The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-15

rock and reef and point, for have fished
on them all, and l know every beach, for
l used to play on them when boy"
The captain looked incredulous. He
had associated him with the hunter and
the wilderness, and it seemed incredible
that he should have been born where he
said he was born, and that he should be
on that boat that night, and be discov-
cred by the merest accident at the very
instant of supreme peril.
Captain" said the old trapper, who
had drawn nigh" Cap'n, whatever the
lad says ye can sartinly take for Gospel
truth. And if he says he was born here,
he was born here; and if he says he
knows this shore, he does know it; and
we can rely on him to do what he says he
can do; for his words be truth, and his
acts be like his words"
"Young man." said the Captain,
"have you any other friend on board be-
side this hunter?"
"Sartin he has," said the old man,
answering the question for the lad;
"there be Henry there, who has boated
with him and camped with him off and
on, and the lad saved his life once, and
that's a sarvice that man isn't apt to
forget. Yis, you may set it down, Cap'n,
that Henry and me be the lads friends"
"Call him here" said the Captain,
hoarsely, land then follow me to the
pilot-house."
1t was with the greatest effort that the
| four were able to reach the point desig-
mated, for the gale was blowing with in
| creased violence, and the iron rods and the
! ropes they grasped to steady themselves
were already hot; and even as they reach
cd the upper deck the flames broke
| tiercely out from the hatChways and the
! fire began to run in wavering lines along
the inner timbers of the bulwarks and
the ornamental edgings of the upper
deck.
81 have called you here" said the
Captain, "to ask you in the presence of
my officers if there is any safe spot, any
cove or bay, into which the steamer can
be run along the coast abreast of u.s."
"Do you mean to beach her, Captain?"
asked the lad
EYES," he responded, cit is our only
chance. We lAust beach her. Can you
do it,"
&C can" said the lad, simply.
" You can" exclaimed the Captain
edo you mean to say, young man, that
you can beach this steamer? Gentle
men," he continued, as he turned to his
officers, eff this young man can do what
he says, every soul can be saved"
81 can do just what | tell you l can
do" said the lad; that is, if the engines
work, and we can fetch her around in
this sea, and the flames don't get ahead
of us; for there is little bay nearly
| abreast of us, and the water is deep in it,
and the beach is free from rocks and
stones, and can tell the pilot just where
to steer to get into it,"
But" said the Captain, and he spoke
with hurried utterance, as one who feels
there isn't moment to lose, "you ought
to know, and your friends here ought to
know, the danger you run, for the flames
will break out in a few moments. You
can hear them roaring undertook al
ready. The flames will break out in
moment, l say; this pilot-house will be
on fire, and he who stands beside it will
stand in the center of flames, and it will
be through Gods mercy if he comes out
with his life. feel it to be my solemn
duty to state these things to you, young
man, and in the presence of your friends
who are interested in your life. Now,
knowing your danger, knowing that you
will probably lose your life, ask you
again, will you pilot this steamer to that
beach? There are 600 souls on board,
and if you do it you will be their savior.
Will you do it,"
The lads face never changed muscle
The light in his eyes may possibly have
darkened a little, and the old trapper
noted that his long, awkward fingers
shut into their palms with slightly
frightened grip, but his voice was quiet
as ever as he said
81 will help you beach her, Captain
The Captain hesitated vet a moment.
He knew himself that the lad was going
to his death-going with quietness that
could have only ignorance or finest hero
ism for it's course. 1t was not to be
wondered at that, accepting as he was
the sacrifice of life, he. was touched.
He gazed at the singular being before
him, observed the simple guilelessness
of his countenance, and, dashing tear
from his eye, he turned to the trapper
and said -ns
cold man, this boy is your companion,
and you love him?"
Yes; the lad and me have slept to-
gether, and we've eaten from the same
bark, and me and him have done little
sarvices for each other that men in the
woods don't forgit, and l guess you're
about right, Capn, when ye say that I
love the lad"
"God forbidw exclaimed the Captain
"God forbid that | take the RESPONSE
bility of the sacrifice-for that's just
what it is, old man. Ought the boy to
stay?"
Sartin, sartin," said the old trapper;
eff the lad can save the wimmen-folks
and the leetle uns, not to speak of the
men, by stayin' here, then he sartinly
ought to stay, even if he starts on his last
trail from the deck of vessel instead of
from the shadder of the pine; for death
never comes too quick to one who meets
it at the post Of duty, and it never comes
slow enough to one who shirks. Yis, let
the lad stay where he is, and an old man
who has faced death on many field
where bullets was thick will stand by
his side, and the Lord of Marcy shall
| do with hin, 10 mil I