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29 - Prisoner of Morro by Upton Sinclair · Prisoner of Morro

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  Speaker 1: Twenty nine, Cliff's second expedition. In spite of the glorious
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  Speaker 1: work accomplished in those few hours, Cliff felt chagrined that
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  Speaker 1: he had, in the excitement of the struggle on the
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  Speaker 1: boat and under fire of the Spanish soldiers on shore,
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  Speaker 1: been forced to return to the flagship without the shell.
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  Speaker 1: He had thought considerably about it, even during the stirring
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  Speaker 1: scenes through which they had passed. He had his own
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  Speaker 1: ideas about it, and wanted to put them to the test.
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  Speaker 1: Everything connected with it indicated to his mind some mystery,
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  Speaker 1: the solution of which would materially help the American forces.
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  Speaker 1: In the first place. The way in which it was
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  Speaker 1: brought to his attention was unusual, to say the least,
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  Speaker 1: That a ship being pursued by a hostile craft should
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  Speaker 1: deliberately fire away from the pursuer and toward the land
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  Speaker 1: was peculiar, even for a Spaniard. It was ridiculous to
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  Speaker 1: think that the shell had been aimed at Cliff and
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  Speaker 1: his party, for even had it been broad daylight, the
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  Speaker 1: American boat's crew would not have been visible to those
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  Speaker 1: on the Spanish ship. It was merely a coincidence that
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  Speaker 1: Cliff happened to be where the shell landed. No thought
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  Speaker 1: Cliff as he revolved this in his mind. That shot
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  Speaker 1: was not aimed at our forces. There was some other
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  Speaker 1: reason for firing it. What that was he could merely conjecture,
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  Speaker 1: and he was not entirely clear in his own mind
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  Speaker 1: that the mysterious purpose had been carried out to the
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  Speaker 1: satisfaction of those on the Spanish boat. Cliff felt convinced
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  Speaker 1: was evident from the fact that not another shot was fired.
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  Speaker 1: Then the shape of the shell was an important factor.
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  Speaker 1: They are not using those round ones nowadays, thought Cliff.
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  Speaker 1: This one must be used for a special purpose. What
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  Speaker 1: that is, I'm going to find out. The arrival of
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  Speaker 1: the Spanish soldiers and the peculiar actions before the little
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  Speaker 1: battle that followed also demanded explanation. They didn't know we
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  Speaker 1: were there, Muscliff, or they would not have been so
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  Speaker 1: easily taken by surprise. Why were they there? Their capture
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  Speaker 1: of the Cuban courier was accidental. I'm sure they were
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  Speaker 1: on some other mission. Last of all, the theft of
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  Speaker 1: the ship's boat and the strange behavior of the two
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  Speaker 1: Spaniards who had taken it and whom Cliff had been
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  Speaker 1: forced to overcome added a peculiar feature to the affair.
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  Speaker 1: Taking it all in all, Cliff felt that though they
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  Speaker 1: had bravely avenged the murder of the Cuban and had
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  Speaker 1: brought the dispatches safely to the Rear Admiral and with
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  Speaker 1: them a prisoner, still an important object had not been accomplished.
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  Speaker 1: He meant to return for that unexploded shell in the
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  Speaker 1: face of every difficulty, and put his ideas to the test.
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  Speaker 1: He had this purpose in view when he delivered with
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  Speaker 1: his own hands the dispatches to the Rear Admiral. Rear
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  Speaker 1: Admiral Sampson glanced quickly over the papers after they were
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  Speaker 1: handed to him, and seemed highly pleased. These are of
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  Speaker 1: the utmost importance, he exclaimed. With this information we will
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  Speaker 1: be the better able to act in conjunction with the
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  Speaker 1: insurgents when the proper time comes. Cliff knew the papers
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  Speaker 1: must indeed be of a special value from the Rear
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  Speaker 1: Admiral's manner, for it was decidedly unusual for an officer
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  Speaker 1: of such importance to unbend to that extent with an
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  Speaker 1: ordinary cadet. The Rear Admiral was evidently more than satisfied
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  Speaker 1: with the result of Cliff's mission. After a hasty examination
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  Speaker 1: of the papers, he turned to Cliff, who had remained standing,
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  Speaker 1: and asked some particulars of his meeting with the Cuban courier.
