Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1900 — THE TEXAS CRUISER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE TEXAS CRUISER

—BY— T. BURLINGAME ROSS

CHAPTER Vll.—(Continued.) She was now about a mile and a halt distant, and it was but a little after. 2 o’clock. The wind was very near south, and the schooner was heading a very Uttle north of northwest; the brig was upon the schooner’s larboard or weather quarter, and heading about north by east, the direct line of her course striking ahead of the former. And thus they stood on fifteen minutes more. “Now,” cried Clarence, “we have them in the toils. Up with your helm, and spread your booms wing-and-wing. We will take the wind directly astern, and you see the brig can’t help doing the same thing. In this way, and in this alone, can we give them any trouble in Overhauling us. But* now we can have the wind upon every inch of our canvas, while that chap’s forward sails are of no earthly use to him, unless, indeed, he clews up the main. There —steady, so. Now give me the helm and I’ll keep her where she is, and you may try your rifles. Ha.' that’s your salutation, is it?" This last sentence was elicited' by the brig’s firing a gun. “She means for us to heave-to, I fl’pose,” said Max. “Exactly,” returned Clarence. “Wall—l reckon we’ll heave ’em somethin’ else that’ll answer every purpose, ’’ cried Sloan, as he set the sliding sight Of his. rifle for its longest range. “Can you reach them yet?” Clarence asked. “I’d rather wait a leetle while longer,” was Winter’s answer, as he measured the distance carefully with his eye.

CHAPTER VIII. It was soon found that the relative speed of the two vessels was much changed by the position the schooner had now assumed. Before, the brig had been gaining rapidly, but now she was not so fleet. She had changed her course when the schooner changed hers, and she must either now follow in the latter’s wake or yaw about at a disadvantage. She gained some, but it was almost imperceptible. The Mexicans were crowded about the bow r s of their vessel, and their motions were anxious. At length the distance between the two was less than a mile—perhaps not over three-quarters. “Jack,” spoke Captain Winter, addressing his mate, “do y.e see that chap perched upon the bowsprit there, ahold on the forestay?” “Yes, I do,” returned Sloan. “Think ye can fetch him?” “Es he was a bar I’d bet on startlin’ him.” “Then try it; your rifle is just a hair the smartest throw-in’ in the crowd. Ifraw on him.” Jack Sloan took his rifle and raised the hammer just so as to be sure that the cap was pressed down, and then he moved to the taffrail. His weapon was a beauty, and yet he claimed that it was better than it looked. He raised it 4 to his arm and cocked it; the Mexican stall stood upon the brig’s bowsprit, with his right hand ahold upon the forestay, gazing after the schooner, probably to note how much they gained upon the chase. With a deliberate movement Sloan raised the rifle to his shoulder. His taking aim was but the work of a moment—he knew that his first sight was the sure ope. He steauily raised his muzzle until his sight covered the man’s left breast, and then ho fired. The moment the piece was discharged he stepped back, cocked the hammer, took off the exploded cop, and then resting the breech upon the deck, gazed off towards the brig. The man's hand was seen to drop suddenly from the stay —then there was one spasmodic movement of that and its mate toward the breast—and then he fell sideways into the water, and in a moment more the briv was rushin over his submerged body. “I wan’t sure of that,” said Jack, as he •aw the man fall; “but T kind o’ thought there’d be no harm in tryin’.” “I know’d you could do it,” responded Max* “So now I reckon we’ll give old Piek-’em-off a trial.” That was the somewhat characteristic name he had given to his faithful rifle. 'As the gnarled old trapper-coaster thus ■poke he raised his weapon. His piece was of the same make and pattern as his mate’s, though it had been demonstrated that the latter would shoot a “leetle” the farthest. “See that chap with a red shirt on, just turnin’ his head to speak to some one behind him," said Max, as he drew the hammer of his piece back. Several acknowledged that they saw him. “Wall,” resumed Max, “I am just a goin’ to give old Pick-’em-off’s compliments to him.” As the Inst word dropped from his lips his rifle was at his shoulder. The ponderous steeli barrel was steadily rnised to the true.sight, and without the tremor even of a lid, the old man pulled the trigger. He did not stop, to remove the exploded cap a* Sloan had done, for if he had misled he had failed to do what another had done. But he hnd not long to remain unaasy, for in a moment more the red frock sank from sight beneath the bulwarks, and many men were to be seen crowding about the spot. > “Take ’em now!" cried Max, turning red in the face from excitement. Bloan was prepared for another shot, and he quickly drew his piece upon a man who stood back to. He fired—and the man fell. Almost upon the same instant one of the men fired, and he dropped a mexican from the larboard main rigging. “Hi!” cried Max, as he drove a slug into his rifle, “see them bloody scamps In the foretop. Mac, you take him as is on the starboard side, and you, Lascom, pick off that one a leanin’ agin the larboard riggln’. Go it! Remember what eld Sam Houston told us at San Jacinto!” This reference to the bloody but glorious field where arose the Lone Star in its power of freedom, and where every one of the present crew of the schooner fought bravely, called forth a quick, noble stout, and then the two sturdy men whot» Max had addressed by name stepped ti the taffrail and fired; and in a few mosnrtita more one of the Mexicans fell ttsm the foretop, while the ether waa

