Young Glory and the Spanish cruiser : $b or, a brave fight against oddsMott, Walter Fenton
History
Young Glory and the Spanish cruiser : $b or, a brave fight against odds
Mott, Walter Fenton
Seafaring life -- Juvenile fiction; Spanish-American War, 1898 -- Juvenile fiction; War stories
Captain Moret had stripped the fore part of the ship bare of men in
order to concentrate them with the rest of his forces in making one
final attack on the enemy.
The quick eye of Young Glory had detected the weak spot instantly.
"Young Glory to the rescue!" shouted the blue jackets, and on they came,
taking the Spaniards in the rear.
Even now the men of the Cristobal Colon had nothing to fear, for they
still vastly outnumbered the Americans, but this sudden and unexpected
attack in the rear caused a panic.
Young Glory's terrible sword aided to the fear that filled the breasts
of the Spaniards. All within reach of him dropped to the deck.
"Forward, men!" cried Lieutenant Tyler, "the enemy weakens. Now is our
chance!"
The Spaniards were a huddled and confused mass of human beings now. The
last vestige of discipline had gone, and the officers who yet remained,
struggled in vain with their men to inspire them with courage.
"Dogs!" they cried, "the day is ours yet!"
"Faith, it's sorry to contradict ye, I am!" shouted Dan Daly, still in
the front of the battle.
"Halloa, Dan!" cried Young Glory, looking across the intervening foe.
"This is a great day!"
"Great!"
Dan could say no more. He could not find any expression that exactly
fitted the case.
The Spaniards now were throwing down their arms.
Captain Moret, in despair, rushed into the thick of the fight,
endeavoring to rally his men.
"Cowards!" he cried, furiously. "This is a black day for Spain!"
"Faith, old gentleman," said Dan, "she's had so many black days it won't
be noticed, an' it's black herself she is wid crime."
Captain Moret made a furious rush at the author of this insulting
speech. The blades of the Irishman and the Spaniard crossed in fierce
fight.
"Caramba! but you die!"
"Some day!" answered Dan, coolly, as he parried a furious blow. "Ah! my
gold-laced don, you're beginnin' to see that Dan Daly's handled a sword
before."
The two men were practically alone. Captain Moret had his back to the
mast, and Dan, agile as a cat, despite his age, was hopping merrily
round and round him.
The tide of battle had passed them by.
Such of the Spaniards as had not thrown down their arms had retreated in
a body towards Lieutenant Tyler's force, with Young Glory and his band
of fifty blue jackets in hot pursuit.
"It's your beautiful uniform I'm afther spoilin'," said Dan, as he gave
a thrust. "Arrah! but that was a great stroke, though it's meself as
says it."
The stroke in question was a severe cut on Captain Moret's sword arm,
which caused him instantly to pass his weapon into his left hand.
"Ould gentleman," said Dan, "it's a poor chance ye have. Surrender!"
"Never! While my men fight I will!"
"Begorra, but it's a nuisance ye are. I'm bound to kape ye alive, an'
while I'm here I'm afther losin' all the great fight that's goin' on.
Ah! it's Dan Daly's the man was born under an unlucky star."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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