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  Speaker 1: Then Cliff briefly but graphically told of his receiving the
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  Speaker 1: papers from the hands of the insurgent, and of the
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  Speaker 1: latter's tragic death so soon after, at the hands of
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  Speaker 1: the cowardly Spanish soldier who held him as a prisoner
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  Speaker 1: of war. Rear Admiral Sampson's blood fairly boiled as Cliff
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  Speaker 1: gave him the details the cowards, he exclaimed with clenched fist,
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  Speaker 1: it was barbarous, but Sir, continued Cliff, it has been avenged.
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  Speaker 1: And then he briefly and with modest demeanor, told of
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  Speaker 1: their attack upon the company of Spanish soldiers and their
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  Speaker 1: victory over them without the loss of an American life.
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  Speaker 1: More than one Spaniard had gone to his death to
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  Speaker 1: atone for that cowardly assassination. The Rear Admiral was plainly interested,
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  Speaker 1: and at his request, Cliff gave the particulars of his
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  Speaker 1: subsequent adventures and of the narrow escape in the boat
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  Speaker 1: from the Spanish soldiers firing upon them from the hill
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  Speaker 1: and shore. Admirable. Admirable, exclaimed the Rear Admiral, when the
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  Speaker 1: brief narrative was finished. I am proud of the bravery
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  Speaker 1: of yourself and the men with you. And now, if
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  Speaker 1: you please, Sir, said Cliff, calmly, I want to go
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  Speaker 1: back there. Back there, exclaimed the Admiral. Where do you mean,
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  Speaker 1: to the spot where I met the Cuban? Replied Cliff,
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  Speaker 1: What do you mean according to your account the places
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  Speaker 1: swarming with Spanish soldiers, Not many of them, Sir, said Cliff,
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  Speaker 1: And it is not my intention that they should see me.
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  Speaker 1: I left something behind that I think is important. Then
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  Speaker 1: he told of the shell that came crashing through the
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  Speaker 1: trees where they stood, another series of incidents that had
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  Speaker 1: prevented his examining it as fully as he wished. He
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  Speaker 1: insisted strongly that the recovery of the shell was of
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  Speaker 1: the greatest importance, and intimated something of his ideas concerning
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  Speaker 1: the mystery, that it suggested he spoke to such good
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  Speaker 1: purpose that at last the Rear Admiral was disposed to
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  Speaker 1: grant his wish. But it would be better to wait
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  Speaker 1: until you have had a chance to rest a bit,
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  Speaker 1: said the latter tomorrow night. For instance, delay is dangerous, sir,
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  Speaker 1: I think, said Cliff. Others are seeking it, I know,
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  Speaker 1: and it may not be there unless I go at once.
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  Speaker 1: There are still several hours of the night left, and
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  Speaker 1: I can easily accomplish it. The Rear Admiral had evidently
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  Speaker 1: been impressed with what Cliff had told him concerning the shell,
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  Speaker 1: and at last agreed that he should go about it
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  Speaker 1: in his own way. Very well, then, he said, at last,
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  Speaker 1: take a boat's crew and go at once, if you please, sir,
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  Speaker 1: exclaimed Cliff. I would rather take one of the small
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  Speaker 1: boats and go alone. One man can move about with
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  Speaker 1: less fear of detection. Young man, you are undertaking a
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  Speaker 1: very dangerous mission, exclaimed the Rear Admiral. But you seem
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  Speaker 1: to have the pluck, and I have confidence that you
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  Speaker 1: can take care of yourself. Do then as you wish,
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  Speaker 1: but take some signal rockets with you. Don't hesitate to
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  Speaker 1: use them if necessary. We will be ready to send
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  Speaker 1: you assistance if needed. Cliff, highly pleased at the confidence
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  Speaker 1: that was reposed in him, saluted respectfully and hastened away
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  Speaker 1: to prepare for the venture. In a few minutes he
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  Speaker 1: was ready, The boat was lowered, and for the second
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  Speaker 1: time that night, he left the flagship to face fresh
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  Speaker 1: dangers on the shore. But this time he was alone.
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  Speaker 1: Success and safety depended upon his unaided efforts. End of
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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty nine. Recording by Tom Weiss Tom's Audiobooks, dot
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  Speaker 1: org hom