seen to leap up and then settle down with his head bowed between his knees. One was dead sure; and the other was, in all probability, unfit for duty. Howard found that the schooner was very easily managed, and having called Peter to come and take the helm, and explained to him the peculiar motions he was to look out for, he took the glass and gazed off upon the brig. “Well,” he said, still keeping the glass to his eye and watching ’the movements of the Mexicans the while, “they are beginuing to get out o' the way of our shots. Ha—there is one with ” But before he could finish his sentence, the quick eye of Adams, the oldest man of the crew, had caught, the Mexican, and he had fired The fellow had just raised his head above the rail by the bowsprit. As the old man’s rifle was discharged he leaped up—stood for an instant like one in a sudden fright—and then fell over backward. “You- hit him. in the head,” said Clarence, who kept the glass to his eye. “By the mass, but they'have taken the fright —ha! look sharp, some of you. There-are two men crouching along after the man last shot; they may raise their heads when they lift the body up.” ' And so it proved. ' In a few moments more two heads were seen to pop up above the rail, and on the instant both Max and Sloan fired. “One of them drops!” cried Clarence; “and perhaps both. I couldn’t tell whether the other dodged of his own accord or not." The schooner was still running off wing-and-wing, and the brig was directly i» her wake, and now-, at 3 o’clock, about three-quarters of a mile distant. The latter craft gained but slowly now. Could she have had her courso In any other direction, she would have overhauled the schooner ere this; and even now, could she have had studding sails to keep her on, she might increase her speed one quarter at least. But she had no studding sails set, and that seemed pretty good evidence that she had none. During the next ten minutes after Max and Sloan had fired together, not a human head was seen above the brig’s rail. The man at the brig’s helm was hidden by the foot of the foresail. “Look ye,” uttered Max Winter, starting into new life under the influence of a new thought, “we ken never take them chaps from here, but two men on them cross-trees can pick ’em oil good. Jack, will you go up with me?” “Ves, I will,” replied Sloan, energetically. “Cap’n Howard, you ken fix the haulin’ lines, and my men ken load the rifles as fast as we ken fire ’em.” “All right,” returned'Clarence. “Go up at once, and I’ll see that you have your rifles as fast as you can want them.” Four lines were procured and taken up to the cross-trees at the maintop, and when the two men reached the place, they made them fast there. Thus they had two lines each, by means of which each could have one down after the fresh rifle while he was firing another from the top. “Aha!” cripd Max, as he had perched himself snugiy in his place, “I ken see ’em now.” Two rifles were sent up, and as soon as they were fired they were sent down and two others hauled up. They were fifed without being cast clear from the hauling lines, so they had only to fire and lower away—pull up and fire again. “By the great horn spoon,” shouted Sloan, “we’re a-droppin’ ’em now!" “Hi-yi!” returned Max, leveling his. rifle as he spoke; “here’s another one for the pile.” Thus they had fired five-and-twenty shots, Sioan having fired one the most, when the deck was cleared. ‘They’ve gone below,” said Max, who held a loaded rifle in his hands, ready for the first head he might see. “Oh, I wish I could git jest one peep at their helmsman.” One of the men, named Wilson, stood a moment looking up at his commander, and then he turned his gaze upon the brig. In a moment more he proposed firing some shots at random. “We know whar her wheel must be,” he said, “and who knows but out of half a dozen halls one on ’em might hit him?” Wilson’s proposition was received with favor, and two of the men commenced the work The slugs for this purpose were sharpened with a knife at the conical end, so that they might go through the foresail without much resistance. They fired six times, and would have fired more had not the report of Winter’s rifle interrupted them. “Look sharp!" the skipper cried, as he sent his rifle down. “They’re tryin’ to run a gun for’ard!” The brig was now less than hnlf a mile distant, and could she have brought a gun to bear upon the schooner, it would only have required a good aim to do much damage. The brig's bowport on the starbonrd side was thrown open, and in a fejv moments more the muzzle of a gun was seen protruding therefrom. But they were not destined to make much by the movement, for they could not work the gun without exposing themselves to the eyes of the Yankee marksmen. "W ithin five minutes from the time the port wa» thrown open, four men had fallen about the gun under the bullets that sped from the schooner’s cross-trees. After this the Mexicans seemed to hold n consultation, and the result must have been that they would risk no more lives, for in a few moments more the gun was left and the men disappeared; not, however, until two more of their number had fallen, for the distance waji such now that the men could not have?wished for a more safe mark than a nisfn’s bead. It was now four o’clock, and for half an hour not another man was seen on board the brig. .Borne effort had been made by Max ana his men to shoot away the running rigging of the enemy, but without much effect. The topsail ties were either of rawhide or of iron chain, so that the bullets had no effect upon them; and the other ropes which were of consequence towards keeping the sails ««re*d wore hidden behind the canvas.

