The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-01-17
Fight on
The Eaglet
Story OF an American
Privateer
BY LOUISE LA ROSS
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.

were taken aboard the Eaglet and q
few days later were put ashore not far
from Halifax.
When it became known what was to
be done with them one Of the English
men stepped up to the Eaglet's captain
and said to him:
81 would like to join your crew, cap
tain. / 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
took to the sea, and here I am. If
go ashore l might be recognized, fol-
the regiment / deserted from is al
Halifax. Besides. would rather re-
main afloat."
"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 fax.
en- and on whose rosy cheeks not the
slightest sign of beard had yet ap,
peared. How old are your"
The man hesitated, then said that
he didn't know; he had never known
his parents and never had been told
his age. 81 can fight, captain" be
added. Elm the army learned sword
and bayonet exercise"
whats your nameY'
Ralph Bronson"
"Well, you may stay with us If yor
like"
Ralph Bronson, leaving the captain.
went straight to one of the American
sailors and, with pleased expression.
said to him:
ITS all right, Jack; Pm 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 u.s.
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
friendship. The two were very differ
ent, Ralph being delicately organized,
while Jack was a staIwart fellow and
something of leader among his fell
low tars. 81 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 himself"
One morning a ship was espied on
the horizon, and the Eaglet's captain
stood over to investigate her. He had
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 fred a
shot across her bow, whereupon she
broke the blood red banner of Eng
land and, opening ports, ran out sew
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 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 a
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 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 crew made up of heteroge-
neous elements 1t 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. 1t 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 a quarrel
upon him. He began by casting a
slur on everything Jack said. One day
when Parsons had virtually given Dru-
ry the lie the latter turned ON him and
said:
"See here, Parsons; this has been 60
ing on long enough. You have been
trying to pick n 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."
Parsons agreed. but the crew OBJ
jected ON the ground that Drury since
the infection of his wounds had never
regained his general health and
strength. But Drury would not listen
to their objection, and a meeting was
arranged. 1t 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
tine 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
the morning. At that hour in fair
weather the captain was below asleep,
and the second mate. who was In
charge of the ship, had promised to
accidentally fall asleep himself on the
poop ueck.
The night before the meeting was to
take place Ralph Bronson stepped up
to Parsons and said to him:
Parsons. you're a dog to force q
fight on a disabled man. Why don't
you take well oneY
$50 you're going to chip into this af-
fair, are you? We all know that you're
tackled on to Drury and must be treat
ed as he is treated. After Pm through
with him I'll rub your nose in the
scuppers."
"Just as Drury once served you"
Parsons. with a scowl. went of
about his duties. Bronson was disap
pointed. He wished to pick quarrel
that he might take Drury's place. Go
ing below, Ralph. who was to be bis