The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-02-09


could be seen the CLEAN of boarding-pikes
and battle-aXeE. At her main-mast head
Il blood red flag iloatcd out, bearing he
motto: D,aW h In,aDx o"t .ill,
Iao's g." Al the furc.uck. ouoiher red
flag bore the name of the scbooner--"Tn
TYRANNIoIDE. Tier fgure-head was
serpent striking lis fang into the heart of
a man who wore crown Taking he,
altogether, she was indeed a soucy and
dangerous-looking craft, calculated to both
sail and fight well Upon her deck many
men could be seen, showing that if she
had teeth" she had also strength to use
them.
The young captain did not reply to the
proud owners remarks, but, with an
equally exulting eye, looked at the hand
some vessel while boat which he had
signa'd, rapidly approached the shore.
1t was surf-built, pulled by eight sturdy
young men, and an officer, also young, hut
a bold and handsome boy, steercd her
In few moments, she was at the pier.
The young officer touched his hat aud
said
If you please, Captain Seawaii, you
had better hasten aboard"
Why, Mr.. Merely, what is the matter
there ?" asked the captain, as he and Mr..
Cringle sprung into the boat.
"Tho surgeon, sir, DR.. La Motto, has
had Il quarrel with Mr.. Doolttle, the first
officer, sir, and has hallenged him to
duel. believe they were getting arms
to settle the matter when l left, sir"
All quOrreling already III give
them a chance to fight our countrys foes
not her friends, soon !" said Captain Sea.
waif. "Give way with will men," he
added, to sthose at the oars; put me
along side in o hurry-I hear the clash Of
steel !"
But lew moments elapsed ere the boat
reached the schooner's gangway.
The captain scarcely touched the main.
ropes as he leaped over the side, with q
frown on his pale brow, and an angry light
in his dark eye.
And he came just in time tor one of
the combattants, his first officer was ire.
menduously hard pressed by his opponent
WHIP, using a long, slim rapier of match.
less steel with consumate skill, was far
superior to the other, who had the short
curved cutlass, much used by seamen at
that day. While the amazed, yet amused
crew OF the vessel looked on, the French.
man had made lunge after lunge at the
officer, making remarks at each lunge,
which brought shouts of laughter from the
men.
"Ah, sh Monsieur Do.lttle; make
you do sameSing now, eh 2" he would
cry, as he made lungc, which the officer
standing solely on the defensive. barely
succeeded in parrying. How you like
&c trog-stickare, in &c hands Of &c frog
eatre, eh ?" he would add, as his keen
blade, doubling over the stiff one of
his adversary, narrowly escaped sheath
III the bosom OF the latter.
Hold here, hold !" cried Seawaif.
sternly, as he stepped between the COM
batants, who instantly lowered the points
of their weapons What means this
breach of discipline in oficers, and upon
my quarterback, which should and shall
be as inviolate as church to all who be.
long upon it !"
The attitude and look of the combat.
ants at this instant was most striking. The
Frenchman, who was very lean and tall,
had cast of, not only his cap, but his WIG,
leaving his perfectly bald head exposed.
He was in his shirt-s'eeves, also, and wore
the highest kind of black breeches and
stockings, making his very active, but
diminutive legs look even smaller than
they were, His moustache, which was
thich and heavy, was twisted ferociously
over toward each ear, which it nearly
touched.
Mr.Doolittle was equally long and lank;
but he wore seaman's loose trowsers,
which, though they fitted at the waist in
spider-ike tigbtness, spreak out Turkishly
below, and there concealed the slender
shanks of bone and skin. His loose shirt,
bullying out above his slim waist gave an
idea that there was an expansion of chest
and body there; but in vain had the ra.
pier of Doctor La Motto, III several pass.
ages through the garment sought for more
solid material than cotton shifting. His
face was smooth, and his long, straight
hair seemed to have been plastered to his
checks, with tallow, or some ,other such
substance, Of its own dirty.white color.
"What means this quarrel? Speak
gentlemen, will permit no triaing here.'
II guess it wouldn't have been trfRe,
if the doctor had run his tarnal toad.
sticker through my gizzardw said Mr..
Doolittle. But, cap'n, I reckon was
in the wrong! The doctor ordered some
fried frogs on the table, and / said I'd
rather eat stewed kittens. He twitted me
about eating pork and molasses, and l
talked back rather saucy; and he wanted
to fight, and l accommodated him That's
all, sir--I'm the one TO blame"
"No, Monsieur Dooleetle, 'scuse me if
you sail please-you are tout genereuse.
l, sare am re shentilhomme Eat is to blame.
Monsieur lie Capitaine, I shall make ono
grande apology to your quarterback
tres grande to Monsieur Dooleetle, and
more Fan Eat to you, sare! l will make
once more fronts wiz Monsieur Dooleetle
and if at any time he have shot in 70
leg, or re arm, l will take zem off as ea,y
as pull q foot /"
"Thank yei hope you'll not have
any chance for such onerations said tho