Arizona state miner., 1926-05-08

1feSnen1nS WIND. The cOlOr1ng OF ner
figurehead sparkled in the level rays
which touched her dingy canvas and
turned the sails to cloth-of-gold. The
gaudy banner Of Spain tapped with
spendid insolence in the pure light
"She is heavy-laden I" exclaimed my
great-uncle, staring at her through his
prospect-glass.
Heavy armed, too," I added, point
ing at the band of cannon along her
Sides
well make light of that" he an
Swered "But / shall have to pay
somewhat for my Quixotic promise to
you, Robert, to spare her crew. Ho,
COupeau, pass the word that the prize
must not be pierced betwiXt wind
and water 1 would bring down a
spar or two at the beginning of the
action, but concentrate your fire upon
her decks"
"Oui, m'sieu'."
'But what of O'Donnell and his
daughter !" I exclaimed. con a shot
swept deck"
"Tut, tut, my boy! You concern
yourself needlessly. 'Tis a risky busi-
ness and cannot be otherwise. What
part do you and Peter purpose to play
in the action?'
I was about to answer hotly that
we would have naught to do with
piracy when Peter said
maybe we better go aboardt der
Spaniard and catch der little gal,
ja."
can excellent idea," returned my
great-uncle, looking eXpectantly at me.
81 shall lead the boarders myself, and
in the confusion I may be hard put
to it, single-handed, to direct the
fighting and save the O'Donnells from
injury. If you two"
''We'H do it," I said ungraciously.
Then l nodded to the white ensign
at the main peak.
"Will you fight under false colors?"
"They are not false he retorted
with frightened lips. "We fight for
England today"
England and Flint and Long John
Silver and Bill Bones and Martin and
Coupeau and"
Myself? Perhaps. But If those
you have named share in the rewards
of victory it's that England may profit
thereby and the Good Cause triumph
What doth it matter, if King James
return to London"
"What indeedT I echoed sarcas-
ticalIy, yet impressed against my will
by his deadly earnestness.
A white puff Of smoke jetted from
our fo'csle, and a cracking explosion
smote our ears. Coupeau had fred
the first shot from one of the chase
guns, long eighteens, beautiful bronze
tarily we all focused our eyes upon
the treasure ship, and a cheer from
the gun-crews applauded the Tapping
rent that showed in the bulge of the
Spaniard's foretops'l.
Excellent !" murmured my great
uncle
The Santissima Trinidad staggered
for an instant like a man who has
been struck Unexpectedly by one he
supposed to be a friend. Then she
yawned to give us full view Of her
cOlors; and as she yawned, broaden
ing the target, Coupeau fired again.
Twas 4 low shot, fired as the James
dropped into the trough betwixt two
waves. and all we could see Of it
was that apparently it plowed into
the waist
The Spaniard fired a gun to leeward
and put over his helm, aiming to
cross our bows and head up for Santo
Domingo. Plainly he did not know
what to make of the incident. To
all appearances the Royal James was
a kings ship. She showed the Eng
lish naval ensign. SO he evidently
decided that hOstilities must have
broken out between the two countries,
and in obedience to his sailing orders
endeavored to avoid fight and make
for the nearest fortified Spanish port.
But the James sailed two feet to
the treasure ships one; and splen-
didly handled, we overhauled her
within glass Of the first shot. In
the meantime Coupeau kept pecking
away at her, and as we came within
range of our main battery her foretop-
mast crashed, covering her fo'csle with
tangle Of top-hamper.
This was too much for her people,
and she put up her helm, brought her
entire battery to bear and let fly at
us with all her starboard metal
Twas a poorly managed salvo, yet
three or four rOund-shot swished
across our decks and an eighteen
FOUNDER smashed a couple of men to
jelly just for'ard OF the poop.
Coupeau, working like mailman
with his chase guns, was firing both
together, laid on the same target, and
now he succeeded in cutting down the
fOremast about twenty feet from the
deck, sending the heavy spar and bill
lowing canvas a-tumbllng after the
fallen topmast. The bulk of the
wreckage fell oversize, dragging the
Trfyida6 down hV the