Walter Fenton Mott

“ Young Glory had been almost ready to fire as Captain Long spoke to him. Now he did so.
"A hit!" cried the man. "A hit!"
"A knock-out blow!" shouted Dan, excitedly. "It's yourself won't come up to time."
The wind blew the thick smoke away for a few minutes, and when it was clear all eyes were fixed on the Spanish cruiser. It was seen at once that Young Glory's last shot had been successful.
The barbette was smashed.
The eight-inch gun of the Nashville had sent a shot right against it. Confusion reigned on the cruiser. Men were running hither and thither. ”

“ Suddenly above their heads a figure, which looked unnaturally tall in the darkness, rose on a great bowlder which overshadowed the water.
"You have a traitor in that boat!" cried this apparition. "The man with you is not Captain Calderon. It is Young Glory!" ”

“ Each of them was indulged with an unusual allowance of sleep that night, on account of their great exertions, and when they awoke and went on deck, the shores of Cuba had faded from sight, and the gallant Cruiser Brooklyn was steaming through the Caribbean sea in an easterly direction.
"Where are we bound?" was the universal question now.
"Ask Young Glory. He knows everything," laughingly said one of the men.
"It's Porto Rico we're going to," cried one of the sailors. "I heard an officer say so."
"Porto Rico! That belongs to Spain, eh?" asked one of the sailors. ”

“ Then a mad race took place to see which party should first arrive at the group of rocks.
"We are safe, sir!" cried Young Glory breathlessly, as he and his comrades reached the haven.
"Yes, it's a natural fortress. We can hold out against five hundred men. Let them have it, lads!"
"It's hail Columbia we'll give them!"
Hurrah! Crack! Crack!
The sailors fired furiously now. The Spaniards fell at every shot. But they did not retreat. Instead of doing so the two forces joined, and together they came with a mad rush at the rocks, behind which stood the seamen, awaiting the enemy's attack. ”

“ Help may be nearer than you think, Juan."
"Help?"
"Yes."
"Not unless it descends from the skies, and the age of miracles is past."
"The help is aboard this ship," said Manuel impressively.
"What folly," was Juan's reply. "Have we not lost enough brave men already? I thought of that, but dismissed it from my mind at once. Unarmed men, however numerous they are, can do nothing against men armed to the teeth."
"Exactly my answer to Dan," muttered Young Glory. "This Spaniard is a sensible man." ”

“ Meanwhile, Young Glory and Manuel were engaged in a deadly struggle. Each man had been trying, without success, to draw a pistol from his belt, and as they could not do so they reeled from one side to another, locked in each other's arms.
"You cannot avert your doom!" hissed Young Glory. "Listen! the sailors are rushing to the rescue." ”

“ Such men never die. I am lost," he added, "but I will die fighting!"
Three men came towards him. They were bent on carrying out the spy's orders, and were about to seize him.
"Stand back!" he cried, defiantly.
"Yield!"
"Never!"
"We are fifty to one. To fight is useless," said the Spanish soldier. "You will be killed."
"Then I will die fighting. Back! I say," he added, as the men pressed forward. "I will never be taken alive!"
"We shall see!"
The three men rushed at Young Glory.
Instantly he drew his sword. ”

“ He did not press forward to inquire further into Jose's fate, but flying through the wood at full speed, he burst in on his astonished comrades.
"Saved!" he cried.
"Saved, Young Glory! What does this mean?"
"That I will lead you into the fort, sir. Follow me!"
Stealthily the entire band, hidden from view by the trees, reached the door.
"When it is open, dash in!" said Young Glory. "Not a moment must be lost!"
The men were astounded to see him walk up to the door in the rampart, insert the key in the lock, and open it. Madly they rushed through into the fort. ”

“ Jose Castro was very ready with his advice.
"Cut your boats adrift!" he cried.
"No," returned Young Glory. "No man must move or lift a finger, or I fire the powder."
Young Glory clearly commanded the situation, but how long would it last? One of the men who had swam ashore might have a rifle, and if so, no doubt he would fire at Young Glory.
But the sergeant was not satisfied even with this. For he saw that if Young Glory fell dead in the ammunition boat the torch would fall too, and then what would happen? It was too dreadful to think about. ”

