Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-06-17

| tween Ram Island and the mainland, a sail.
boat, heavily laden and managed by two men.
With fine breeze from the west Of north,
they steered along, close hauled, aud hugging
the shore, until they had passed Long Point,
perhaps third of tho distance between tho
| mouth OF Mystic and New London Light.
They could not see distinctly the lofty mills
and towering spars and rigging of Sir Thomas
Hardy's feet, aiding at single anchor inside
Of Fishers Island the two seventy fours
looming up in the warm air, and attended, as
| 1t were, by the smaller 0rpheus and Oeulus
tnSates, and by two or three gun -brigs and
| frigates
After passing Long Point, the sailboat stood
rather further out 70 sea-
| Don't bear away too fur, father" said
Ethan-for he and Mr.. Balch, senior, consti-
tuted the boats crew-"They'il smell a rat 80
| "No they won {, my son, said the old gen
| tlcman, luffing n little, however "They
don't give US no credit fur knowin' how to han
die boat; L reckon they'll have to allow VIC
kin manage frigate, thought
The two men now intendly regarded the
| enemy's vessels. 'Twould DO a dredfuI thing
eff they shouldn't undertake to ketch US, ,"
said Ethan, appTehenSively. "What in thun
| der should we say TO Commodore Decatur :"
There they be, Ethan!' said the old man,
his eyes Frightening with excitement. Set
still, set still. They've got good glasses
they'll see US. Make b'lievo you don't SEQ
nothin' on 'em!''
And sure enough, as ho spoke, there shot
| out from behind the Families the long, low,
black rOw-galley, which had been the means
of so many petty depredations along the coast.
Hosting lug-sail, and bracing sharp up,
she steered, with double impetus of sail and
! oar, straight across, in q direction to cut of
the deeply-laden and slow-moving boat
Amt II most time 20 90 about father 30
asked Ethan, after ten minutes of rather IN
| easy silence.
"Don't git worried, my son." said the old
gentleman, dryly. Your father has sailed
great many boats. We was 10 run ashore
with them two high trees il range, WASH t
we!"
Yes; there; peeled pole on the beach,
! jest at the spot"
"Wal, reckon we can see them fellows
! aboard the galley now, said the elder Balch,
with grin. " You kin be just as frightened
as you please -
And he pretended to espy the unfriendly
! pursuers for the first time and with an elah-
crate display Of terrified haste and awkward
ness, the boat was put about, and steered
straight tor the beach, now nearly half a mile
/ distant
The English galley hereupOn, slightly W.
! rying her course, came in direct pursuit.
Ethan and bis father, as the foe approached,
! by way OF maintaining the deception, crouche
down 50 as to be out Of sight, occasionally
| popping up their heads for a moment, as If
to watch the enemy, and quickly hiding then
again.
Psek-1-Joo 80 said Ethan as he locked NJ
! for moment. We shall be hard aground
in three minits, father. They're a comm up
hand over hand. There is the pole on the
| beach"
"Come we'll aft, Ethan" said his father,
! let's run her well on -
Halo, there, you id Yankee lubbers -
haIl lnA sha IL
three rods " If you beach the boat, we IN
! shoot you"
But almost as he spoke, tho boat ran hea-
viiy up against the sloping sandy beach, AMI
stuck fast. Tho two men, hastily tumblins
out, ran up the beach and disappeared over
! the steep sand-hills that bordered the shore
The English galley grounded hard upon tho
American marines rose from behind the crest
OF the sand hills; poured in one close and
fatal volley, and rushing forward, OverpOw-
/ cred the remainder Of the crew. Nearly a
third Of their number were dead or desper-
ately wounded, and the lieutenant command
ing and two or three more, were all, out Of
/ about thirty men, that remained unhurt
! you've paid ruther more 'n't's wuth, -
said Ethan TO the English officer, "even if
! you'd ketched that ere boat-lOsd of cobble-
| stones -
And he pointed to the worthless cargo Of
| the sail boat, adding
- reckon we're even with you now, for
hooking that boat-load of garding sarse Of
mine, day before yesterday, and ketchin;
, them two fellers
! The crest-fallen Englishmsn made no an
! swer, and old Mr.. Bslch reproved his son f,r
insulting people in trouble; whereupon Ethan
discontinued his attempts at conversation,
! saying that he could mt help wanting to mako
the captive commander comprehend the exact
| features of the case.
In the exchange of pisoners shortly nego-
/ tiated, the liberation Of the Messrs. Robin
was secured The ill-fate Of the row-gallcy
! and its crew secured much safer coast-w;se
| communication; and this fulfIment, through
! Ethan's means, Of the hard commands of hi-
lady-loye, restored, and even enhanced the
! amicabeness Of the relations heretofore ex.
listing between them.