Palisadian., 1920-07-31


enemy's deck, Coffin tumbled into the
sea. Shouting Revenge Long Tom !"
the lieutenant rushed with his men
upon the foe. 1t was fighting at close
quarters and the issue was in doubt
when the drenched and furious cox
swain emerged from the sea and with
his harpoon pinioned the English cap
tain to his mast. In a few minutes
the Americans were masters of the cut
ter. Covering in that scene of blood
shed the victors discovered the crafty
Dillon, who pleaded to be sent off as
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 Borroughcliffe 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 schooner'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. Goods
will be done with me-" Coffin cried,
above the winds roar. Dillon's 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. Barnstable 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
loomed the marines from the frigate.
Colonel Howard, an unwilling prison
er, was marched away with Cecilia
and Katherine, who could not be down.
cast at the triumph Of their lovers.
Captain Borroughcliffe 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 fyigate, 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
filled the air as three tiers Of guns
blazed 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 loomed the great ship Of war and
far in the northeast the sails of another
frigate.
"What are we to do?" cried Griffith.
Eight them! fight themr shouted the
Pilot. LET me proclaim your name to
the men," Griffith appealed. But the
Pilot refused. "Should we come to a
grapple," he said. II will give forth the
name as a war-cry and these English
will quail before it."
The ship Of war was distanced, but
she cut off a retreat and the frigate
ahead had been REINFORCED by two
others. The foremost maneuvered with
the American frigate for position.
Broadsides crashed and they grappled.
The American guns raked her foe and
left her helpless, with useless ropes
dangling from shattered masts. The
deck was cleared and as another enc
my appeared, Griffith shouted, "Hoist
away of everything" Fifty men flew
aloft upon the spars and white can
vas was spread from every mast. The
frigate lunged ahead, but it could not
outstrip it's rival, and the halt to give
battle had enabled the ship Of the line
to draw up.
Then, for few breathless moments,
the Pilot leaped into command. Break
ers loomed ahead, but he drove the
vessels straight into the shoals, into
narrow passages where white foam
bubbled perilously close. The enemy
dared not follow, and when night fell
pursuit was hopeless.
Colonel Howard, fatally wounded in
the battle, lived long enough to see Ce-
ella Howard and Katherine Plowden
welded by the chaplain to their lovers.
His last words were spoken to Griffith.
perhaps I may have mistaken my
duty to America-but was too old to