“ CHAPTER VIII. YOUNG GLORY ON THE NASHVILLE—AT SAN JUAN DE PORTO RICO.
Captain Miles was aghast.
The officers of the Brooklyn who had drawn close to listen, were loud in their expressions of indignation.
"The brutes! the inhuman brutes!" said the skipper. "And these are the men for whom some misguided people feel pity." ”

“ There must be no firing," said one of the sergeants. "A noise will bring the guns of the American cruiser on us. Once more, will you surrender?"
"No!"
"Rush at him, men. Cut him to pieces if he resists."
Such an order is easier given than obeyed. Men cannot move about a boat with perfect freedom, and Young Glory standing in the stern was a desperate foe. ”

“ Ruiz Calderon rose.
"I have to get a good horse. The most dangerous part of the business is getting to Valmosa, because I must go near the rebel lines."
"Good luck to Ruiz!" cried all his comrades, emptying their glasses as they spoke.
"Thank you, gentlemen, thank you. My good fellow, your wine was excellent. If you should hear a horseman gallop past your hut to-night, don't be alarmed. It will only be me."
Scarcely had they gone, when Dan Daly rushed out.
"Faith, it's more than flesh an' blood could stand. Arrah! but me mouth watered when I heard the glasses clinkin'. The spalpeens!" ”

“ The first shot struck the fort. It was old. Its weapons were antique, and it had no chance whatever against the great guns of the American cruiser. Shot after shot struck it, crumbling the masonry to powder.
"The batteries are silenced!" cried Young Glory.
"But not our men!"
The cheer that went up confirmed the last statement.
Already the Nashville and the Cristobal Colon were under way, steaming rapidly out of the harbor. A few distant guns from shore thundered at them, but they made a noise, and that was all. They were quite powerless to do any damage. ”

“ Dan went to work with a vengeance. Not a man offered resistance. What, between Young Glory's torch and Dan's six-shooter the men were fairly cowed, and one after another they handed over their weapons. Dan Daly threw them carelessly at the bottom of his boat.
"It's no arms they have, but fists now, Young Glory, an' shure they don't count, for a Spaniard wants a knife in his hand, anyway."
"Very good. Now take your oars," said Young Glory, sternly. "The boats' heads are pointed to sea. Pull right out with all your strength. If any man refuses, I'll shoot him dead!" ”

“ Some of them raised their hands as they saw the boats draw near.
"Poor souls!" said Dan Daly. "It's shipwrecked they are, an' starvin' too."
"Well, it won't take many minutes to remedy that, Dan."
"Pull hard, lads!" cried Mr. Robson. "Every minute counts in a case like this."
What a sight met the eyes of the blue jackets.
Half of the occupants of the raft were dead men. The survivors seemed to be, many of them, at the point of death. Very few had strength enough to rise even to a sitting position.
"No time for talking, lads," said Lieutenant Robson. "Get them back to the ship at once." ”

“ It was his work to sight and train the gun, and each time that it was fired, anxious eyes followed the shot to see whether it would be a success.
"Bah! I'll never hit it!" cried Young Glory, in disgust, after his last unsuccessful shot. "It's the swell on the water. It's almost impossible to take aim; you can't do it with any accuracy."
"Murther!" cried Dan, "but those spalpeens can!"
As he spoke a shot had come from the enemy's ship, and it tore away one of the ship's boats, but doing no other damage. Several men had narrow escapes from the splinters of the shell. ”

“ Quick as lightning the rifles went to the shoulders of the soldiers.
But the stranger was quite prepared for this maneuver.
Like lightning he grasped the Spanish officer and drew him towards himself.
"Now, senor capitan, you are between me and your soldiers. Your late prisoner is behind me. If your men fire, whom will they hit?"
The officer trembled. He saw that it was impossible for his assailant to receive one bullet. The soldiers were also aware of this fact, and so they stood motionless, not daring to fire. ”

“ The instant I give the word the sentries will be seized, and the rest will follow."
"And once more the ship will be ours."
"Yes, yes."
"For that I would do much. The plot will succeed, Manuel. I can see victory in the air."
"And I can't," muttered Young Glory, turning half round towards the two men. "On the contrary, gentlemen, I see nothing but failure. Go on talking till I've seen Mr. Tyler. Then I think the laugh will be all on our side. Ha, ha!"
"Silence!"
Young Glory stared aghast. A man, a Spanish naval officer was bending over him, holding a stilletto close against his breast. ”

