affair should take place an hour before the coming aft of the midwatch, or o'clock in An.- A AInnA in Hn4Y