Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1854-01-19

tors expected 10 see MS OodI nuIleu oOtIol
upward toward them, they beheld it noun
ting the wave gsllan.ly, as storm blro
breasts the gale.
"WeIl done, BLY, shouted the principal
speaker, and carried away by the excite
men,, he gave voice to hearty cheer, in
which the others joined.
s'The lads born sailor," said one Of the
others, when the frs. burs. Of JOY ID pass
led. "It would be mortal shame to lei
such brave little fellow die, even if his
poor old mother did'n, look to him for her
living. We mus. launch surf boat, board
the craft, and be after him. He can't live
long with that rig"
The plan Of The speaker had suggested
itself simultaneously to the others. Bu'
some time was necessarily occupied in get
ting a surf-boat into The water, and during
the interval the skiff had nearly disappeared
in the darkness and distance, the lad having
succeeded in gel,ng his li.tle craft before
the wind, as his only chance for permanent
safety.
"He's done his best, bu, it's taking him
right on the shoals, end in half an hou, no.
thing can save him." said the man who
lad "PulI away with a will; boys, or we'll
be too late after all. Hs! he's waving his
handkerchief, as | live. He sees US and says
he's hearty ye,-he's a trump and no mis-
take-pull sway-here we are, look alive -
| In moment more the little crew were
on deck, and as soon as possible the anchor
was hove, the sails set, and the schooner
put before the wind. The anxiety of all had
become insDPporlable, by this lime for the
delay had been considerable, nolwi,hsland
log every effort at haste and in the inter
val the skff had vanished. Whether she
had only disappeared in the gloom of ,br
board, or whether she had been cspsiz.
ed, no one could tell for all had been too
| much occupied 10 notice the exact moment
when she passed from S Ight. But the fears
| or at least doubts, exceed the hopes. 1t was
| therefore, with sensation Of relief, that the
crew felt the pilo-bos, 10 be in motion, and
as the water whizzed past their spirits rose
The very schooner seemed to share in the
general anxiety. No greyhound loosed
from The leash, could have sprung forward
more eagerly or swiftly.
The nigi.. haa row s!...:..- In. The wina,
sighed mournfuIly up in the sky; a wild
sound went fitting overhead, now revealing
a few, fain, stars and the sea was black as
ink, excep, where The white caps lashed up
for an instant, ominous of a coming tempest.
| For long time the rush of The hull, as
it gided though the waters, was The only
sound heard. Every eye meantime wss
scanning the narrow, but tumultuons pros
| III III
where the skiff, and its occupant. As the
schooner left the shore out of sight behind
her; this scrutiny became more sharp: 5u,
alas to no purpose.
! Don't you see anything yel?' cried the
master at last, hailing the principal look
ou. from the helm. Surely he's in sigh,
some here.'
There's no sign of him, sir
| 'We're close on the shoal now, and mus,
soon 60 about. Can we have passed him =
'Can's say. Don'l think we have Iacon-
ically replied the men. lit is dark enough
but l've looked sharp, sir
Al that instant a dull roar was heard close
ahead, and long line Of foam suddenly
whilened the gloom in lha. direction, pro-
claiming that the shooner was perilously
near TO the shoal.
Ready, about shouted the master and
Instantly every man sprang to his station,
'haul in, let 60, beIav Round she is cheer
ilyn And as he finished, The ligh, craft
danced away on the other tack, leaving the
breakers at safe distance asern.
Look lively now, mind we don't leave
him, cried the master as the shoal rapidly
faded into the darkness behind. " ou don,
see his skif bottom upward any of your
The pilot-boa, was no longer gliding
noiselessly, like greyhound coursing, bul
leaning over to the wind, she struggled a.
gainst the head-sss, like a war horse charg-
ing up hill. When the bow struck the op-
posing waves, the spray often flew cracking
10 the very crosstrees apparently, and while
simultaneously culver ran through the
hull from stem 10 stern, and the mas,s creak-
ed audibly. Fer out 10 leewsrd beied the
lar board shrouds, while those 10 windward
were SO laut lha, a landsman would have ex-
Ipec,ed to see them snap.
"Nothing yel?" These were the words
with which the helmsman broke sno,he,
long silence.
"Nothing, SIR"
Gle can't certainly be inside US. We've
either missed him, OF else he went to the
bottom before we reached the shoal. Ru,
hark What's that:
As he spoke, what seemed fain. cry
came out Of the gloom ahead. Was j, q
child's voice? Or was j. only meditation
of the gale?
They listened, not daring to BREATHE
; Nothing reached their ears but the SOUND
Of the wind in the rigging, and the dash o.
The waters lhnmping sgains. the bow. and
with long drawn sigh The master was pre-.