The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-21

Ttutbltlfu vi utth unll
night before turning in for a sleep.
Attllia and her lover sat close in the
shadow OF the nested dories on the deck.
They chatted and laughed softly, en-
joying the tropic evening. The men
watched them and made rude remarks.
but the pair paid no attention and de-
voted themselves to each other.
III.
The fierce Jorulla came down the La
guna Rojo shortly after dark. The
smack guided by Gateno drifted slowly
under the impulse Of six sweeps,
manned by sturdy. stocky Mexicans
whose rifles lay In a heap upon the
deck. Two guns mounted after a
rough fashion at either side Of the
windass were being carefully loaded
and the breeches adjusted. Ammunition
was stacked at hand for a rapid deliv-
cry. F'fty-six men all told went dow n
the laguna that night and the smack
burned no lights.
Gateno had seen the topsails of the
Mcknight upon the horizon before
dark. and recognizing her as the schoon-
er they had been discussing the few
days before, instantly announced the
fact to Jorulla. Within a few hours all
was ready and they started to cut her
out In true piratical fashion.
Somers, who stood the mid watch
that night, became aware of a craft APP
preaching the schooner at about 3 ~
the morning. 1t was very dark at this
hour and he saw the approaching YES
sci was not carrying lights. Also she
was going faster than the dead calm
accounted for, and there was no sound
of an engine.
Suspicious at this popularity. he
called Mcdonald. who aroused the crew
and armed them. stationing them at the
rail forward and In the waist. He kept
the quarterback himself with a Win
chester ready for action.
The two guns forward were carefully
trained upon the Mcknight, and as she
drew close aboard he let go with shell
and shrapnel at point blank range
that lost nothing OF the small guns
/ power. The twelve pound shell smashed
through the bows OF the Mcknight and
exploded in her forecastle, setting her
afire and causing utter panic among her
men, who were saved from destruction
only by the fact that they were on deck
| and ready for the fight. The six
! FOUNDER burst shrapnel among the
dorles and cleaned them up into kind
ling wood. At the same instant fifty
rifles poured a terrific fire upon the
schooner and held It for some minutes
without Stacking.
lhen the smack. hauling close aboard
hailed the Mcknight. Mcdonald
wounded in three places. answered the
! hail with his Winchester. and Somers
shot through the stomach and holding
to the rail. roared back his defiance as
he weakened and fell. The affair lasted
but few minutes. Then the smack
was alongside and score Of MexicanS
leaped over the rail and took charge.
The four MeXicans who had como
aboard the schooner at Tampico were
unhurt. Seven men of the ten in the
( crew were wounded and two died
Somers died where he fell. Mcdonald
/ was knocked over the head and securely
! lashed with line and the Title Mcknight
, was Mexican gunboat. or to he ac-
! curate. a pirate. for Jorulla, while a
Iapata man, was a pure and smpl,
! bandit
/ When daylight came the damage OF
| the fire was more apparent. The slA
FOUNDER had done a very destructive bii
, of work. The dorles which were to b,
! sold with the schooner were entirely de.
! stroNed.
/ The deck was being cleared I'm the din
dawn which was now fast approaching
, Gatcno stopped over two bodies which
+ lay In the waterways where they hac
been blown 10y the shrapnel shell Some.
| thing familiar about one OF them at,
| tractod his attention. lie turned IL ovel
and saw a woman.
Santa Maria" he screamed. startinI
back.
, Joruila, grim and cold. came up
What is it," he asked.
Gatcno stood gazing as though he haC
| seen a ghost. Then he mumbled curse
and with a wild frenzy suddenly threw
himself upon the body OF the dead Phil
lppe.
Take him below and LET him cool off
ordered Jorulla. somewhat amazed a
he sight, and six men grasped the nov
frantic Gaieno and forcibly bore hin
INTO the cabin.
AS daylight came apace Mcdonald
saw the raving man dashed near him
Gateno cursed him furiously, called hin
every name he could think Of accuse,
him of kidnapping his wife. and after
NdTu SNOTt tnht ne would get "A DrODe
revenge. The mans madness was viii
and Jorula began to understand that
was more than the heat and actio
which had caused IL.
For a time he tried to soothe the fel
low and to that end had him brought o.
deck, where the anchor was beln,
raised and the schooner's headsail
ho!sted. During this time Mcdonald
left alone below began to realize wha
had happened. He knew his schoone
was lost. that he would get no retur
from these bandits for her. Somer
was dead and the chances were tina
they would employ their usual method
OF stopping tale bearing. Dead men sa,
nothing, and he saw his fate starin
him squircly In the face
: with desperate endeavor he struggle
at his lashings, and thanks to the fac
that Mexicans are even poorer sailor
P than fighters he loosened his lashing.
Crawling to the engine he turned on III
| aas from the crahureter and Above
e II to run few moments into the bnge
0 Then he struck a match.
The disappearance Of the TIL
CKnight has npypr had Its antira nv