The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1851-09-23

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In few minutes we were pulling steadily to.
wards the still motonless cutter. Old Barna
! by was fumbling among the tubs in search, as
J he growlcd our, of his pea -jecket; his hopeful
grandson was seated at the stern whistling the
then popular air of the ~ oodpecker with
, great energy and perfect GOODNESS and was
standing with my back towards them in the
bow OF tho boat, when the stroke -oarsman sud
denly exclaimed; What are you at with the
boats painter. you young devils cub? The
quick mocklng laugh of the boy, and the words
. Now. grandfer, nowp replied to him. Old
Barnaby sprang into tho boat which the lad
had brought close up to the stern, pushing her
off as he did with all his strength; and then
the boy. holding the painter or boat rope. which
he had detached from the ring il had been fas-
tened to. in his hand, jumped over the side; in
another instant he was hauled out of the water
by Old Barnaby, and both were seated and pull
ling Justify, and with exultng shouts, round in
the direction Of the Blue-eyed Maid, before
we had recovered from the surprise which the
suddenness ano completeness of the trick
we had been played excited. We
were. however, very speedily in vigorous chase
and as tho wind, though favorable, and evident.
ly rising, was still light. we had little doubt Of
success, especially as some precious minutes
must be lost to the smuggler in getting UNDER
weigh, neither jib nor foresal being as yet set
The watermen bent fercely to their oars; and
heavily laden as the boat was, we were begin
ming TO slip freely through the water, when an
exclamation from one of the mon announced
another and more perous trick that the Barna-
by's had played us. Old Barnaby. in pretend
ing to tumble about for his jacket, had contrved
to unship largo plug expressly contrived for
the purpose of sinking the boat whenever the
exgencies of their vocation might render such
an operation advisable; and the water was
coming in like sluice. There was no help
! for it, and the boats head was Immediately
turned towards the shore. Another vociferous
shout rang in our ears as the full success of
their scheme was observed by the Barnabys,
replied to of course by the furious but impotent
execrations of the watermen. Tho boat sank
rapidly; and we were still about hundred
yards from the shore when we found ourselves
splashing about in the water, which fortunately
was not more than up to the armps of the
shortest of us. but so full Of strong and tangled
seaweed that swimming was out of the ques-
ton; and we had to wade slowly and painfully
through 1t, a step on spot of moro than .usu-
ally soft mud Pumping us down every now and
! then ovor head and ears. After reaching the
shore and shaking ourselves, we found leisure
| to look in the direction of the Blue-eyed Maid,
and had the exquisite pleasure of seeing her
glide gracefully through the water as she stood
down the river impeed by the fast freshening
broeze, and towing the watermens boat secure
ly at her stern.
| There were no means of pursuit; and after
indulgng in supdry energetic vocabes hardly
worth repeating. we retreated in savage dis
comforture towards Weston, pentifuliy sprink-
ling the grass and gravel as we slowly passed
along; knocked down the landlord of public
house, and lurning in as soon as possible, hap
PLY exchanged our dripping attire for warm
blankets and clean sheets, beneath the sooth
ing influence ofwhich i, for ono. was soon sound
asleep.
Day had hardly dawned when we were all
three up, and overhauing the mud and weeds
the tide was quite gone out-for the cap
tnred boat and tubs. They had vanished ut
terly: the fairies about Weston had spirited
them away while we slept leaving no vestige
whatever of the spoil to which we had natural
ly looked as some trifing compensation for
the nights mishap and the loss Of the water
mems boat, to say nothing of the sousing we
got. II was bad business certainly, and my
promise to provide my helpmates with another
boat, should their own not bo recovered, sooth-
cd but very slightly their sadly ruffled tempors
But lamentations were useless. and, after the
lugubrious expression of dismal hope for bet |
ter luck next time. we separated.
This pleasant accident did not in the least
abate my anxiety to get once more within hail.
ing distance of the Barnaby's; but for long !
time my efforts were entirely fruitless and ! |
had began to think that the Bluo-eyed Maid |
had been permanently transferred to another
and less vgilantly watched station, when |
slightinkling ofnteligcnce dispelled that fear.
My plan was soon formed. | caused 1t to be
carelessly given out on shore that the Rose had
sprung her bowsprtin the gale day or two
before, and was going the next afternoon into
Dnrfa. auth 60 ~ -HI
this intention, the Rose soon after noon slipped
her moorings aud sailed for the pourt; remain
ed quietly there till about nine o'clock in the
evening, and then camo out under ciose.reefed
storm canvas, for it was blowing great guns
from the northward, and steered for the South
ampton River. The night was as dark as
pitch; and but for the continuous and vivid
flashes of flightning, no object moro than
hundred yards distant from tho vessel could
have been discerned. We ran up beam of
Hythe without perceiving tho object of our
search, then tackled, stood across to tho other
side, and then retraced our course. We wero
within short distence of Handle River, when
a prolonged flash threw ghastly light upon
the raging waters. and plainly revealed the
Blue eyed Maid. lying-to under tho lee Of the
north shore, and il may be about half a mile
ahead of Us. Unfortunately she saw us at the
same moment. and as soon as way could be got
upon her she luffed sharply up, and minute
afterwards was flying through the water in 6
the hope of yet escapeing her unexpected enc {
my. BY edging away to eeward contrived t
to cut her offeffectually from running into the 1
Channel by the Needles passage; but daunted,
she held boldly on without attempting to re- $
duce an inch of canvas, although from the press
she carried. fairly buried in the sea. Right in a
the course she was steering. the Donegal, Y
huge eiptv Gun shin was riiug at anchor off .
Spithead. Old Barnaby, who, could discern
by his streaming white hairs; was at the helm, .
in bis anxiety to keep as well 10 windwyrd of a
us as possible, determined, suppose, to pass
as closely as he could under the stern Of tho ]
ne-of-battle ship unfortunate. just as The lit {
lie cutter was in the act Of doing so. furious q
blast of wind tore away her jib as If it had been