The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-11-14
CHAPTER I.
Hope and Disappointment,


pocket. then, taking pity upon his Sec
ond." who was all eyes. he turned the
paper over to his junior lieutenant,
known throughout the fotilla as Bob
by" Frost.
"You will leave Newport News at
ten o'clock tonight with the destroyer
Scorpion and proceed south to the par.
ent ship Of the First Torpedo Boat Flo
tilla of Key West, prepared for &C
ton"
This order was warmly welcomed by
Holton and by his second in command
of the grim. lead.colored Scorpion.
1T looks like business, doesn't it,"
observed Frost, with tentative inflec-
ton in his voice.
1T does. sure" chuckled Holton.
I'm glad we had those Earthquakes
fixed in the boiler. suppose we
might as well have the war-heads fixed
on the torpedoes. too. The orders say
prepared for action Attend to 1t,
will you, Frost?"
AYE, aye, sir" and Frost hurried
along the grimy, oily deck to the after
companionway.
The somewhat informal nature OF
the dialogue between the two will be
forgiven by the fastidious when it is
pointed out that for a month the Scor-
pon had been lying at Newport News
on detached duty of confidential ma
ture under direct orders from Wash.
ington, and that IoltOn's sole com.
panion aboard ship in that time had
been his young second. But the period
of loneliness was evidently to end in
a burst of glory and Lieutenant IIolton
was truly thankful
In the preceding month the mighty
battle-ship Maine had wallowed down
into the Shiny ooze of Havana Harbor,
a great hole torn In her forward COM
partments. In her lay one of Holton's
best friends, shipmate OF pleasant
days following graduation at the Naval
Academy. The cry, Remember the
Name" was sounding from Maine
itself to California. The entire coun.
try was on the qui vive. Osgood, the
hero Of many an American football
gridiron, had, as Cuban volunteer,
given up his life at the side Of a ma.
chine gun; Frederick Funston had
served valiantly against the tyrants Of
CASTLE and Aragon, and other Amerl.
cans had given evidence that the fight
ing spirit was by no means dormant In
the heart Of a nation Of pigs and
tradesmen."
With the situation thus there was
little cause for wonder at Lieutenant
Holton's emotions Of mental exalta.
ton. Whatever the future might hold
for him. at least this seemed certain:
there would be action, and that Ia
something for which your true gentle
man of the service is ever on the
watch.
Something Of the mood of the two
young officers was communicated to
the crew. There were broad grins on
all the mems faces as they hurried
about the performance of the various
trsks, and many of them did not for
bear to turn inquiring faces toward
their officers whenever occasion offer
ed-which expressions, naturally their
officers failed" to see.
At sunset everything was in readi-
ness, ard with a sigh of relief Holton
stretched himself on the narrow seat
running along the mess.room and low.
ingly filled his pipe. Frost did like
wise and then looked over at his su.
perior.
"By George!" he cried, think OF
having the opportunity Of putting into
practice all the things we've learned"
ut won't be bad fun at all" replied
Holton.
Frost was about to utter another
thought when the doorway was dark.
ened by the figure OF messenger.
"A telegram for Lieutenant Hol.
ton" he said. saluting.
Holton took 1t hastily and r,n over
the contents. His face clouded and
he read it again. A good strong word
was trembling on his lips. and he was
about to crumple the dispatch in his
hand when his eye fell on the messen.
ger standing at attention
"Oh, thank you." he said; there Is
no answer"
As the messenger departed TTclton
handed the telegram to Lis second
without a word.
You will proceed at once to Wash.
ington and report to me q the earliest
possible moment. Lieutenant Frost
will assume command of Scori,'on in
your absence. ROOSENELT."
AS Frost read the message aioud his
voice quiyered with excitement What
does that m2an?" he exclaimed.
Hanged if know" erowled iIoIton
Isn't that Just my luck! I've bee.
working on this old POT ,ry;r- TO &c.
her into shape and hoping and prn.
Ing for a chance TO make coed. an,
then when there appears to SCI
thing doing, why | get sniaGeu IT,
way
Frost knew eyact,v how tie COZ
maIder Felt. ard HIS nduuval er.'
ton 1T being placed in eoalnaad q
.-zzz-zSS zzGzxlsla>xGEEzxaa-..;x-,azzx-Ez.