The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-03-27


to show that there want ha'porth o.
lyin' in his whole skin. But the mate
didn't seem to swaller the yarn at ALL he
only shrugged his shoulders with kind
O grim as much as to say, 'I'm too old a
bird to be caught with that kind O chaff;"
aud then he says to him. ''Look here.
my lad; that's all very fine, but it won't
do here-some of these men O mine are
in the secret, and | mean to have it out Of
EN-. Now. you just point out the man as
slowed you away and fed you, this very
minute; if YOU don't. it'll be the worse
for YOU"
The boy looked up in his bright. fear
less way Git did my heart good to look al
him, the brave little chapD. aud says
quite quietly, 1--we told YOU the truth; 1
amt got no more to say
The mate says nothin', but looks at him
for a minute as if he'd see clean through
him; and then he faced round to the men,
lookin' blacker than ever. "Reeve rope
to the yard" he sings out, loud enough to
raise the dead ''smart now r
The men all looked at each other, as
much as to say, ''Nhat on earth's a-comin'
now? ?" But aboard ship. o. course, when
you're told to do a thing, you've got to do
1t; so the rope was rove in a iitf,y.
"Now. my lad,' says the mate, in
hard, square kind O voice, that made
every word seem like fttin' stone into a
wall, you see that ere rope? Well, I'll
give You ten minutes to confess" Che took
out his watch and held it in his hand) :;
land if you don't tell the truth afore the
times up, III hang you like dogn'
The crew all stared at one another as if
they couldn't believe their ears q didn't
believe mine, l can tell ye), and then a
low growl went among 'em, like wild
beast awakin' out of nap.
"Silence there" shouts the mate, in a
voice like the roar OF a nor'easter "Stand
by to run for'ard'" and with his own
hands he puts the moose around the boys
neck. The little Teller never tiinched a
bit; but there were some among the sail
ors (big strong chaps as could ha' telled a
Ok as shook like leaves in the wind. As
for me, l bethought myself O my little
urlyhaired lad at home, and how it 'ud
be if any one was to 90 for to hang him
and at the very thought ont tingled all
over, and my fingers clinched themselves
as if they was a-grippin' somebody's
throat clutched hold O a handspike,
and held it behind my back, all ready.
Tom" whispers the chief-engineer to
me, ''dye think he really means to do it?"
Il don't know" says | through my
teeth; but if he does, he shall 90 first,
if | swings for -
I've been IN many an ugly scrape in my
time; but | never felt art as bad as | did
| then. Every minute seemed as long as a
dozen; and the tick O the mates watch
regular pricked my ears like a pin The
men We're very quiet, but there was a
precious ugly look on some o their faces
and | noticed that three or four on EN-
KEEP edgin' forard to where the mate was
standin', in Il way that meant mischief.
As tor me, I'd made up my mind that if he
did 90 for to hang the poor little chap. IA
kill him on the spot and take my chance
Eight minutes 7" says the mate. his
great deep voice breakin' il; upon the ST.
lence like the toll o a funeral bell. ''It
you've got anything to confess. my lad,
| you'd best out with it, for yer times near
ly up"
''l'Ve told you the truth" answers the
boy, very pale, but as firm as ever. MAY
say my prayers, please ?"
The mate nodded; and downcoes the
poor little chap on his knees (with that in
fernal rope about his neck AL the tme)
and puts up his poor little hands to pray
| couldn't make out what he said (fact nay
| head was in such 3 whirl that I'd hardly
ha' knowed my own nance, but I'll be
bound God heard it, every word. Then
/ he ups on his feet again, and puts his
hands behind him, and says to the mate,
| quite quietly, I'm readyt'
And then, sir, the mates hard grim face
broke up all to once, like I've seed the ice
/ in the Baltic. He snatched up the boy in
his arms, and kissed him, and bust out
a-cryin' like a child; and think there
warn't one of us as didn't do the same
know did, for one.
"God bless you, my boy" says he,
! smothin' the child's hair with his great
| hard hand. "You're u true Englishman
every inch of YOU You wouldn't tell lie
to save your life. Well, if 50 be rs yel
! fathers cast We off, I'll be Yer father from
/ this day forth; and if ever forget You,
then may God forget meN'
And he KEEP his word, too. When we
| got to Halifax. he found out the little IN :
aunt, and Civ her a lump o. money to
make him comfortable; and now he goes
to see the youngster every voyage, As
reg'lar as can be; and to see the pair on
em together-the little chap so fond o
him, and not bearin' i'm bit o grudge-
it's bout as pretty sight rs ever | seed.
And now, sir, akin Yer parding, it's time
Tor me to be goin' below; So I'll Just wisl
yer good night