The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-11-23
Ned Price,
American
BY AUSTIN FLINT

Copyright, 1922. Western Newspaper Union
"Betcha can't guess who saw hang
ing about the yard yestidday."
Petty officer Brannigan looked up at
his companion.
"Who?" he asked.
Med Pricew
BrannIgan spat, and swore.
"That-!" he mouthed. you're dream
ing, Jimw
Guess / know the cut of the skunk
Dressed in a natty blue suit, too
Thought no one'd know him. Him that
deserted the old Sekotah in London be-
fore we sailed for that scrap In the
channel! I'd have put the police on
him, but he got away in the crowd
81 guess" said Brannlgan, "his con
science will be all the police Pricell
need for the rest of his life."
The whistle called them. They
clambered down the ladder from the
sekotah's deck into the tug. In few
minutes the Sekotah was abandoned
by the men who had been working on
her.
"All aboardw yelled the tug-captain'
"You didn't leave nobody aboard her,
did you Mr. BranniganW
IF l did" said Brannigan, it'll be
because he wants to commit the
starkest kind Of suicide that any one
ever planned"
When the tug was at sufficient dis
lance a scream sounded from a thin
wisp on the horizon, and tifteen-inch
shell came hurting high overhead.
Another and another followed, until
the crescendo filled the air.
The old Sekotah, which had per
formed her work nobly in the war, was
going to her honored end, 1t had been
decided to take the old ship out under
her own steam and practice on her,
in order to ascertain the effect of GER
tain improvements In the new ord
nance.
When the Investigations had been
made, the sea-cocks were to be opened,
and the Sekotah would sink to her
grave upon the ocean bed, the flag fly
ing at her masthead.
Far away Captain Branscombe OF
the Medina watched through his
glasses.
Funny thing l can't make out her
fagl" he said.
~ saw 1t five minutes ago." said the
lieutenant who stood on the bridge be-
side him.
"Take look, Bill. Maybe your eyes
are better than NINE" said the Cap
tain, handing him his glasses.
Nope, you're right. She amt there"
said the lieutenant, after a careful
survey.
The flag was no longer flying. A
shell must have carried it away.
"Rotten shooting, l call It," Brans-
combe fumed 81 guess the old girls
had enough by now
"Cease tirlngl" was signalled. Boats
were manned and put out from the
warships.
As they neared the Sekotah 1t could
be seen that the shells had made fear
full havoc of her. But for the timber
with which her hold had been filled,
she would have gone down long be-
fore. Her sides were ripped open with
great holes through which horse and
cart could have been driven, her decks
we're churned and twisted, and her
skeleton masts were tumbling down.
The old ship was keeling over, and,
even with her wooden paunch, 1t
looked as If she might not last much
longer. The destructive effects of the
new ordnance had been underesti-
mated.
The parties from the boats swarmed
upon the deck and began coming the
results of the firing. Engrossed with
the evidences Of destruction, they did
not heed the thing on the bridge until
a shout from one Of the men directed
Petty Officer Brannlgan's attention
toward It.
"What In thunder Is itF" demanded
one of the officers. "Why, It's the
Sekotah's fag!"
1t was the flag, huddled In a heap
upon the bridge Their first thought,
as they moved toward 1t, was that,
carried away by the shell which had
torn 1t from the truck, 1t had fiuttered
down on deck,
Then ii was seen that something
l., I.n . nf a
man, killed by a shell splinter which
had struck him full in the chest. He
was holding the folds Of the flag so
tightly that 1t was almost impossible
to take It from the lIfeless fingers
"What's the matter, Brannlgan2
D'you know him?' the officer in charge
demanded
Brannigan gulped
ITS Ned Price, SIR" he answered.
Him that deserted the old Sekotah
on leave in London before they ordered
us to the Channel. Some one saw him
hanging round the Navy Yard yester-
day. He must have managed to hide
himself aboard for-for that u
There was a moments silence, for
the tragedy oppressed them, the tardy
repnration, the foolish and yet splendid
yindication Of the past
"Shall | take the flag, sir7" asked
Brannigan.
"No, wrap him In IT," answered the
officer tersely.
Ex.Servlee Men In Great Britain.
The employment Of British ex.sery