The Washington herald., 1915-10-10
Bd3hed by MARY MARSHALL
In Front of a
Spanish Cruiser

IL dark-eyed CUBAN boy. VINO llNeo
on the little Cuban island called
Ginger Key. forty miles north Of the Gu
ban coast. The boys of Ginger Key were
full of excitement. for occasionally &
band OF Cuban PATRIOTS made its way
over from Florida and went into hidins
in the thick woods, and watched iti
chance to land on the coast Of Cuba
| These bands needed guides: and it wa:
ters well. and the coast. too.
! Two large parties of armed men Renito
saw land on Ginger Key. and saw neigh
hors Of his pilot them across to Cuba.
dodsing the Spanish cruisers. Then a
/ third party came and went into camp,
while the schooner Dart cruised up and
( down in the Florida straits. This last
party stayed so long that something
seemed TO be wrong, and Benito made up
his mind that he might be useful.
You don't get away very fast he
said to the leader of the party. in low
voice It's ticklish work. landing men
near SdSua Ia 'fdHue. ihd' "it
watched"
The man looked at him curiously.
Yes" he answered. that is we'll
watched El Rey. the big Spanish cruiser.
patrols that coast day and night
I think I could draw her of long
enough for you to land your men," Ben
ito whispered.
YOU the man exclaimed; why. you
are only boy"
But Benito went on to unfold the plan
he had made: and it was a plan so full!
Of daring and danger that the man open
ed his eyes wide.
Well" said he. you're full Of grit. If
Won are only a boy. l think you'll do.
They talked over the details of the
plan. and agreed that they must wait
for a ritch-dark night and a brisk wind |
Seventy-tive men and great many
cases OF rifles were on board the schoon-
er Dart. AZ o'clock that afternoon. the |
hour agreed upon for sailing to make !
sure of reaching Sasua la Grande by |
one thing must ask you" were
tine leaders last words before he went
On hoard the schooner-"do your father
and mother know what danger you are
going into tonight
Il have no father or mother" Benito
-eplied sadly. so if l don't come back
I will not make much difference.
None knew better than he the risk
,e was taking. The cruiser would blow
lin out of the water If she could: and
( any of them were captured. they would
ither he shot or be sentenced by the
;paniards to long terms of Imprisonment.
The night was all they could ask,
nd Just what they had waited for. No
noon. the sky full of black clouds to
bscure the stars. and half gale blow
ng from the southeast. Benito was will
lg to risk his life on the sharpie. being !
faster boat than the Spanish cruiser ;
n such a night
Neither schooner nor sharpe showed
light: and If Benito had been captured
n the way over his captors would have '
cen astonished at the cargo he carried
n the bottom of the boat We're a dozen S
cards. each two feet long by a foot
'ide. with shallow tin can nailed to b
lie middle of each board And there v
ere four canisters Of coIored hre-one s
ID. one yellow. one green. and one +
hite. And there were several yards of s
lse. and a box of sand. b
The schooner is to lie to as soon
We sight the lights on the Cuban /,
'ast." was the arrangement Benito n
ade with the leader After l find
e cruiser you will see her lights mov- il
6: but she will be nearer to me than u
you. I will give you white light el
hen all is safe When 1 burn a white IL
'ht you can land your men, 10
The sharpie and the schooner kept well b,
gether till they were near the coast II
Cuba. and they saw the lights of .
qua Ia Grande before 10 o'clock. This hi
Is so much earlier than they had ex- RI
cted that II made Soma differeoce in | -,