By half-past four the brig was less than a quarter of a mile distant, and it was soon evident that She was about to present her side to the chase, for her yards began to swing, and her head turned slowly to the westward. “Now we are going to catch a broadside.” said Clarence, as he noticed tne movement. 11 “Aren’t it, best to give ’em one more salute as they come around?” queried Max, who had come down from the ci-oss-tree some time before. “Yes,” returned Clarence. “Let all hands of you be prepared and stand by. They can’t load their guns without exposing themselves. Stand in a row and pick your men, being sure that no two take the same mark.” There were fifteen rifles, and fourteen of them loaded, and these were placed ready—each man having a spare one to grasp as soon as he had fired the .first. The brig soon presented her broadside, and three or four men at each gun went immediately at work to level the pieces . and prepare for the shock. “Steady!” uttered Max, at the same time raising his rifle. “Be sure of your men—take .’em as ye stand." In a moment more the seven rifles were discharged, and there Was a momentary suspension of operations on the brig’s deck; but those who remained quickly set to again. “Now!” cried Max; and as he spoke they fired again. Clarence could plainly see that consternation had seized the survivors on board the enemy, but after a few moments’ hesitation they went at the work again, and ere long her broadside was_ fired, The heavy balls came crashing and splashing about the schooner, but not one of her crew was injured. One ball had passed through the low bulwarks at the bows, and another bad carried away the extreme end of the main boom. “They only fired seven guns,” said Max. But the words were hardly out of his mouth when the eighth gun was discharged, and the schooner’s foremast was crashed to splinters about six feet from the deck. Ere many moments the disabled craft began to yaw, for she could be kept before the wind no more. The brig had put her helm hard a-port, and was now coming down swiftly, seeming inclined to pass under the stern of the schooner. “She means to give us another broadside,” said Max. “And if she does she’ll rake us badly,” replied Clarence. “Then why not surrender?” “I see nothing else for us to do,” Clarence said, speaking hurriedly, but clearly. “We have stood bravely out while there was the least opportunity; but it would only be clear madness to do more. We might shoot three or four more of her men, but if she gives us her broadside as she passes under our stern, it may sweep the whole of us. She will be down in five minutes. Let us pull d<jwn our flag and await the result. But remember the tools I have given you; keep them safely, and be careful how you use them. Captain Winter, suppose you have two or three rifles fired to leeward as we pull our flag down? that will be more fully expressive of the fact that we have surrendered.” This was agreed to; the flag was immediately lowered, and the three rifles fired to leeward. A minute elapsed. “Ah,” said Clarence, “they will not fire —they are rounding to.”

