Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-03-20
Brave Dick Thornton.

About sixty years ago, in a town on Cape
| Cod, lived boy named Dick Thornton.
| At the time of my story he was just twelve
years old. His father and mother had both
died when he was only a little baby, and he
had been left to the care of an uncle and
aunt who loved him dearly, and with whom
he was very happy.
Dicks uncle was sea captain, and had
| command of fine vessel that he made voy-
ages in, to the different ports in the Mediter-
ranean sea, and came back laden with fruits,
| spices and wines.
Perhaps it was for this reason that Dick
began very early in life to long to be a sailor,
and not day passed that he did not talk
about going to sea.
All his spare time he spent in making
boats of great variety. He had schooner
rugged, and sloop rugged, and every other
kind of rig that ever was heard of; and
he would have the most exciting launches
of them, to which every boy in town was in
vited.
lie taught himself to swim at so early an
age as would brighten most mothers out OF
their senses and as he grew stronger, he
soon became famous as swimmers so that
| the boys of the town, when making up their
| swimming matches, would not let Dick enter
the lists, as they said
What's the use ? Dick would be at the
goal before we had taken half dozen
strokes, and it's no fair to have him ill.,"
At which Dick-knowing it was true
would say, good-naturedly
"All right, boys, III stay on the beach and
be the judge" They did not have UNI
pires in those days.
Every time his uncle returned from voy
age, Dick would ask
"Won't you take me with you next time,
uncle ?" until at last, the day Dick was
twelve years old, his uncle told him that he
would take him on the very next voyage,
which he was to set sail on in just two weeks
from that day
OF course Dick was almost wild with de-
light, aud it seemed to him as though those
two weeks would never pass but they did,
and the day of sailing came.
Dick stood on the deck, the center of an
admiring group of his boy friends, every
inch sailor His rig" was complete; Tor
his aunt, with tender pride, but with heart
full of grief at the thought of parting with
him, had herself seen that nothing was lack
ing The duck trousers, the blue flannel
blouse, the tarpaulin, placed so jauntily on
| his head-everything was as it should be.
| And his own little "sea-chest " Dick had
seen brought on board, with his name
Dick Thornton printed in red letters on
the end. And when little later the anchor
was raised and the sails hoisted and Dick
stood swinging his cap to the friends he was
leaving, not thought of sorrow was in his
heart-it was the very proudest moment OF
his life.
Each day brought some new delight with
it to Dick and the sailors all said he was
the handiest little chap on shipboard they
had ever met with !" and his ready, Aye,
aye, sir" when called upon to do anything,
had the real love of his work in the sound OF
it. But must hurry on with my story.
They had a fine voyage out, and were
homeward bound. They had been, first, to
Smyrna-you can look on the map when |
am through, and see just where Dick went
then, on the way back they stopped at
Messina and Palermo, and had taken on for
cargo, oranges, figs, lemons, and large
quantity of Sicilian wines The last port
stopped at was Malaga, which, you know, is
on the coast of Spain.
They had left Malaga, and were just en-
tering the Strait of Gibraltar, when very
suddenly the wind died out the sails tapped
lazily and soon there was a dead calm. Dick
thought it very dull music, and was enter
tanning himself reading Robinson Crusoe
when he was interrupted by a cry from the
man at the masthead, of which he caught
only the dreadful words Pirates pirates !
pirates !"
In a moment all was excitement, but the
captain was brave man and calling all
hands on deck, he took counsel with them
as TO what was to be done.
You know what very narrow stretch of
water the Strait of Gibraltar is, which sepa-
rates Europe from Africa, and at the time of
my story, all sailors were glad to get safely
through there, without being troubled by
pirates from the African coast, who We're
very cruel and wicked men, and who watched
e, cry chance to overhaul vessel in distress,
so as to steal everything that was valuable
on board, and usually killed the crew in
order to accomplish their wickedness.
Through his glass the captain saw a boat
containing dozen men fully armed, who,
with powerful and steady strokes were pull
ing directly for the vessel. lie laid down
his glass with pale face, and said
"There is nothing can be done, boys but
to die bravey, We are completely at their
mercy in this calm, for they outnumber US,
and are armed TO the teeth, while we are
nearly unarmedi" and then turning TO his