The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-08-20
Strike for the Rock


Billy and Tom lived by the seaside,
and were perfect little water-dOgs of
boys. Their father was an old fish
erman, so he had fitted up a little
skiff for them, and they could step
their own mast. and trim their sail
equal to any boys along shore
"Them boys o mine II sail nigh
onto as close to the wind as any one
on us the old nan would say, while
a CLEAN of pride would come into his
eyes, and sometimes little moisture
that was as real as the salt spray it
self.
So nobody was surprised when one
day the boys trimmed their little sail,
and began to skim over the water,
down the bay, only one cd tar, who
leaned on the fluke of bower, cooked
his eve at the sky, and said
Them mackerels up aloft II fetch
stiff breeze afcre night; but old
COwles boys mOught be as up to t as
me-"
"Let's make Misery, Tom" said
Billy, "and see if there's a chOwder
party there"
Haul in on that sheet, Tom, and
fetch her pint t starb'd,'' said Billy,
who stood in the bows, while Tom
held the tiller.
MISERY" was a rocky island down
the bay where very often ehOwder
parties went ashore and had a good
dinner. Sometimes the boys could
t-------Ir-l -l---ast nanny hy lending them
hand about getting tioatwood for
the fire, and one thing and another
That day there we're no chowder
parties, and they kept on beyond
Misery, when all at once Tom, who
had given up the tiller to Billy, said
Look off there to wind ard, Billy;
what's that creeping along the water
Hadn't ye better haul in Bit? p
Billy looked, and he could see the
squall coming. showing itself in the
changed color of the water and atmos-
phere, making the one darker, and
the other more hazy.
"Bear a hand here, Tom, quick
This sheets got foul p cried Billy,
as, with one hand on the tiller, he
tried to use the other on the rope that
had tangled about the Delaying pin.
Tom sprang to his aid, but he was
too late. The squall struck their sail
and over she went to Ieeward. The
mast came out, and there lay their
little boat, bottom up, while both boys
were in the water.
But | said they were little water
dogs. They were good swimmers,
and their light duck clothes were
slight impediments to their striking
out freely.
Billy clung to the boat, and tried
to climb up on it, but it was round,
and wet and slippery-may be that was
what made it so fast a boat when it
was right side up-and he couldn't
get on it.
All at once he heard, Toms voice,
away off crying out, Strike for the
rock, Billy Strike for the rock !
So Billy left the boat, and swan
to the rock that Tom had just reach
ed. The squall went by almost as
soon as it had come, and the boys
stood safely on the firm rock that
reared its head above the waters.
Don't We mind, Billy" said Tom
"this old rock don't shake and tip
over with the wind, and we're safe
here. Let's take off our breeohes,
and swing 'em-sOme pilot II see US. "
But sharp eyes had been on that
trim little sail, and, when the squall
went down, more than one pilot who
was cruising round, waiting for ship
to heave in sight, looked to see if ii
was still there, and missing it, trim
med his sail so as to bear on the spot
saying to himself:
"Them's Cowle's boys they mustn't
go down to Dayy Jones'"
So the boys were soon all right again
and with their boat righted up, and
their sail reset, could go home to re-
lieve their anxious mothers heart.
There is great ocean on which
We are sailing. Temptations come
like squalls, and as suddenly, some
times and habits are like heavy
gales. Either may wreck US, and
there's danger of being lost and ruin
ed. Under them, many a little skif
that carries all a boys hopes of life
may capsize.
There's blessed refuge for US,
then. the "Rock Christ Jesus" When
you are in danger cf doing wrong
"Strike for the Rock, boys Strike
for the Rock p Ask your dear moth
cr, and she will tell yon hoW.-Lit
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