The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-30

tho wind nd only shsfta PINT or two 20 the
BASTARD. A. Il do seem TO be for 0oin."
at Is shifting; see I'll" exclaimed
Thompson, eagerly. "Wbat are we TO do.
daddy ten us quicklo
"'Ee see yon p'ints" said the veteran.
Indicating the rocky headlsnd that closed
In the BAY TO the east. "When the wilma
be soutu-snd.by-wcst. IL do max Q coorrent
across the bay, right down to the rocks
where the vessel be lyln'; zee med get 10
nun So" 80,
The impatient crew barely gave him time
to finish. One universal hurrah shook me
air, and In an instant these bruised, nan.
drowned, starving men, who had seemed
hardly able TO stand few minutes ocio,c.
we're running like madmen toward me
point. where they scarcely waited 10 let inc
wind change sufficiently for their purpose
before launching boat ana pu'iing 'u''-
ously toward the wreck.
Meanwhile, bow Jared 1t with Tue aoomeu
captain? Perhaps even bis STOUT hearL may
hrs voung wife far away on the sunrv Kent.
isb shore, and the two little girls WHO were
nraying that "pspa might come safe PACK
from sea- while he stood there alone witn
death. But. whatever might be the peril
that threatened him, there was no "wnite
,eaiberv about Captain Richard Hardy (;
and the eyes that had faced without fiinching
the grinning muZzles OF French cannon
looked lust as feaflessly upon the gushing
waves. Suddenly loud burrab came roll
ing over the wild sea, and the Using moon,
breaking for q moment through the 'nky
masses OF cloud, showed him boat coming
straight toward him, in the bow OF which sat
the scapegrace Thompson, bending 10 DIS
oar with the strength OF giant.
And "a they approached he could hear
beneath his feet the rending OF the tlmbers,
and the gurgie OF the fatal water as 1t poured
in. keeping time to the oar-strokes OF his
"Pull. boys,o roared Thompson. "will
yer let him drown aiore yer eyes 7"
At that moment q mountain-wave Droke
over the wreck, completely burying II 1or
an instant. A terrible crash was hearu,
and when the spray cleared 1t was seen
that the vessel had parted amidshlps, ana
that the whole afterpart was clean gone;
The bow, however. still held nrm, ana
upon it, shadowlike in the titful moonlight
stood the dark figure OF the captain.
"Hold up, your honor ]" shouted
Thompson; "another minute and you're
saved !" :,
which makes all the difference. just a. the
boat ran alongside the wreck another ire
mendous sea overwhelmed both. There
was second crash, louder than the first,
and nothing remained of the strong ship
but tossing chaos OF broken timDers.
But where was the captain!
| Amid the binding spray and the deafen-
ing uproar no one but the man beside him
noticed Bill Thompson twist rope around
his left arm and plunge into the sea. But
the next moment his call was heard from
.be midst of the mass OF floating wreck
and his comrades, hauling in the line,
brought with it Captain Hardy, senseless
from tbe blow of falling splinter, and
Thompson himself, bleeding freely from q
terrible cash in the forehead.
Aud now came the hardest part Of the
work. To return to the point against the
current was simply impossible. Their only
chance was to head straight fer the shore,
right through the worst fury OF the break
crs. More than once all seemed over with
them; but the old fisherman who steered
was as cool ard steady as il only on plea
sure trip, needing the seas that almost filled
the boat no more than drops OF rain. The
moment her keel touched the sand score
of strong hands were ready TO drag them
beyond the reach Of the waves, while a
louder cheer than all burst forth when 1t
was seen that not one man was missing.
Years later, when Commodore Sir Rich
ard Hardy retired from the service, with
pension and a baronetcy to console himfor
the loss OF his left arm, he was never seen
unattended by bis confidential servant, a
short, thick-set man, with deep scar across
bis forehead, whose fayorite after-dinner
story was show me and his Honor was pref
ty nigh swamped bout twenty-five years
ago, when the old Seabird went ashore in
Ridgcmount bay"