The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-09-23

lighted when THAR son pOppod n oI
them and told them be was going /,
take supper and spend ! couple D
hours with them. They had seen IN,
ship q anchor before the house ane
knew that she would not 60 over In,
bar before midnight; but they had moi
expected that their son would get lcay.
TO come on shore.
The evening passed pleasantly. and
when Tom took leave 81 his parents
about ten o'clock. he left them IN I
much more contonted state or mind
than when he had hurriedly torn him.
self away In the afternoon. Toms r.
Their went down with him 10 the akin.
which Jacob Hopkins had left tied 70 4
stake near the house. and 70 which he
had promised 10 return about this time,
10 row Tom back TO the vessel. But
when they reached the skin no Jacob
was there; and. although Tom and his
father walked some distance toward
the town and called loudly. they could
find no sign Of the missing melon-man.
Its too badr' said Tom. s.lt's now
half-past ten. and ought 10 have been
on board BY this time. don't see why
Jacob should have disappointed me il
this way
ssIll tell you what wen do Tom. y
said his father. Wen both get into
the boat. and YOU can row over 70 the
Amelia, and'I'll bring her back
I No, indeed, father!' cried Tom.
I'm not going to let you row q mile
over the harbor this night. The wind
Is rising. and II Is getting cloudy. and /
shouldn't want 70 be on board the
Amelia and think that you were pull
ing back home by yourself through the
dark. No. sir; lii take the boat and
low myself to the schooner. and then
I'll anchor the skif there, and 20 on
board. You see. she has q long coil 81
rope and grapnel. and old Jacob can
get another boat, and row over after
her IN the morning. He ought to be
put 70 that much extra trouble for dis
appointing me in this way"
Old Mr.. Wallen was obliged to con-
Tess that this was the better plan, and
he knew that his son coa.d row more
quickly to the vessel IL lie had no one in
the skit' but himself
So Tom babe his father good bye once
more. and pulled away into the dark
ness. 1t Is always tighter on water
than IL is on land, and Tom knew the
harbor SO well that he had no difficulty
in rowing straight to the point where
the amelia" had anchored.
But when he had rowed some dis
lance, he was surprised on turning
around TO lind that he could not per-
ceive the Amelia's" lights.
Why, where is the schooner said
Tom TO himself. And then he rowed
with redoubled vigor.
but, before long. he was quite GER
tain that the Amelia was not on her |
anchorage ground.
" She must have dropped down fur
ther. around the end Of tie island. be- |
fore the tide turned" he said to him |
self. \. That NAV have helped 4 little
but i was mean trick for the Captain !
70 90, alter letting me 70 on Shore
But Tom did not hesitate. He laid 70
his oars again, and pulled around the
island. He could see no signs Of the
ship. but supposed she waslying direct
" inside the bar. which spot was con-
cealed from him BY projecting point
Of woodland. Tom rowed on and on.
until. 1t last, he actually reached the
entrance 20 the harbor, but still he saw
no signs Of the amelia" Could IL
be possible, he thought. that the Can
tain had taken advantage Of the rising
d the wind. and had gone to seaP II
would be q rash act, Tom rightly i'm
sgined. TO sail through that narrow pas
sage. with the breakers scarcely hum
dred yards on each side Of the vessel.
Dn night Is dark as tbis-cloudy. and
without moon. And vet what else .
'ould the " Amelia have doneP He
'ouId not have passed her in the harbor ;
= be rowed along. She could not have :
Iuietly sunk out Of sight She must !
lave gone 20 sea.
As Tom. without thinking what he /.
Fas doing, kept rowing on. he looked
ut over she long waves that came
yelling in between the two lines 81
reakers. which guarded the entrance
? the harbor. And there. not quar-
Dr. Of mile from the shore. he saw the
ghts Of 4 shin cyidenflv lvinv ~ vv;th | 4