Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-09-11
mcnt opened up visions of Il glorious
death, but little else.

mcnt opened up visions of glorious
death, but little else.
Wireless messages were sent to the
other ships of the patrol, stating the /
circumstances, and the position, course /
and speed. The first watch was over. 1
The officer who had been relieved had 1
dropped into the Wardroom Tor
cigarct before turning in. As he lighted .
up he remarked 81 should like to get
hold of that old merchant skipper and
give him piece Of my mind
"Thc question" observed one of the
pensive members of the mess rs |
whether he would understand your
language. They are not all good lin |
gusts"
II was an observation which clearly !
needed simplifying.
'If YOU were an English skipper I'M
der the impression that you were be-
ing chased by a German raider, would
you expect him to go on chasing you
for two hours without irngF
The officer just relieved from the
bridge became mcdtativc
Spelled Alden with ct"
"Thcre was something funny he
| said, "even about that last signal ASK
Ing us why we did not stop him at
| Alden The sgnaman tells me that ne
! fri spelled Alden with IA t and then
/ corrected it"
| Even the tcchncnliticS of flag
wager may be irNughl with impor-
! t8nce. When n messenger came down
from the bridge to say that the Sh'p
on the port bow seemed to be drawing
away from US, the captain sent bach ii
message to the officer of the watch 10
nut on the best speed he could. Tie
/ little shin began to throb with her eN-
ertons, while her funnel grew red-hot'
Just before the morning watch the
moon went down, ana darkness i"ll
unon the face of the water. 1t was
evident that we had gained very little,
If at ALL on the stranger, The captain,
,csn,ng over the bridge rail- sang out
/ Tor the SlElallIidn.
make III you do not stop l shall
fire."
GAY. ay, sir"
"lf-you-do-not-s top-I-shall-tire."
The slgnalman closed his shutter on
the final word with snap. There loi'
! lowed few minutes Of suspense.
Then came the answer
n s!-am-stopping-noW.'
"Number one, tell them to stand by
the scnrchight," said the captain 10
the first lieutenant. "Signaman, tel
him to place his navigation lights"
Very promptly in response to the Sig
nal the lights appeared upon the
strange ship.
"Now make, Remain where you are.
I will board you ut daylight.
What the Scarchieht Revealed.
When the distance between the ships
had been reduced to about a mile the
order was given to switch on the
searchlight. The great white streak
shot across the sea until it settled on
the mysterious craft. In large letters
across her stern ran the legend, "Iur-
ritella, London"
81 believe | have been fooled after
ALL" said the captain to hllnSoli. Inc
scarchlight also revealed party Shov'
ing off I'm a boat. presumably contain
ing the irntc skipper, wanting 10 KNOW
what the blank blank all this business
meant. for In the eastern waters they
were not accustomed to II. Presently
there came a strange voice through a
mpgnphone from the strangers bridge:
"Switch off that damned search
light"
"He seems to be getting bit ratty.
Shall switch OFF,
The order was given, and darkness
prevailed once more. Some minutes
later the eastern Sky began TO glow,
fecbly mt first, casting a kind OF half
light over the face Of the scas~-n mere
glmmer in which objects appeared
without shape. out Of this gloom
there arose such babel of sound rs
brought us all to the ships side. plmly
we could discern two boats, one on the
mort and one ON the Starboard side 0f
us, both crowded with occupants, VINO
were jabbcrng in some strange tongue
Hike lot of excited monkeys.
Germans Sank Their Own Ship
, Just as we came abenm OF the
: strange ship we saw a clou9 of smoke
shoot up from her. which was followed
, by the heavy thud of IN explosion
Next moment there came another
heavy thud and we saw that the Tpr