Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-04-17

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at pains to advertise It It Is dem0ral-
izng to an enemy to have him feel
that at any moment q submarine may
creep up unseen and torpedo him. We
are now, thanks to your mistake, freed
from this strain upon our nerves. How
did you make such installer
"Why," said Bronson, coloring, II
simply took you for the Russian ship"
Inferior In armor, armament and
craftsmanship" said the captain dry
H. "She went to Weihaiwei yester-
day as an English prize"
"But, captain" interposed Mr.. Clark
son In sudden alarm, "are we free
from this strain upon the nerves?
What Is to prevent that boat from
coming back and torpedoing us? They
have Finnegan. They must know we
are English"
''You need not fear" answered Bron-
son serenely. "She Is helpless, and
when the tide has drifted her to 300
feet depth she will be crushed In by
the pressure"
did you inform your men that you
were captured?"
mo-" said Bronson, knitting his
brows. '.They couldn't have known.
I only told your man In English to
steer small and to touch nothing but
the wheel"
"Were you running under the mo-
tor" asked the executive.
EYES," answered Bronson. 1T was
the only precaution that I took"
"Was there starting switch in the
coming tCwer2"
"Yes." Bronson's face lighted. "And
your man
"Finnegan's luck perhaps, captain" I"
interrupted Mr.. Clarkson. "You know
your theory"
"You think he started the motorT
asked the captain. "But why? Was
he intoxicatedY'
"There's the rub" answered the Of
ficer doubtfully. "He was sober as the
chaplain. Now, If he were drunk I
would swear that trouble was coming
and that Finnegan would be In tan
instrument of Providence, as you call
him. But he was sober-beastly sober"
Eyes, I know" said the captain. But
what trouble threatens US more than
did that submarine, now on the bot
tom? We have command Of these
seas"
II don't know. And Finnegan was
dead sober. Had you any whisky,
vodka or other intoxicant in that boat,
lieutenant"
"Not Drop" answered Bronson.
Nor any alcohol, nor varnish."
"Well," said Mr.. Clarkson, 'if he was
drunk, or could get drunk, I'd be ready
for trouble. But he was sober, and Of
course, being sober, he didn't start the
motor. He's done for, captain"
II believe So" answered the captain.
"In fact, I see no hope for any one
who went down In that boat"
The captain noticed a strange e1-
pI6b6lOu Ou okOASOA . 4oSCs 4Oo oSS,
Lieutenant Bronson" he said to the
puzzled prisoner Of war, "our man
Finnegan occupies a peculiar position
with regard to service regulations. Sew
eral times by being drunk and under
control Of his instincts he has been the
means Of saving this ship and our
lives. So, trusting that no harm will
come to him that Is not already come.
we permit him to drink all he pleases.
"If he were drunk and had started
your boat to the bottom we might be-
lieve that he did so for some purpose
known only to God and his own sub
liminal self, but he was sober, so our
theory Is useless. Make yourself at
home among my officers. You are on
parole"
So Lieutenant Bronson Of the Rus
sian navy became for the time super
numerary officer Of his Britannia maj
esty's battleship Argyll and, 'clad in
an undress uniform supplied by one Of
the English officers, mounted to the
forward upper fighting top, where,
with the strongest binoculars on board
borrowed from the captain-he was