The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-12-29
lcontlnucd rrom Ycster,la,l

Blood's heart stood still. And
then In that very moment OF his
despair. tho blue and gold flank OF
the Victorlcusc doomed thru the
smoke. But even as he caught that
enheartenins glimpse he perceived.
10. how sluggish now was their add
vance. and how With every second
II grew more sluggish, They must
sink before they reach her.
Thus. with an oath, oplned the
Dutch admiral. and from Lord VIII
loughby there was word OF blame
for Blood's seamanship In having
risksd all upon this gamblers
throw OF boarding.
There was no other chance
cried Blood. in hroken-hearted frcn-
~. IF ye say IL was desperate
and fcolhardy. why, so II was: but
the occasion and the means de-
kmanded nothing less. I fail within
no ace OF victory"
But they had not yet completely
allied. Hayton himself, and a score
'cf study rogues whom his whistle
had summoned. were crouching FOR
shelter amid the wrecknge OF the
forecas,io with grapneis ready,
Within seven or eight yards OF the
Nictorieuse. when their way SEEM
ed spent. and their forward deck
already awash under the eyes OF
the jeering. cheering Fronehmcn.
those men leaped up and forward
and hurled their srapnels across the
ehasm. or the four they flung. two
reached the Frnnchman's decks,
and fastened there. Swift as
thought Itself. was then tho action
OF those sturdy. experienced buc,
cancers Unhcsitatingly all threw
themselves upon the chain OF one
OF those grapnels. negiecting the
other. and heaved upon 1t with
all their might 10 warp the ships
together. Blood. watching from his
own quarter deck. SAINT out bis
voice In clarion cali:
'Musketeers 10 the prow."
The nusketeerS at their station
Mt the waist. obcyed him with the
speed OF men who know that in
obedience Is the only hope OF life.
Fifty OF them dashed forward in
stantly, and from the ruins OF the
forecastIa they blazcd over the
heads OF Hayton's men. moving
down the French soldiers who. UNI
ablo to dislodgc the irons, firmly
held where they had deeply bitten
into the timbers Of the Nictorteusc,
nxern themselves preparing to fire
pom the grupnei crew.
q starhoard TO sfnrboard the two
Ships swung against each other
aith Earring thud BY then
Hood was down In the waist. judg.
ing and acting with the hurricane
speed the occasion demanded. Sail
had been lowered by slashlng away
the ropes that held the yards. The
advance guard OF boarderH. hun
bred strong. was ordered 10 the
poop. and his grapnel men were
posted. and prompt 10 obey his
command NJ tho very moment Of
impact. As a result. 4hc founder
ing Arahella was literally kept
afloat BIZ the .half-dozrn grapncls
thai In an instant moored her
firmly to the yictorisuse.
wtuoughby and wan der Kuyleu
on the poop had watched in breath
less arnaxenlent the speed and pre-
cision with which Blood and hia
desperate crew had gone TO work,
And now he came racing up, his
buxIer sounding the charge. the
main host OF the buccaneers fol-
lowing him, whilst the vanguard
led By the gunner ogie. who had
been driven from his guns by wa
cr In the gun deck. leaped shout
ing to the PROV Of the Victorious,
20 whose level the high poop OF the
logged ArabelIa had sunk
I.cd now by Blood himself they