New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-10-21
for a passenger liner"

clinging to the rail. The officer, crop
ing in the darkness. opened door at
the bottom and hurried us into the
lighted cabin. Facing us. one hand
resting on the table, stood a short,
sturdy man in uniform. He began
questioning
who are you? How did you come
to be adrift in these waters? Answer
up, sir. You're no fisherman"
I'VE escaped from vessel last even
ing. sir"
What do you mean by escaped-run
away?"
Yes. sir" And 1 stepped aside so
he could see her more clearly. I'VE
were being held as prisoners"
His eyes flashed to her face. rested
an instant, and then his cap was in
his hand
This is the revenue cutter Saline,
which | have the honor to command.
Mr.. Smith. assist the lady to a chair
and have the steward bring a glass of
wine. Now. sir. are you ready to an
swer?"
Il am. We were prisoners on board
the Sea Gull. It is long story. in
volving a will. in which the master Of
that vessel was interested. We es-
capped in a small boat last evening and
have been floating about SINCE
The Sea Gull? DO you remember
the name. Mr.. Smith,
NO, sir. Perhaps description
"A schooner rugged steam yacht" |
explained briefly. clearing from New
| Orleans for Santiago She is en- route
| to Spanish Honduras, with munitions
of war;
Exactly, under command of a man
named Henley. Smith. this sounds
too good to be true
He walked across the cabin twice,
thinking. not even glancing up as he
passed us. Suddenly he stopped, fac
ing me.
Where did he get you two?"
In bayou off the Alabama coast"
And you got away last evening
how"
He walked back and forth as I re-
viewed the events swiftly | hardly
think he asked so much as single
question. his eyes upon my face and
then upon the face of the girl.
"A rather strange tale" he COM
mented when l had concluded, land
perhaps the whole is not told. How
ever, that is none OF my affair. Now,
listen. This is revenue cutter. We
were ordered out Of Pensacola four
days ago to intercept this boat on
which you two were prisoners. We
haven't even sighted the vessel, and
II we did would be perfectly helpless,
| as she can steam three knots to our
one. Only some Streak of wonderfully
good luck would ever enable us to
capture her. half believe you are
the good luck, if you do what | sug-
gest.''
'What?" asked. II will be willing.
Would you need Mrs. Henley also?"
Yes" and he turned to the officer.
1T is not very complicated plan.
but we will try it. don't think Hen
ley will leave these waters without an
effort to recover his boat and prison
ers. He will want those papers and
revenge on Craig here. He has no
warning that we are after him. be-
lieve the fellow will cruise about in
the same neighborhood until daylight.
All we have to do is lay trap-the
boats the trap"
You mean conceal squad of men
81
again?"
Exactly: lower the mast, as though
Craig here had been unable to step
it, or. better still. heave it overheard.
The loss of weight will give room for
another man. Then cover the lads
over with the canvas. They will never
suspect the ruse on the Sea Gull or
study it out through glasses. They'll
simply recognize their boat and steer
for it."
THE fighting odds will be pretty
heavy. SIR" said Smith soberly.
I'VE must trust to surprise and get
the crew below fastened down before
an alarm is sounded on board. A doz-
en- armed men ought to clear the
decks. How do you look at the affair,
Craig? Will the plan work."
II am not sure understand exactly
what is proposed. SIR"
MY thought is that this man Hen
ley will be sufficiently anxious to get
hold Of you two again and regain those
papers, so that he will steam about
slowly all night. hoping to get sight
OF the missing boat at daylight He
has no means of knowing that the
revenue officers are after him. If he
sights us at daybreak he'll make
run and show us clean pair of heels.
He'd be hull down in five hours, for
this is a slow old tub. Now. what I
propose is this" and the captain count
ed OF the points on his fingers. 'There
is about an hour of darkness left-suf-
fcient to enable me to run this cutter
in behind Cosmos Island safely out of
sight. In the meanwhile we'll dis.
mantle that small boat bit, slip
dozen good men under the canvas and
turn her adrift."