The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-03-23
like schooner gained upon him at every

like schooner gained upon him at every
turn.
Now I would give half our cargo for
a few guns to speak to that saucy rascal
in his own language" said Macy, turn
ing bitterly to Jethro. "Now is the
time for those six-pounders urged thee
about before we left port; / fear thou
will pay dearly for not taking my ad-
vice. All there comes salute number
two"
A gun was fred by the Frenchman
across the bow Of the Grampus, warning
her to heave to. Macy paced the deck
in agony of spirit, muttering words as he
went that sounded much like swear.
ing. He ordered the Grampus to be
kept off two or three points and fore
top mast studding-sail set; but in the
hurry by some mishap the tact got un-
rove. A couple of hands were
ordered aloft to rig in the boom
and reave in the tact anew. Isaac
Coffin, son of Jethro, who had smuggled
himself on board against his fathers
express orders, and who had hardly
made his peace with him yet, heard the
order, and seizing the end of the rope
with his teeth ran up the foreshrouds,
crept out on the top Of the foreyard like
monkey, and then out on the bare
boom. But before he had half done his
task the Frenchman brought their long
tom, charged with small shot, to bear
upon the yard, and let fly at Isaac;
thinking, probably, the additional sail
might enable the Grampus to escape.
Young Coffin was unharmed, though
the balls whistled about him like
hail, and he went fearlessly on with his
work.
"They are charging the gun again."
shouted Jethro. "Come down, my boy;
creep in creep in! Catch the halliards
and come down with runW
cay, ayw cried Isaac, as he finished
reeving the tack, and gathering a few
fathoms in his hand threw the coil down
on the forecastle, and the men then
hoisted the sail instantly. The French
man aimed his gun again, but Isaac was
descending like flash, and as he reached
the deck the sailors fairly hugged
him in their joy and admiration of his
bravery.
The hasty strides of Seth were again
arrested by another shot which passed
through the sail over his head. He
clinched his hands and looked up at the
torn sail.
"By heavensp' said he, I will not part
with SO fine q ship and cargo without a
deadly struggle"
"Swear notW said Jethro; "it will
not help us in our strait. We had bet
ter yield quietly to the necessity. Put
down the helm, Seth, and bring the ship
to-"
"Yield quietly, didst thou say? Did I
understand thee Alright when thou bidst
me bring the ship to ?" The eyes of
Seth glared upon Jethro, and his nostrils
distended like bull at bay.
"Put down the helm, indeed! Jethro
Coffin, who is commander of the Gram
pus, thou or Iw demanded Macy, in a
heat of passion.
"Jethro answered calmly, "Thou
surely art her captain. Save the ship, if
thou canst, but thou canst not. We have
no means of defense, and if we had it
would not be justifiable to oppose with
arms"
"Jethro, will save this ship or sink
in her. What yield to that little gad.fy
-agallinipper that is scarcely larger than
our lOng-DOat
Another shot, better directed, splin.
tered the mainmast little and wounded
two men.
"There, Jethro! that is some of the
tender mercy of the French pirate--.s
foretaste of what we may expect i
taken"
Yield, Seth The longer thou delay
the more hazard to the lives of our peO
pie; he is a man of warp
"Go thou below, Jethro! / command
here! Yield, indeed y he muttered, a.
Jethro began to descend "I will sinl
firstw
"Stand by there, menw shouted Seth
in voice which made every sailor start
1t was evident that he had put off tn,
Quaker, and the men responded hearth.
to it. "Get the long.boat ready to b.
launched at q moments warning; clea
away the quarter boats, and see all clea
to lower them in an instant. Mate, TAX
in all the small sail at once"
Macy's voice and manner were resOlut
and peremptOry, and the men execute'
the orders promptly and were ready 70
the next, though wondering what tn
captain meant to do. The Frenchma
was also at fault taking the man@uverin
J of Seth for an intention to give up hi
ship, and hove the schooner to, an
waited the lowering of boat from tn
Grampus. In rounding to, as Seth ha
: calculated, the Frenchman had given th
advantage of the wind to the ship, an
,, while his men stood agape at the manage
ment of the larger vessel which the
looked upon as prize, Seth seized tn
, helm in his brawny hand. The me
scarcely needed the word, bat anticipate
his intention as he put the helm har
up, and in compressed but concentrate
voice which was heard distinctly frol
stern to stern, he said, "Let 60 all tn
= braces, and bowlines, slack off sheets an
l tacks, and square the yards-quick !"
1t was done in a twinkling, and Mac
shaped his course as though he woul
: |, bring his ship under lee quarter of tt
: |, privateer. This feint completely d
: ceived the enemy, when Seth suddenl
: changed his course and brought her hea
!, to bear directly upon the hull of IL
u Frenchman. Her crew discovered no,
but too late, the design of the Grampu
and dire confusion cnsued upon Il
. crowded decks.
eff thou dost intend to run her down
,, said Jethro stamping furriedly, projec
a ing his head moment from the cab
angway-"if-nay hear me, Seth f
\ the sake of humanity-if thou hast dete
- mined to run her down, ease thy helm
= little and give them chance for the
:, lives"
- "Stand by to lower the boats !" thu
dered Seth, stamping furiously upon q
% deck. A groan of horror escaped his ov
II crew, for not till this moment had tn
# really seen the design of their captai
# and the swarthiest cheek grew a sha
=. paler; but it was for their lives, and th
/. knew it. The schooner lay in the trou
of the sea, her decks covered wi
,e confusion, and the huge hulk of
n Grampus posing on the last high wa
v, above her.
in Misericordep p A wild yell of depa