The Portland daily press., 1874-08-22
the men prepared to bring the wounded man

wounded man carefully covered by a heavy
cloak was conveyed to the cabin and deposit
ed in the captains own bunk.
The two men belonging to the boat, then
returned to the deck to secure their boat
against the coming storm, leaving the cap
tain alone with the stranger and his compan-
ion.
81 reckon you are some chilly" said Oba-
diah, producing square bottle of old Hol-
land from locker "Take nip?"
~ "Thank you, will take a drop" replied
the stranger, shivering slightly; ''the nights
are trife cold at this season.
"Perhaps your friend will take drop"
said Skillins, after watching the stranger dis
pose of stiff horn.
"No, thank you, not any," said he, hasti-
ly intercepting the captain in his endeavor to
reach the bunk with the bottle and glass.
"He don't drink
'Oh!' said Obadiah, baffied; and proceed
ed to shift his position in order to obtain a
better view of the strangers face. In this
laudable purpose, he was defeated however,
partly by the feeble light afforded by the sim
gle oil lamp which swung from the ceiling,
and partly by the stranger himself, who pnr
posely kept his face in shadow. Finding him.
self unable TO crafty his curiosity, in this
manner, the good captain changed his tactics
to a bolder course, and demanded abruptly
"WhAt might you call yourself, now, cap
ting?"
"Whatp' said the stranger starting from a
brown study, into which he had fallen, with
his head on his breast, as Obadiah stood
watching him.
'What is your name?' repeated Obadiah.
'My name-oh name isis Baker-Joseph
Baker,, answered the stranger, confusedly.
"Ah, Baker-well, Baker is good name
1 had an aunt named Baker, once, and
where"-pursued Obadiah with an insinuat-
ing smile-''do you hail from?"
''See here now, captain" said Mr.. Baker.
ousing himself, and regarding the captain
angrily, 81 think you have asked questions
enough. Ipay you for your services and that
Is enough for you to know. You better &C
on deck and look after your vessel. judge
from the sounds, you may be needed;' and
in fact, at that moment, Jake Pendergrast
thrust his head down the conpaIiion-way
and requested the captain to come on deck
and assist in putting the vessel in trim, fol
the gale which was fast coming upon them.
Captain Skillins reluctantly followed hi
mate, and mentally summed up his discover.
les which amounted to the fact that Mr.. Ba.
ker was tall, strongly built man, somewhat
STOPPING, with full gray beard and SHARP
eyes glancing out from under his broad
brimmed, slouched hat, in an unpleasant
manner at times; also, that he had a white
slender, delicate hand, upon which he wore 8
beautiful ring which flashed and glowed in
the lamp-light as he drank.
81 don't know about all this" unused ODE.
diah. "Wonder what he keeps in that chest
gold probably, mebby diamonds. shouldn't
wonder if he was a smuggler, after all. Well
well, it is no consarn of mine; / kin swear
and so kin Jake, that they said they was al
right"
Arriving on deck the meditations of The
captain were quickly forgotten in his hasly
preparations for the safety of the schooner
The heavy black masses of clouds huns
over the water like pail, obscuring the star
light and rendering the night pitchy dark
save an occasional flash of lightning which
lighted up the scene with a CHASTITY glare
The hollow rumbling of the distant thunder
gave token that there was no time TO lose
With the assistance of the boats crew the
vessel was soon put in trim, however, an(
Captain Skillins himself took the wheel ant
oil awaited the blast. At that moment JAKE
Pendergast hastily approached the captain
guiding himself along by the rail. Thrustins
his face close to the captains ear he whis
pered, "Just look of to leeward now, Jus
over the lee quarter, and wait for the mex
fash.''
"Why, what is ?" said Skillins, peerine
into the darkness in the direction indicated
"You just look and you'll see," said Jake
"There-there, did you see that % he CRIED
as the sea and sky were for moment lighted
up with vivid flash.
'By jingo! revenue cutterv' gaspet
Obediah.
He had time to say no more. With ter
rifle crash of thunder the rushing blast and
Kissing rain and hail were upon them. The
little schooner heeled over till her long booms
nearly touched the water. Then rising
plunged madly forward burying her bowsprit
in foam and sending flood of water rush
ing aft over the decks.
'Hold on, ALP yelled the captain, but his
voice was blown away by the rushing wind
almost before it left his mouth. His warn
ing was not needed, however, for all hands
had made haste to secure themselves, and
now stood clinging to the rigging and anx-
iously waiting, as the schooner rode swiftly
forward borne by the wind and buffeted by
huge waves which shook her to the very keel
with the force of their ponderous blows. For
some moments Capt. Skillins had enough to
do to keep the wheel from being wrested from
his grasp by the force of the waves, but now
getting his bearings he brought her to, a
couple of points, SO that she steered easier.
Casting his eyes to leeward he now watched
for flash TO reveal the position of the cut
ter. In moment a dazzling sheet of flame
lighted up the scene, and he beheld with con-
sternation the cutter on his lee quarter still
holding her relative position.
"What in thunder do they want now,
WONDER" said Obediah, uneasily. "Guess I'll
sheer off a bit; don't like the looks of this.''
Giving the wheel turn he kept away
couple of points and at the next flash be-
held with increasing dismay that the cutter
had followed his example and seemed bent
upon keeping him in view.
"Bast their picters, what do they mean by
doggin' me in this way?' said Obedah,
wrathfully; and he gave the wheel another
turn, motioning TO Jake to round in the
mainsail. The little schooner was now almost
on her beam ends, and the water boiled and
Kissed as it flew by her counter Again the
cutter followed and kept her position.
"They mean me, sure" groaned Obediah.
"Here's a nice scrape, and them fifty bar
rels of rum in the hold under the pertaters,"
and he fairly writhed in anguish. ''Wonder
if l couldn't throw 'em overheard in the
DARK he muttered. ''No, there's them