The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-09-15

| ing VI Ieet was blended with the songs
of the stout seamen, as the brig moved
slowly from the wharf towards the sea.
Ally's first thoughtson finding him.
self shut up in Captain E{iley's state
room, was that the two men were iok-
lng-merely intending to scare him a
little, and then let him out but he
soon discovered that the Quickstep-
the brig was so named-had left her
wharf, and was standing down the
Elizabeth river towards the ocean.
The truth flashed upon himl
III see it all I' he cried leaping to
his feet. ''Hiley is taking me to sea
with him Captain Hiley! y he shout
ed, pounding Oh the wall, "open the
door, this minute! Let me out, or it
will be bad for you l"
No reply was made to him-no at
tention paid to his cries.
He saw that he was fast.
For moment he was stunned by
the knowledge Of his situation.
Then he drew up his slight, boyish
fgureproudly, his eyes flashing defiance
"The thing for me to do" he mused,
''is to help myself. A boy who can't
fight his own way will never be mani"
Drawing from his pocket match,
of which he usually carried q supply,
he lighted the candle in it it's box at
one end Of the state-room.
81 see," he mentally commented,
looking around, in the light thus fur
nished. "Here's a whole dray load
of boxes and bundles. And here's q
cannon too," added Ally-''a small
one, which is expected no boubt, to
bring big price from those simple
natives in the South sea.
II can use this thing" thought the
boy, with kindling eyes. II have
plenty of powder in my pocket!"
He had bought this powder just be-
fore came aboard of the brig. for the
experiments he had promised to show
Amy that very evening.
Without more ado, Ally set at
work loading and firing the little can
non as rapid y as possible, smashing
the door, and calling out for everybody
TO keep cut of the way. The Captain
and crew were frantic with fear, as
there was large quantity of powder
in the state-room, and the prospect was
that the ship would be blown to atoms
Having filed the stato-room and cabin
with smoke, Ally seized one of the
Captains revolvers, burst open the
shattered door, rushed upon deck, and
leaped into the river.
'Thhuildor and lightning !" cried IIi-
ley, startled beyond expression. 'Af
ter that boy, all of you! Satan him
self is in him. A hundred dollars to
the man who first puts hand upon
him."
With yell, as of blood-hounds, half
= dozen of Hiley's men spla=hed into
the river, melted by the promise of
money, and sprang to the pursuit,
while Hiley, hastily lowering a boat,
rowed after his men, whom he soon
overlook, one after another, and Or
dered into the boat. They then pull
ed on after Ally, who had distanced
the men WI lie they were in the water,
but who could not compete with the
boat. Arriving at an old sunken
schooner, long way from the shore,
the boy climbed upon the topmast, and
looked bacH at Hiley, who was rapidly
approaching. The Captain felt sure
of his prey and was telling his men how
to seize the boy, when Ally suddenly
fell from the topmast, as if shot, and
Immediately sunk from sight.
"Thunder and lightning!' !' cried Hi
ley, 'he's gone !'
"Gone? ?" echoed all the men in
chorus,
"Yes, gone" and Hiley sprang to
his feet, bending forward, Il saw
him go! He fel back into the water,
and went down like bullet, without
the least cryl Pull for your lives !"
The men obeved. The boat was
quickly beside the topmast. But no
trace of the boy could be found
"Til take my Bible oath,," said Hi
ley, ''that the young salamander has
not gone towards the nearest shore
or any other. A cramp or shark
has took him !"
The eyes of the scheming villain lit
up strangely, almost savagely.
"And such being the fact, men,"
added he, ''we may as well give up
the search. -'--
The men resumed their oars, the
Captain the tiller, and the boat re-
turned in silence to the brig, arith lily
clin9ing q1tietcy 10 the sterla-his head
just far enough out OF the water to en-
able him to breathe-and there he con-
tinued to stay until the boat returned
to the brig.
And then, the boat being left in the
water, at the stern of the brig, it oc-
CURED to Ally to unfasten the boat
from its painter, let it drift down stream
some distance, then climb into it, and
row away for Norfolk, which he at
once did.
For minute or two the boat con-
timed to speed away in the darkness.
And then Ally climbed out of the
water into it, with a long sigh of relief,
and seized pair of oars resolutely.
Crouching out of sight in the bot
tom of the boat, he began rowing
shorewards-bu softly, for he was
still near the brig, and the night was
so calm he feared his enemies would
hear him.
The boat had not been gone two
minutes from the brig, when Captain
Hiley, wishing to go ashore to see
Colonel Nichols, made his way aft,
and discovering its disappearance at
once sent couple Of men after it in
another boat.
Ally seeing that he must again take
to the water, took the oars along with
I,;,,, or1 1,ranE Jrif+iDor eoovorJ with