“ Young Glory's shot had put him in a good humor.
"My lads," he cried, "the big do not always win in battle. First blood is ours! Work your hardest, and the last blood will be ours, too!"
"Hurrah!" came from a hundred throats.
Meanwhile, Young Glory was working busily at the gun again, having very little to say, but listening intently to what was going on, and feeling very much amazed at Dan's running comments on the progress of the fight.
Captain Long was on deck in the conning tower. He called his lieutenant, Mr. Tyler, over. ”

“ Instantly the men on the pier let the boats loose, and the men bent to their oars.
"Row, my lads, long and steady. You've a hard pull before you," said Young Glory, "and you'll need all your strength."
The sailors showed at once they did not intend to overexert themselves. [Pg 11]
"Rather different to our blue jackets," was Young Glory's reflection. "Why, Dan Daly and half a dozen of our fellows would lick the whole crowd."
There was commotion on shore at this instant. Anxiously Young Glory looked towards the pier. ”

“ We can spare them, and Captain Long is short-handed."
"Now," laughed Captain Long, "give me a fair selection, Mr. Robson. No cripple, mind."
"All our men are up to the mark."
"Good! The sooner you can send them aboard the better, for I want to start."
Lieutenant Robson lost no time. He had twenty men paraded on deck. Amongst them happened to be Young Glory and Dan Daly.
Lieutenant Robson passed his eye along them.
"If he doesn't like them," he said to himself, "he's hard to please."
In truth he would be, for a finer body of men never stepped the deck of a ship. ”

“ The Spaniard was firing her guns as she came on, the Nashville was replying. Captain Long was working to stave off the impending disaster. Hastily the engineer got up steam. The gun-boat was well under way again.
"This dodging about can have only one end, sir," said Young Glory to the captain.
"Yes, an end for us."
"Exactly. There's only one way to save ourselves."
"I know none. Once those broadside guns get into play on us it will soon be over. They are bound to sink us at this distance. The worst gunners in the world could not miss." ”

“ The Spanish captain made a dash at Young Glory.
The latter stepped back quickly, raising his six-shooter as he did so, and pointing it at his captive.
"You are foolish," said Young Glory. "You cannot compete with me, and you ought to understand that."
What was causing the Spaniard to stare so? Not the fact that he was threatened by Young Glory's six-shooter. No, but because when Young Glory had moved backwards, his sombrero had dropped off his head, thus exposing his thick yellow curls.
"You are not a Spaniard," said Captain Calderon, astounded at the change in his captor. ”

“ The enterprise affected men differently. Some of the sailors looked stern and determined. Dan Daly smiled the first time for a week.
As for Young Glory, he was in his element.
The Nashville had now entered the harbor, quite regardless of the guns or the forts. Captain Long held these antiquated weapons in contempt.
Rapidly his eye scanned the horizon.
"Young Glory was right," he exclaimed; "the Cristobal Colon has sailed from Porto Rico."
He ordered the ship put about, and the Nashville was once more steaming towards the ocean, when a startling sight met all eyes. ”

“ Once more the vessels were in the open sea clear of San Juan de Porto Rico. The Brooklyn lay to, and a boat put off. In obedience to a signal from the cruiser, the gun-boat and her prize waited till the boat came up. In the cutter was Captain Miles, the commander of the Brooklyn.
"A great and glorious victory, Captain Long," said he, stepping aboard the Nashville.
"Yes, sir, thanks to the men you lent me, and especially Young Glory. Through his advice, as I don't mind admitting, the Spaniard was taken."
"Well, I congratulate you. The country will be crazy when they hear what you've done. ”

“ Bah!" he added, stamping on the ground, "why do I waste time talking to a miserable Yankee spy?"
The man turned away. But in an instant he came back to the prisoner.
"Spy or not," he growled, rather than spoke, "I suppose you're a human being."
"Faith, an' if you are, I'm not."
The Spaniard's face grew dark with passion.
"Silence! I ask you if you have any request to make. If possible, it shall be carried out."
"Shure, an' I have, then."
"Quick! my men are waiting. Speak!"
"It's Young Glory I'd like to spake to. I'd like to shake his hand—" Dan's voice faltered here—"before I die." ”