The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-08-19

than Dan, and was similarly equipped
with the adlitlon of huge tin pail wbie
= seemed to encumtcr him considerably wit
its weight
"What have you got in thats" inquire,
Dan, curously.
''doughnuts and cheese and boiled e,g
and pie" answered Johnny. "Mothe
would make me take it. We shall have t,
store it out of sight some where. Yo,
shall have half. 'Twon't last long; bu
then it'll taste good while it does"
Lets keep back till after dark, then,
suggested Dan. "Ws can get it below
easy enough then Father hasn't eon,
abroad yet and we've two or three hour
yet"
1t was half-past eight before Johnny
and Dan made their appearance at the
wharf where the "Wolf' was lying. Thcr,
was little difficulty in getting their extra
freight below without notice and hiding !,
away under their Lunk. An hour later the
schooner warped away from the wharf and
worked well down toward the Narrows, SO
asnot to be the last il going out.
| AT midnight the start was made. The
shouts of the men, the creaking of blocks
and tiapping of sails, and the eagerness dis.
playing by the captains of the various craft
to get under way made the scene an excit-
ing one to all concerned. There was no
waiting Tor the tide. for, singular as it may
appear there is no preceptble tide in the
harbor of St. Johns. One by one the i'm.
patient vessels crept through the marrow
channel, past the light, under the frown.
ing batteries, and long before daylight the
entire teet was dancing upon the troad
waters of the Atlantic. The wind vas
fair, and they drove merrlly before it,
skifting the rocky eastern shore of the is
land day after day, sometimes out of sigh t
of it altogether again so near that the fish
ing boats upon the beach could be plainly
distinguished.
The two boys were in their element. 1t
was their first voyage and every thing was
new to them. Dams father vas captain
of the Wolf" and, as the boys were
cousins, the widest latitude was allowed
them on board. The contents of the pail
lasted hardly bayond the second day, ard
they were then forced to fall back on salt
| pork for their principal diet. 1t made lit
tie difference however. Fishermen and
shornen's sons are seldom particular as
to what they eat and rarely troubled with
Indigestion.
1t was not until the morning of the sixth
coast a5H rose tie in Sig sghh so i ito tossh
sells were far in advace, as many more were
almost within hailing distance, and behind
they were scattered at intervals as far as
the eye could reach.
eff the wind holds, we shall reach
Green Bay tonight" said Captain Powers
to one of the men. 'It looks now as if it
would shift around to the eastard; and if
it does the ice,jam II save US the trouble
of going any furthei."
"IIow will ?" asked Dan, who had
been listening.
It'll force the ice against the shore, 30
that the old seals can't get back to the
wates,' replied his father. "They carry
their young ones as near land as possible,
and yet within reach of oren water. A
stiff wind from the east would drive the
ice in shore, and close up their div Ing
places"
The practiced eye OF, the captain was
not deceived. Before night the wind shift
ed and gradually increased to gale. For
nearly two days there was no cessation in
its violence. The Wolf hy off and on,
her captain knowing that as soon as there
was a lull his harvest was ready for him.
When Dan and Johnny came on deck
early on the morning of the third day tn
wind had sunk to light breeze and
the schooner was slowly working toward
the shore.
'Look there !" shouted Dan, in a state
of exctemen, clutching Johnny's arm and
pointing to the ice: jam.
There was no need of the exclamation,
however. Johnnys eyes and mouth were
already wide open at the sight.
They were in large bay, and on each
side, as for as they could see, the inner
belt Of ice was covered with seals. 1t
seemed as if there were millions of them.
Many Of the old ones were playing with
their young, and very few seemed to have
any idea of the danger which awaited
them.
"You two had better stay on board, y
said Captain Powers, as the boat was lei
down into the water. "There isn't great
deal of danger; but the job isn't very
. pleasant ore and I doubt whether your
hearts are hard enough to stand the sight.
, "Do let Us CO. pleaded Dan half cry
ing. 'Its too bad, there We've been
: talking about it ever since we started
! Haven't we, Johnny? The Crowell boy:
} went last year, and they're not as old as
we are. I'll never 90 back home without
+ killing q SEAL"
"My heart in tough enough, l know
/ urged Johnny. "Tm most fifteen, an(
l then father says it does'n Mt take much tC
knock the young ones over
d '.Well, well, into the boats with yot
r then. We've no time to waste. If W
D can get at'em at once we can put in ful
n cargo before noon tomorrow"
/: The boys eagerly availed themselves o
8 the privilege, and, each selecting club
jumped into the boat. Besides the cap.ai il
K Dan, and Jonny, there were twelve men
Each was armed with a stout oak club, t
be used for killing the "Ycuug harps,' a
a the baby seals are called; g gaf, consis