The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-08-28

broadsi1es roared and the decks grow
slippery with blood, the little fighting
SHIPS rect and grappled. Before Barn
stable could lead his boarders to the
enemy's deck, Coffin tumbed into the
sea. Scouting Revenge Lo-g Tom ~
the lieutenant rushed with his men
upon the foe. 1t was fighting at close
! quarters and the issue was fp doubt
when tie drenched and furious cox
swain emerged from the sea and with
his harpoon pinioned the English cap
tam to his mast. In a few minutes
the Americans We're masters of the cut
ter. Cow ering in that scene of blood
sfed the Tictors discovered the crafty
Dillon, who pleaded to be sent off as a
hostage, promising to return in person
or to have Griffith delivered in his
stead.
His word of honor was trusted and
| he was sent away with Long Tom. He
luckily overheard Dillon's treacherous
| plot to entrap BarnStable'S waiting
party. The reSourceful old seaman
gagged BOrr0ughclffe and drove Dill
lon, at the point of his harpoon, back
to the waiting schooner. BY this time,
however, battery on the cliff brought
down the sCfOoner's mainmast. She
was driven from her course by heavy
seas The maStS were felled and an
chors dropped, but she plunged on like
bobbing cork in rapids. Barnstable
would have stayed by his ship, but
suddenly Long Tom seized him and
hurled him over the bulwarks. Gods
will be done With me-" Coffin cried,
above the winds roar. billions lifeless
body was rolled upon the shore, but
Long Toms stayed with the sea to
which he had dedicated his life.
Surprise succeeded surprise at the
abbey. BarnStab.e marched his ship
wrecked mariners into the building and
they took possession, but they were
soon made prisoners by the redcoats.
Then the mysterious figure Of the Pilot
appeared at the door and behind him
doomed the marines from the frigate.
Colonel Howard an unwilling prison
er. was marched oway with Cecilia
and Katherine who could not be down
cast at the triumph Of their lovers.
Captain BOrroughcIiffe was freed. as
was another inmate Of the abbey, Alice
Duscombe. She had recognized the
Pilot in his disguise when he was first
captured. They had been lovers, but
she was SO staunch in her love for her
king and she so hated blOodshed that
she had broken her troth to this "Mr
Gray" whom she addressed as John.
She reminded him that did she but
once call aloud his true name the
whole countryside would ring with it.
What that name was is never revealed,
but there was but one sea rover who
could strike stark terror into all Eng
lish hearts.
On board the frigate repeated con-
ferences were held between the cap
tain. Griffith and "Mr. Gray" Sud-
denly out of the fog drove mountain
Gus ship of the line. The drum beat |
aboard the frigate, sailors leaped nim-
bly, about the deck, clearing for action.
The women were led below and gradu-
ally order resolved itself out Of the
chaos of shouting men. A terrific roar
filed the air as three tiers of guns
blazed a broadside from the English
ship. A few sails and ropes were cut,
but the frigate's sailing power was
hardly affected. One chance ball
struck the captain and hurled him to
death. Griffith succeeded to the COM
mand and he was appalled, as he saw
the frigate hemmed about. To the
east doomed the great ship of war and
Tar in the northeast the sails Of another
frigate.
What are we to do?" cried Griffith.
Fight them! fight them! shouted the
Pilot "Let me proclaim your name to
he men," Griffith appealed. But the
Pilot refused. SHOULD we come to a
,rapple." he said, 81 will give forth the
name as a war-cry and these English
will quail before It,"
The ship Of war was distanced, but
the cut of a retreat and the frigate
ahead had been REINFORCED by two
,thers. The foremost Unanswered with
he American frigate for position.
3roadsides crashed and they grappled.
rhe American guns raked her foe and
eft her helpless. with useless ropes
dangling from shattered masts. The
leck was cleared and as another enc
ny appeared, Griffith shouted, "Hoist
way Of everythingw Fifty men flew
loft upon the spars and white can
'as was spread from every mast. The
rigate lunged ahead, but it could not
,utstrip its rival. and the halt to give
,attle had enabled the ship of the line
o draw up.
Then. for q few breathless moments,
he Pilot leaped into command. Break
rs doomed ahead, but he drove the
,essels straight into the shoals, into
narrow passages where white foam
'ubbled perilously close. The enemy
Jared not follow. and when night fell
pursuit was hopeless.
Colonel Howard, fatally wounded In
he battle. lived long enough to see Ce'
lila Howard and Katherine Plowden
Welded by the chaplain to their lovers.
lis last words were spoken to Griffith.
porhapa NAV have mistaken nv |