The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-08-05
while the cap'n went and took observa.
lions In tho Stafe-roOm .s..


So down the cap'n goes into the state
room to give look mt the box. Wal, he
finds the state-room door all locked to be
sure, and my lady had the key In her
pocket; but then the cap'n he had mas
ter key to II, and so he puts 1t In and
opens the door quito softly, and begins
to take observations.
Sure enough. he finds that the screws
had been drawed from tho top of the box,
shown, that the widder had been tinker
In, ont when they thought she was cryin,
over It; and then. lookin' close, he sees q
bit of twine goin' from crack In the box
out O. the winder and up on deck. m
Wal. the cap'n he kinder o. got In tho
sperit o. the thing. aud he thought ho'd
Jest Let the widder play her play out, and
see what II would como to. So he Jest
calls Tom Toothacre down to him, and
whispered to him.
Tom, says he. .you jest crawl under
the berth in that are state.room and
watch that are box And Tom said nc
would. -,f III. H HI
So Tom creeps under the berth and
lies there still MS mouse, and the cap'n
he slips out and turns the key In the door
so that when madam comes down she
shouldnts'pect nothin'.
Putty soon, sure enough, Tom heard
the lock rattle, and the widow come In.
and then he heard bit of conversation
between her and the corpse. A..
What time Is it?' came in kind OF n
hoarse whisper out o. the box.
well. bout nine o'clock, says she.
How long nforc you'll let me out?'
says no. I
% you must have patience says she,
till they're all gone of to sleep, when
there aint but one man up. can knock
him down, says she, and then III pull
the string for you
The devil you will ma'amr says Tom
to himself. under the berth.
We'll. it's darned close here.' says tho
fellow In the box. He didn't say darn.
cd, boys, but he said wickeder word
that can't repeat noways,' said Sam. In
parcnthcsis. These ere British officers
was drefIiil swearin critters
You must have patience while long
err, says the lady, till pull the string.
Tom Toothacre lay there on his back
laue him.
rs everything going on right? says
the man in the box.
All straight says she, there don't
none of 'cm suspect
You bet, says Tom Toothacre, under
the berth. And he said he had the great
est mind to catch the critter by the fee. rs
she was u standin' there but somehow
thought IL would be better fun to see the
thing through 'cording rs they'd planned
1t.
Wal, then she went of switcbin' and
mincin' up to the deck ag'in, and tiirt-
in with tho cap n; for you see 1t was
greed to let 'cm play their play out.
Wal. Tom he lay there waitin, and no
waited and waited. till he most got asleep,
but finally he heard stirrln' In the box,
us II the fellcr was u gettin' up. Tom
he Jest cr,wled out still and kcrful, and
stood up tight ag'in the wall. Putty soon
he hears grlint, and he see tho top o.
the box risin' up and u man jest gettin'
out ont mighty still.
Wal, Tom he waited till ho got fairly
out on to the floor, and had his hand on
the lock o. the door, when ho jumps on
him and gin him regular bears hug.
why, what's this?' says tho man.
Guess yell fnh cat, darn yc.' says
Tom Toothacrc. so yo wanted our ship
did yc.? Wal, ye can't have our ship,
says Tom say he. And l tell You he
Jest run that arc fellow up stairs lickety-
split. for Tom was strong rs u giant.
The fust thing they saw was Mr.. More
he'd got the widder by both arms and was
tying on 'cm behind her. .Ye see. mad
am, your games up says Mr.. More,
but we give you free passage to Boston,
tho says he, we wanted couple of
prisoners about these days and you'll do
nicely
The fellers they was putty chopfollcn,
to be sure, and tho one In women's clothes
specially; cause when he was found out,
he felt foolish enough in his petticoats |;
but they was both took to Boston and
given over rs prisoners.
Ye see, come to look into matters, they
found the two young fellows British Of
ficels, had formed regular plot to take
Cap'n fuckers vessel and run 1t into
Halifax; and ye see. Cap'n Tucker he
was so sort of spry, and knew nll the
Maine coast SO well, and was so cute mt
d0dgin' In and out all them httle bays
and creeks. and places all long shore,
that he made the British considerable
trouble. cause wherever they didn't him
that's where he was sure to be.
So they'd Matched up this Gro plan.
There was one or two british sailors had
been shipped aboard the Brilliant week
or two aforehand and twas suspected
they was to have helped In the plot If
things had gone rs they laid out; but i
tell you, when the fellows SEQ which way
the cat jumped, they took putty god
care to say that they hadn't nothin' to do
with 1t. oh no, by no manner o. means.
Wal, o. course. ye know, 1t could't be
proved on them. and so We let 1t 60.
But tell you Cap'n Tucker he felt
putty cheap about his widder. The
worst ont was. they do say Ma'am Tuck
or got hold ON II. and you might know IL
u woman got hold on thing like that
she'd uso 1t as handy rs cal would her
claws. The women they can't no more
help hittin' a fellow clip and u rapAvhen
they've fairly got him, than Cat when
she's ketchel mouse, and so / shouldn't
wonder If the Commodore heard some
thing about his wid,ler every time he
went home from his v'yges the longest
day he had to live. don't know rothin'
bout It, yc know, I only kind o. o'jecge by
what looks rs human natur goes.
But Lordy massy, boys, 'twa'n't nothin'
to be 'shamed of IN the cap'n. Folks'll
have to answer for wus things than try
in to kindness To n poor widdor. now
tell you. It's better TO be took In doin'
!, good thing, than never try To do good
and it's my settled opinion. said Sam,
taking up his mug Of cider and caressing
It tendcrly, it's my humble opinion
hat the best sort o. folks Is tho casist took
In. specially by the women. / rcely
Ilon't think / should done u bit better
myself
SNf,foNs.-Samuel Oscood writing ofl