Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1863-07-31

roughly interrogating the fisherman
The questions she needed not to hear dis
tinctly to understand answer of Finn
she did catch, for it was spoken for her
ears as well as for the soldiers who had
visited the cabin:
"A hundred pieces of gold " cried the
fishermen, " truly, captain, a sum like it
would be worth striving for. BE assured
| will take good care of the runaways if
they fall into my hands. A hundred
pieces of gold Not soul shall escape
shipwreck, from this day forth for twelve
month, that | will not ring to your quar-
ters. 4 hundred pieces of gold Bat,
captain, added Finn, with the character
istie coolness Of a Danish peasant, "will
you enter my humble cottage a moment
for rest and rcfreShmcnt ?"
The mother shuldcred lest the invita-
ton given in bravado might be accepted
in earnest, and then-she was mother
and the lives Of her children were at
stake-for an instant she tremblcd at the
possibility that her host might intend to
betray her. The voice of the captain as
he declined the prolcrcd civility and re-
newed his promise to the fisherman, reas
sured her, as its tones died away in the
distance. In moment more Finn enter
ed the cabin.
"Lose not moment, madam he said.
" The storm has abated, the waves are
more worthy of trust than man, and we
must embark on the instant"
All the strength Of the mother return
ed at this new exigency, and hushing her
children into silence by sign, she follow
ed Finn as he took clrcuitous path
among the rocks, known only to himself;
change Of Il word, they were embarked in
the ti.herman's skiff, the fasts east off, the
honest Finn working with will, and, in
ten hours the dawning light showed him
the shore Of the Low Countries. Through
the night he had been guided by his ia
miiar pilots, the stars ; and labor was so
much his habitual custom in his hard call
ins, he had so often endured it as mat
ter of course and of habit, that with such
stake in forfeit, he did not once think
of fatigue. Suddenly a new danger caught
his eye.
Two armed boats were pursuing him +;
ami notwithstanding they were crowded
with soldiers, they gained upon him. 1t
was evident that they had been laying i'll
wait near the coast to intercept the very
precious burden which he carried lie
uttered not word Of surprise.
"Down, madam" he said without any
appearance of being disconnected, down
in the bottom of the boat, it needs bal
last.
The mother, unconscious Of the threat
ening danger, obcyed mechanically. In
the next instant, mlskct balls whistled
past the ears Of the intrpicd fishermen
had they sped an instant before, the moth
er would have escaped the pcrIs Of the
sea but to have been murdered by the
hirelings.
Finn examined with his eye the dis
tance yet between his boat and the shore !;
aud he saw that it was impossible to reach
it before his pursuers would overtake him
He formed sudden and desperate reso-
lution-he ceased to ily. He even turn
ed his boats head toward his pursuers,
and making trumpet of his hanIs shout
cd ;
Boats ahoy, What DO you wish ?"
" GU arc not alone answered his
pursurers.
" True, replied the fisherman, as the
boats Were now 50 near each other that
they could converse with less effort. "
have a good cargo Of fish for companions.
lou can provision yourselves with them
If You wish; there's no nccl to fire upon
me for that -
" Advance -
Aye, aye" cried Finn gaily, yet
trcmulously. 1t was proper AMI natural
that a poor fisherman should be awkward
and alarmed before two boat loads of sol
dicrs. The coarse brutes enjoyed what
they thought was the trepiAation and en-
ersy Of fear, and as they stood up, their
boats rcelctl under their shouts OF laugh
ter, as the tisherman's skitf, urged by his
nervous arms shot towards them.
\ scream from the upbers, \ splash,
The awkward tishcrmans clumsy boat has
struck their bows, and the awkward sol
diers fall over the gunwalc all around into
the sea. Nor is there less confusion in
the other skill. Their boat dipped
water first over one side and then over
the other, as the soldiers swung their
arms, and swayed AMI fell upon each 9TH
er, in vain attempts TO succor their drown
ing companions. What another acci-
dent The awkward aud frightened fish
erman has taken sunden sweep, and run
into them, too. And now he is pulling
away for dear life, without thought for
the safety OF the soldiers Of Dcnmarh !
What . Il head peeplng over the side OF
the iishcrmans boat--a woman's head =
Never mind the men oycrboard-pursue
But the oars have all been thrown to
the drowning men.
Fire upon them
Bat the muskets have fallen overheard
with their owners, or from their hands, or
they are in the bottom Of the boat-in
soak.
That night the fisherman and h is wife
laughed long. but not loud, for there
might have been listeners. The good man
Fun never made any inquiries about the
soldiers who had taken cold bath and
as all were saved and they did not care
to bruit their own discontinue by a single