Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-04-26
Grlrt Calls.
Cooper has nothing in his sea novels much
superior to this En-
An Adventure al Sea-

An Adventure I'll Otd'
The mate had been looking out with spy
glass and observed sail to windward.
Jump aloft, one of you who has good eyes,
and tell me what you make out of that craft with
the suspicious rake in her masts, on our weather
bow" .s.,
Gay, uy, STRIP they again sung oat, in full
chorus; anil away, several scampefed up the
shrouds, pell-melL' Among the rest was Percel~
we'd the slight figure of the lad, who ascended
with remarkable agility, and left the others far
behind. The mate could scarcely credit what
he saw, and gazed aoh in amazement'
"Maintopgallant, there! !" hailed the mate.
cay, ay, sir" replied Isaac, in as gruf voice
as he could muster for the occasion.
"What sort o. craft is THAI to windward--ana
how is she standing"
cit is a small black schooner all legs and
arms, replied Mr.. Maintopgallant; " and she IS
bearing down for us, under press Of sail Now
she runs up fay which you can make out from
the deck with the glass and by the flash and
the smoke she makes, she has Just fred gun"
Presently, dull, heavy report came booming
on the breeze, and laundering sound echoed
against the side Of the ship. The glass was
bent upon the approaching schooner, vhosehu,l
had not yet entirely risen out of the water. Her
dag was found to be French
"Steword the Captain" cried the mate
in alarm: " Forward there = call all hands on
deck-srand by to put the ship about"
Ay, ay, sir" echoed along the deck, and ev-
cry sailor sI.,ol 1aa,.f,st his p9a. fgs,Sipt &C
ton.
Seth and Jethro now Appeared on leck, Won
derin2 not little at tie uncommon ,lt on board,
and surprised to find every man really, whenever
the word should be given, 10 put The ship on a
new direction.
"What does all this mean, mater demanded
the captain; "why wouldst thou change the
course Of the ship%
IL did not intend to do so without your con-
currence," replied the mate; "but | thought 1t
best to have every thing ready for prompt ma
nnuvring. We have a suspicious. looking sail
on our weather bow, and she shows French COL
ors. BY the rake of her masts should not be
surprised to find her a clipper with long tom
amidships; for she has given US gun already"
"Rather dangerous neghbor for US, surely"
said the captain, especially if she should prove
one of those piratical rascas that sometimes cut
up our commerce. Keep her away and see if
she follows U.S." continued he, lowering the poin,
Of his glass.
Away went the Grampus with free wind
snortlng as it were like a race hose, and plung.
ing handsomely through the seas OH her altered
course.
The Frenchmau steered for, AMI gained grad.
ually and steadily upon the Grampus; and the
event was most anxiously looked for by all on
board. The ship deeply laden as she was with
oil, was of great value, and, as Seth thought
eminently worth preserving. But the French.
men were determined she should change owners
for they managed their little craft with great
skill, and altered their course nchose, whenever
Macy changed his. The breeze vas brisk, and
suited the schooner to crack; while the laden
ship, though the Aeetest of her class, could mol
show her heels to advantage, without a stronger
wind. Macy tried his vessel upon every tack
but escape was impossible-'he wedge-ikt
schooner gained upon him at eg2ey turn.
snow would give the hall Of our cargo
said Macy, Z" for a few guns TO speak to thai
saucy little scamp in his own language" And
then turning to Jethro, he said, rather bitterly
" Dost thou remember friend Coffin, what tolC
thee about the six Founders, before we left the
port? fear thou wilt pay dearly for not taking
my advice There comes salute number tico !"
f A gun at that moment was fired from th'
! Frenchman, across the bow Of the Grampus; bu
, the shot went wide, and was most probably in
tended merely as a warning to hoave to. Set
paced the deck IN great agony of spirit, mutter
inc as he went, words that sounded very mucl
like damnation" and the like. The sound ma,
have been equivocal to the ear Of Jethro, for h
forbore to pu in his usual caution Of " Swear no
at ALL" as he was wont to do, whenever Captain
4 Seth used obnoxious words.
: The Granlpus was now kept off two or three
2 points, and foretopmast-studdng sail was abou
! boingsot; but, in the hurry of the moment, b,
some mishap, the tack got unrore. A couple o
hands we're ordered aloft to rig in the boom, an
reeve the tack anew, Ia an instant, little Isaac
who had. heard the order, put the rope betwee
his teeth, ran up the fore-shrouds, crept out o
|, the top of the foreyard like monkey, and the
n out upon the bare boom. But before he had &C
t compllshel his task, the Frenchmen brought !hel
e long-tom, charged with small shot, to bear upo
e the yard, and let drive at Isaac thinking proba
9 bly, that his labor might be the means of ena
bling she Grampus to escape The little fello,
> was not disconnected, by this terrible salute, a