The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-05-18

! DOdTU were COllSIutltu ShiS "N NN
cept the captain who had m~aneuvered
them to the entrance of the Caribbean
sea. Had he been of their own origin,
they would not have placed so mucn
credence in the rumor; but coming as
he did of an ancient Irish family, al
though he had been in Jail for killing,
the traditional respect for the word
of a gentleman influenced them. Nhen
q man like Ferens, on the II hand,
and q mutineer whose fingers had
been mutilated by Dyck in the chan
mel, on the other-when these agreed
to bend themselves to the rule of a
usurper, some idea of Calhoun'S pow
or may be got.
On this day, with the glimmer of
land in the far distance, the charges
of all the guns were renewed. Also
word was passed that at any moment
the ship must be cleared for action.
Down in the cockpit the tables were
got ready by the surgeon and the lob
lolly boys; the magazines were opened,
and the guards We're put on duty.
To the right of the Ariadne was the
coast of Cuba; to the left was the
coast of Haiti, both invisible to the
eye. Although the knowledge that
they were nearing land had already
given the officers and men a feeling of
e%lation, the feeling was greatly inten-
sified as they came through the Turk
Island passage, which is a kind of
gateway TO the Windward passage be-
tween Cuba and Haiti. The glory of
the sun y, tropical world was upon the
ship and upon the sea; it crept into
the blood of every man, and the sweet
summer weather gave confidence to
their minds. 1t was a day which only
those who knew tropical and semi
tropical seas can understand. 1t had
the sense of soaking luxury.
In his cabin, with the ships chart
on the table before him, Dyck Calhoun
studied the course of the Ariadne. The
wind was fair and good, the sea-birds
lowered overhead. From a distant
part Of the ship came the sound of
mems voices in song. well, what is
it," he asked of a marine who ap-
peared in his doorway.
THE master of the ship begs to see
you, sir" was the reply.
A moment afterward Greenock en-
tered. He asked Dyck several ques-
the disposition of ammunition and all
that, and said at last:
Il think We shall be of use, sir. The
ships all right now"
"As right as anything human can be.
I've got faith in my star, master
A light came into the other mans
dour face.
Il wish you'd get into uniform, sir"
uniform? No, GreenOck! No, |
use the borrowed power, but not the
borrowed clothes. I'm a common sail
or, and | wear the common sailors
clothes. You've earned your uniform,
and it suits you. Stick to it and when
I've earned a captains uniform I'll
wear it. | owe you the success of this
voyage so far, and my heart is full of
1t, up to the brim. Hank, what's that?"
"By God, it's guns, sir! There's
fighting on"
"Fighting"
Dyck stood for a minute with head
thrust forward, eyes fixed upon the
distant mists ahead. The rumble Of
the guns came family through the air.
An eXultant look came into his face.
Master, the games with us-it Is
fighting. l know the difference be-
tween the two sets of guns, English
and French. Listen-that quick, spas
modic firing is French; the steady-as-
thunder is English. Well, we've got
all sail on. Now, make ready the ship
for fighting"
"She's almost ready, sir"
An hour later the light mist had
risen, and almost suddenly the Ariadne
seemed to come into the field Of bat
tie. Dyck Calhoun could see the strug-
gle going on. The two sets Of enemy
ships had come to close quarters, and
In some cases were locked In deadly
conflict. In other cases ships, still
apart, fired at point-blank range, and
all the horrors Of slaughter were in
full swing.
From the square blue flag at the
mizzen %topgallant masthead of one of
the British ships engaged, Dyck
realized that the admiral's own craft
was in some peril. He saw with salts
faction that the way lay open for the
Ariadne to bear down upon the French
ship, engaged with the admiral's small
ship, and help to end the struggle sue
c~essfully for the British cause.
While still too far away for point
blank range, the Ariadne's guns be-
gan upon the French ships distinguish
able by their shape anu their colors.
Before the first shot was fired, how.
ever, Dyck made a our of the decks
and gave some word Of cheer to the
men. The Ariadne lost no time in get
ting into the thick of the fight. The
seamen were stripped to the waist,
and black silk handkerchiefs were
tightly bound round their heads and
owe their ears.