The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-09-18


! The signal lamp Of the unknow
! vessel began to scintillate again
"Who are your" ran the simpl
message.
There was certainly a directnes
about the question suggesting blul
old English skipper
"a British man-of-war," was on
answer. A little later we followed
up by peremptory order to the stran
ger to stop. When the signal LAM
began to flicker again, it seemed Il
show just a trifie of hesitation.
Night of Suspense.
His meaning was plain enough. We
could have ordered him to stop wher
we first sighted him, when we Were
within range of the shore batteries
and where there were British men-of
war lying just round the corner inside
the harbor. He evidently suspected us
of being the German raider. All these
merchantmen were in state of high
nervous tension. The mere fact of be-
ing ordered to stop was enough to
iiidhC iillll III uS llulu DIS Hc COQlu. II
was clear that we could not overhaul
him. The only question was, had we
sufficient grounds of suspicion to JUS
tify us in taking steps to compel him
to stop? No one cares to go to the
length of firing on a strange merchant
man in the middle of the night unless
there are grave reasons for doing so.
And if this fellow was not a British
merchantmen, as he professed what
else could he be? He might be the
Wolf? 1t was at least possibility. In
that case the prospect of an engage
ment opened up visions of glorious
death, but little else
Wireless messages were sent to the
pther ships of the patrol, stating the
circumstances, and the position, course
and speed. The first watch was over.
The officer who had been relieved had
dropped into the wardroom for
cigaret 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 nv mind"
THE question:" observed one of the |
pensive members of the mess, SIS
he would understand your
language. They are not all good lin
GUSTS"
1t was an observation which clearly
needed simplifying.
Eff 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
or two hours without fring?"
The officer just relieved from the
bridge became meditative.
Spelled Alden with a ct"
''There was something funny" he
aid, "even about that last signal ask
ng us why we did not stop him at
Aden. The signalman tells me that he
irst spelled Alden with a It and then
directed it,
Even the technicalities of a flag
'agger may be fraught with impor-
ance. When q messenger came down
rom the bridge to say that the ship
n the port bow seemed to be drawing
way from us, the captain sent back a
lessage to the officer of the watch to
ut on the best speed he could. The
tile ship began to throb with her eX
'tions, while her funnel grew red-hot. /.
Just before the morning watch the 6
Don went down, and darkness fell !
pom the face Of the water. 1t was Y
'ident that we had gained very little, f
at all, on the stranger. The captain, q
t
ming over the bridge rail, sang out
the signalman.
Make If you do not stop l shall
-"
'Ay, ay, SIR Z
-stop-I-shall-fre" I
The signalman closed his shutter on
final word with a snap. There fol- 1
ed a few minutes of suspense. |
en- came the answer.
I-am-stOpping-noW."
Number One, tell them to stand by
searchlight," said the captain to
first lieutenant "Signalman, tell |,
to place his navigation lights"
cry promptly in response to the sig
the lights appeared upon the
lnge ship.
Now make, Remain where you are.
i'll board you at daylight L
What the SearchIight Revealed.
hen the distance between the ships
been reduced to about mile the
sr was given to switch on the
'chlight. The great white streak Us
across the sea until it settled on |M
mysterious craft. In large letters I@s
ISIS her stern ran the legend, 'Tur- IHs
la, London" ISs
believe I have been fooled after tRsss
said the captain to himself. The ls8
chlight also revealed party SHOW tM
off in boat, presumably contain
the irate skipper wanting to know
t the blank blank all this business INN
Mt, for in the eastern waters they Wo
not accustomed to it. Presently rec'
Tool