The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-08-08

bells II o'clock is striking. Then he hears
whisper, 'Cap'n Cap'nr close by his side.
In an instant he had his revolver ready, and
in the act of striking a match, when the
whisper says, Hush It's me-Dick Don't
say word ; don't light match Hush
Is there man named Phil Woods in your
crowd2
Yes, a fireman. but he deserted last week.
the captain whispers back.
Have you got any specious aboard p
'SpeciousS Oh, specie, you mean.
'Wops that p
| Money
| u thought so. Well, Cap'n, Phil Wood
and five more are after that there specious,
and they are aboard now.
Good God why didn't you tell me be-
fore p gasps the captain.
Policemen cheved me, COS I'd got bum
die that the lady gave me, He took it
away, he did, and locked me up exclaimed
Dick, but got OUT
'On board now do you say yp asks the
captain.
Yes, and at work, too. Listen
What the captain hears sends him out of
hh'hirth with spring.
Fire that he says thrusting pistol into
Dicks hand, and run forward shouting for
help as loud as you can scream Then he
darts out on deck.
And no time to spare The thieves, have
overpowered and gagged the men on watch;
have cut around the fastenings on the hatch
leading to the specie room, and already two
boxes are out and ready for spiriting away.
1t is brisk affair while it lasts which is
until the chief officer, doctor, steward,
aroused by Dicks shouts and the firing, come
upon the scene. Then such of the thieves
as can do so jump overboard-for their re-
treat forward is cut off. Three remain one,
the leader dead, and another with his thigh
splintered, and third with several balls in
his body.
The first thing they do is to release poor
Mr., Andrews, whom they find still insensl.
BILE from blow on the head By this time
the police have come, and are searching the
ship, lest others of the thieves might be hid
ing.
| What's that in the wheel.house says p
the chief officer bring light here. Ah
it's another of them. Turn him over. Oh.
Lord captain, look here. Here's graft
tude 1t isn't that Rat that the
My God ? cries the Captain, 4 forgot all
about him Is he hurt p
Shot right through the body, and serves
him right is Mansfeld's reply. 1t struck
the speaker silly as he afterward said, to
see the skipper fall down on his knees be-
side the Rat lift his head upon his should
er, and in voice hoarse with emotion say,
ARE you hurt bad, boy Don't start. I'm
your friend the captain, Dick-speak to
me ?
is the police gone P he means.
They shan't hurt you, Dick-no one
shall. Oh, doctor, come and attend this
poor brave little fellow. Any drop of
blood is worth more than all the lives of
these scoundrels. Do your best for him and
send for all the surgeons in the city, if they
can help poor Dick !! Poor little faithful
chapp
The wounded thieves are carried off to
the charity hospital by the police. Dick is
taken to the captains cabin, and placed in
his bed. The ships doctor does his very
best for him. The most famous in the city
comes and looks grave. Captain Gilbert
never leaves him.
Say p Dicks voice has become very low
aud tremous-'was that there money
yourn ?
No "; but it was in my charge
You'd got it if you'd lost it, eh p
Il should have been ruined
She wouldn't ha liked that
She p who do you mean, my boy?'
The lady-her as you was good too
The captain turned aside. and tried hard
to swallow something which had never pass
ed his lips.
Was it for her sake,' he asked that you
did this?'
She said she'd hate to have anything to
come to yOu,' replies the Rat, COS you was
good to her when she was sick. Two nights
ago, heard Phil Wood and his crowd talk
ing about robbing ship Of fspecious. They
said they was going to 'tice all the men
ashore with drink, and there'd be only one
man forward besides the captain. There
was to ha' bin one put at the cap'n's door to
knock him on the head if he came out. /
didn't know for sartin it war your ship, and
| was a-coming to ask if you had specious
when the p'liceman chevied me-
who was it that shot at you p
Don't know. When l see the p'lice l
crswled away to where you found me. was
skear'd, for fear they'd think l belonged to
the other crowd
J The Rat is skin and bone, and nervous as
a cat. He has lost more blood than he can
spare from that slight wound in his arm.
When the lady comes early in the morn,
ing, the Rat is sinking slowly. His face
brightens up as he sees her.
4 say-don't you cry like that says he
; Childlike he puts up his hand to withdraw
hers from her eyes. He touches ii with awe.
, 1t does not break nor fly of, and nothing il
done to him for his daring. Encouraged by
such immunity, he ventures to give it lit
tie pat, and then the face which he is watch
ing intently Is lit up with a smile through
its tears. Into his unloved life-into hi
ha'f-savage mind dswns the first idea Of ca
ress. He clasps the lady's hand and draw
it down and presses it there with both hi
little brown paws. Then he leans back with
a long g.drawn sigh, and shuts his eyes.
Three years have passed, and Captain
Gilbert's steamer is again at her wharf at tn
foot of Jackson street. and again Mr.. snt
Mrs. Austen are to lunch on board. AS tn
: lady is stepping down from the gsng-way,
d well-grown, handsome boy in blue fan
mel knickerbocker suit, and straw hat will
ship's ribbon. came slyly forward.