CHAPTER IX. A week had passed away from the time of Jilok Tudel’s first visit to Irene after his return, and he had repeated the visit thrice. On his last visit he had hinted at the idea of having the wedding sooner than had been agreed upon at first. The maiden was surprised at this, for she wondered what could have caused the man to change his mind. Now’ the truth was, Tudel was more keen than she gave him credit for; while, on the other hand, she was not so witty as she might have been. A simple conversation between Tudel and St. Marc will solve the mystery. It was on the occasion of the pirate’s last visit —on the day previous to the one on which we thus return to the scene —that he stopped to see St. Marc before leaving the house. “St. Marc,” he said, after he had seated himself, “we must have our wedding come off a little sooner than we had planned.” “Ah, how so?” returned the host, elevating his eyebrows with a stare of inquisitiveness. “Why—l must secure my wife before she runs off.” “You’re talking in riddles, senor. I don’t comprehend.” ‘T simply mean that Irene is planning to flee.” “You’re crazy, Jilok.” “Perhaps I am; but I have sense enough left by me yet to understand that.” “If you are in earnest, perhaps you’ll explain.” “Certainly,” returned Tudel, with an expressive nod. “In the first place, I know that Irene hates me, and that she would rather live in a hovel /with some one she loved than to live/fn a palace with me. Next, she naturally possesses a sensitive mind, and would never be calm while her heart was really being crushed. You understand this?” “Yes,” returned St. Marc, as coolly as though they were discussing the merits of a horse. “And yet,” pursued Tudel, “she is as calm as can be when I am present, and the allusion to our marriage moves her not a jot. Now I simply know that she would never be thus if she really believed she-was to become my wife.” “Well?” uttered St. Marc, looking calmly on. "Then,” resumed Tudel, "it apneaps plain enough to me that she means to escape me. Ay, Antonio St. Mare—as sure as fate, Irene means to run off; there Is no mistake about this." “Well, Tudetfyott may be right,” said the host, In rather a thoughtful mood. “But r have had no means of seeing this.” “But I have,” quickly replied Tudel, who, seeing the nail driven home, thought it best to clinch it. “I have, senor; and more than that, I can tell when the thought first entered her mind. I noticed the change in her bearing, from extreme fear to calm indifference. She just knows that you will not help her, so she will Help herself.” “Very well, Jilok; I do not dispute yon. Yon may set the day when you choose, and she shall be ready.” “Very right, Senor Antonio,” uttered Tudel, with mock gravity. “By the host, we’ll astonish the damsel. Let the day for the ceremony be oa Monday 4

is Thursday. That wUT give ber'tlm# enough for preparation. And then there’s no need of making such a vast amount of preparation; we can do much of that after the ceremony has been performed.” -So it was planned that the ceremonyshould be performed on the following Monday. It on Friday evening that St. Marc came to inform his child that the marriage was to take place on Monday. She knew from Tudel’s remarks that the time was to be changed, but she dreamed nht of so much change. She clasped her hands, and besought her father to save her; but he turned coldly from her. “I have nothing to do,” he said, “only to inform you of the new arrangement that has been made. What odds can it make to you whether the marriage takes place in one week or in four?” (To be continued.)