The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-08-17

unnecessary. / plays 1t, as you know,
and I'll play 1t tomorrow, but not 80
hard as to hurt the young lady inside,
sir s
''And in the big drum Dolores was
actually concealed next morning when
old Captain Cripps, as innocent as
lamb of what had occurred during his
absence, conducted a strong party of
priests and police officials over and into
every nook and corner of the Valeria in
search of the missing nun. We were
all in fits of laughter while the old
fellow did the honors of his vessel, and
the Spaniards' faces grew longer as their
search proved fruitless and unavailing.
They left not Granny unnoticed, while
the band played gayly on deck, and the
big drum appeared to do quite as much
duty as usual, though the broad grins
on the faces of some of the old bandmen
and the preternatural solemnity of
Mats countenance might have led any
one to suspect that something was up.
" Martin was of course introduced to
the visitors as first officer of the ship,
and one old priest asked him suspicious
ly if this were the usual state of things
on board an English vessel, band play
ing and flags flying as if for holiday
"'Oh, no. Martin answered cody;
we saw that the Captain was bringing
off a boatload of distinguished visitors
the first thing this morning, and L
instantly set about having the ship
dressed and the music playing to do
honor to their arrival.
" The old chap couldn't but be pleased
at this compliment, and at last they all
cleared out, making thousand apollo
gies for having for an instant suspected
any of our honorable number of COM
plicity in the nuns escape. We heard
them as they left deciding to make for
the opposite side of the island, where
dwelt tribe of fisher people who might
have given the girl shelter. How we
laughed as they were rowed ashore
Although there was still old Cripps to
tell, which to my mind was the worst
part of all, our spirits began to rise with
the success of our last move.
"The bondsmen cleared up their in
struments and retired, and Dolores was
huddled back into Martins cabin, where
breakfast was spread and the key turned
on her. I believe the captain was the
only man on board his own ship who
did not see the whole transaction; but
he was tremendously taken up with our
immediate seagoing orders, which had
just arrived, and the anchors were to be
weighed and the Valeria off to Lisbon
without an hours delay.
1--WE all had to look alive that morn
ing, and it wasn't till we sat down to
dinner in the afternoon, by which time
we were almost out of sight of st.
Michaels, that had time to think of
the little prisoner in Martins cabin;
though, to judge from the moony look,
Martin had never Thought of anything
else. Naturally the conversation at
the Captains table, at which the senior
officers likewise dined, turned upon the
examination of the morning, and in
answer to mute appeal from Martin
opposite, who was unable to say word,
/ boldly asked old Cripps, point blank,
what he would have done if the poor
little girl had run for refuge to the
Valeria from the tyranny of the priests.
"Done, sir = thundered the old gen.
tleman, spluttering over his grog in his
excitement, I'd have done what every
other Christian officer and gentleman
would have done-given the poor little
creature shelter and protection from the
rascals that were hunting her, and a
chance of becoming sensible British
Protestant! Why, by jove, when those
smooth faced blackguards went sneak,
ing over my ship this morning and ]
had to palaver and speak civilly to them
just wished the girl had been aboard
that 1 might have had hand in saving
her. I'll warrant we'd have managed
to keep her out of sight y
"Martin gave gasp, like whal,
coming up to blow, and jumping VI
from the table unceremoniously rushe(
out. In a moment he was back agaiI
holding the little nun by the hand.
"Of course old Cripps couldn't sa.
anything, after the manner in which
he had committed himself beforehand
And though he gave us tremendou
jawing about the serious risk, etc., W
had run, believe he enjoyed the larl
as much as anyone; especially as hi
part in it didn't begin until all DANCE
was over. I'm not sure that he woul