The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-21
SPOILING ABOMBSHHLL.

be; and yet on his birthday, when he
was really fourteen, he ran away to sea.
No one could possibly imagine why he
did this, and, indeed, Tom himself could
give no good reason for his conduct.
He had a half-hohday on his birthday,
and he went down to the seaport town
of NJ, short trip from the school, to
spend few hours and to see the ships.
There he fell in with recruiting officer,
who wanted some boys for man-of-war
in the harbor, and Tom was 50 much
pleased with the stories told of life at
sea, that he went into stationer's store,
bought some paper and wrote two notes,
one to his family at home and the other
to the master of the school, informing
them that he had a most admirable op-
portunity of going to sea and learning to
be naval officer. Such chance might
not occur again, and as he had made up
his mind to enter the navy, any way, it
would not be wise to let the opportunity
pass He would lose nothing by leaving
school now, for navigation, mathematics
and everything that it was necessary for
naval officer to know, were taught on
the ship. Then he mailed the letters and
went on board.
When Toms father and the master re-
ceived these notes, it is probable that
they would have taken measures to get
Tom off that ship in very short order,
had it not been for the fact that the YES
sci sailed early the next morning after
Tom made his appearance Oh her deck,
and she was far out at sea before Mr..
Black and DR.. Powers had read their let
tCrS
So there was nothing to be done at
home but to hope that things would
turn out for the best, and indeed this
was what Tom himself had to do. For
he soon found that his position on the
vessel was very different from what he
had supposed it would be. Instead Of
being taught how to sail the ship, he was
taught how to coil rope and to help
wash the decks, He was a ships boy
not midshipman.
When poor Tom found out this lam
entable fact, he made up his mind that
he would run away the first time the YES
sci touched at a port. But when she did
reach port lie re-lnade up hismind, and
concluded to stay on board.
BY little observation he found out
that it would be difficult and danger
Gus thing for him to try to run away, and
besides he had no money to take him
home. 1t would be better, he thought,
to stay on board the ship, where he had
made some friends, and where he was
getting on a good deal better than any
other ship-boy. For the under officers
soon found out that Tom was made of
better stuff than the other boys, and they
could not help thinking, too, that he had
been great fool to come on board in
such position. But they did not tell
him 50, for hat would have helped no
one, and might have spoiled very good
ship's-boy.
Tom wrote home whenever he had
chance, and he had some long letters
from his family, which were forwarded
to him with the other letters for the
ship.
But after be had been on board the
Hector about six months he got short
letter which pleased him more than any
thing in the letter line he had ever re-
ceivcd. This told him that, as his friends
had become convinced that he was really
very much attached to life on the sea,
and that as his officers had spoken well
of him, they had obtained for him an
as midshipman.
Now Tom was happy. Now he would
really learn mathematics and navigation,
and now he had d eAance to work him
self up into a good paaition. 1t would
seem as if this thoughtiess boy had been
rewarded for running away from school,
and giving his family 10 much anxiety
and trouble. But things sometimes hap
pen that way, though it does not do to
trust to any such good fortune. In after
years Tom often regretted that he had
not staid at school and finished portions
of his education which had to Ge entirely
neglected on board ship. And he also had
some immediate cause for repentance, for
he found that some of his companions
were very willing to joke about the
who had come among them,
although they knew that he was Just as
much of Il gentleman as any of them.
In about year after Toms appoint
ment war broke out with Spain, and the
Hector was ordered to the Spanish coast
After cruising about for month or two
she Joined with two other British vessels
in an attack on fortress on the shore Of
the Mediterranean Sea, which was at the
same time besieged by land force.
Early in the morning the three vessels
opened fire on the fort, which soon re-
piled in vigorous fashion, sending bomb
shells and cannon balls all around them,
and sometimes knocking off a spar or
crashing through some timbers But the
Hector" Jared very well. She was more
advantageously placed than the other
ships, and while she could readily pour
in her fire on the fort she received fewer
shots in return than her consorts.
But, after time, the enemy began to
think that the "Hcctor' needed rather
more attention, and additional guns were
brought TO bear upon her. Now there
were lively times on the ''Hector's' deck,
and Tom found out what it was to be in
a hot fight on board of a ship.
But the boy was not frightened. That
was not his nature. He rushed around,
carrying orders and attending to his du-
ties, very much as if he was engaged in a
rousing good game of cricket.
While he was thus employed, plump
on board came bombshell, and fell al
most at the foot of the mainmast. The
fuze in it WAS smoking and fiMing. In
M inctont ,upra IL would aypInIe and