The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-05-12


ing the prize. After while he appeared
with the bucket full of gin, aud hearty
swig was taken all arouud. 1t may be
supposed that such good opportunity
was not permitted to pass unimproved,a and
the main brace was 'spliced' pretty oft.
en-.
After a while the bucket being dry,
more than one hint was given that fresh
nip would not be disagreeable, Bill de.
INJURED at first; but by repeated urging
at last reluctantly consented to bring on
another bucket 1t was brought, ,emptied
and replenished again. In fact Bill
piled them so briskly with liquor that,
though not over strong, before long they
were all in a comfortable state Of somno-
lency.
Having assured himself that there was
no danger to be apprehended from bis late
boon companions, Bill crept aft and Civ.
ing a preconcerted signal, Henssler left
his berth and sauntcrcd on deck, with
only part of his dress on for fear Of cx-
citing the suspicion of the MILDLY, who sat
half doing over some newspapers which
the captain had furnished him. The first
object of the mate and the young conspir.
ator was to secure the arms of the Sleep
ers, by which time the pilot also came on
deck.
With his assistance the men were
bound and bundled down the fore peak
This accomplished, the captain, who had
hint of the progress Of affairs, immedi.
atcly addressed the astonishcd middy-at
the same time very coolly taking brace
of pistols from the capacious pocket Of
his pea jacket and cooking them-saying
he hoped he would make himself as com.
Portable as he could, for he was his pris.
oner = at the same time begging to be ex.
) cused if he left him for the present to his
own meditations, as duty called him on
= deck. We cannot stop to describe the
wonder of our MILDLY at this unexpected
speech. Suffice it that, seeing how affairs
had turned, he submitted as philosophic.
ally as he could, while the captain went
on deck, fastening his prize.master below,
1t was now getting toward midnight,
So far everything had succeeded well !;
but the worst was yet to come, How to
get away from the sloop. was their
next study. The schooner, as we have
said, was lying in close proximity to her
f guns. and if she attempted to escape one
broadside would blow her to atoms. Their
first endeavor was to increase the distance
between the two vessels. This they did
by the pilots cautiously assuming the
helm, and taking advantage of every fav.
orable circumstance, by yawniug and fill.
ing, so that by degrees the distance was
insensibly increased. Edging along in
this way until he found he had got in the
ncighborhood Of the shoals off Cape May
the others in the meantime having Sc.
cretly got everything ready for start
they suddenly made sail and run for the
shoals. They had scarcely filled away
whep--crack came gun from the soop-
of.war.
Blaze away, my good iellows, said the
skipper, exultingly; 1T may require
good eye.sight to hit the little Fox this
distance in the night
And blaze away they did, though every
shot went high or fell short, and not the
: least damage in hull, spar or rigging was
= sustained
Meanwhile, in al incredible short space
Of time, the soop-of.war had packed ou
all sail and was blowing directly in the
wake Of the runaway. The only chance
for our Yankee was to creep in among
the shoals, where her pursuer could not,
from her draught, follow her. This she
did, having good start and being good
sailor, until the sloop.ot-war thought it
prudent to haul off, finding she could
neither cripple nor overhaul her.
The Fox still continued her course, run.
ming for the Rip -Raps, inside of which is
passage way, while the Prometheus
bore up with the intention Of running
round the shoals and heading her of. But
as the Fox had straight cut, while her
pursuer had round about passage, the
. iormor got the start Of her and succeeded
in getting safely into the Delaware. AT
Newcastle was depot of gunbsats, sta
toned there to guard the mouth of the
river. Running into this place, our
Yankees delivered up their chop.lalleu
prisoners, and then proceeded on to Phil
adelphia. not little proud of their dar.
ing achievements.
Having taken full cargo Of flour a,
q Philadelphia, where they remained abou,
, three weeks, our Yankee friends started
f for Salem. They waited for very darI
night ere they left the Delaware, in tht
e hope Of escaping the enemy, who wer'
!. prowling about the capes watching th'
n mouth of the river as cat watches a ra
r hole. ready to pounce upon the first tha
d attempted egress.
Taking advantage of an unusually darl
d evening, and havinga pretty stiff breeze
# they started. The schooner was goo(
sailor, in excellent trim. and they cracked
> on to her. Toward morning, having hat
d a fine nights run the skipper turned 10
y congratulating himself that, at any rate
he had slipped by one dangerous point
,e Not little anxiety was felt by all oil
/, board to avoid the enemy, and more par
# ticularly the sloop.of.war, for they wei
y knew if they should fall again into thei
a clutches it would 60 hard with them
10 They knew no mercy would be show
= them.
|. Scarcely had a day dawned when tn
the watch sang out, Justify. Sail, ho
=. And 'sail no it was, true enough, for q
the light increased they found themselvc
ID close ahead OF two large vessels standin
re under easy sail on their weather beam.
IN 1T is all over with u.s. said the pile
d despondingly. as he cast his eyes towar
p their neighbors, and here comes our deaf
!, warrant he added, as the flash of GU
was seen issuing from bowport of tn
u, nearest aud largest of the vessels. Will
y. its heavy report cape booming over tn
water
I That means heave to . said the mai