Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-01-20

voice, and the way he spoke, was enough
TO show that there wasn't ha'porth o. lynn
In his whole skin. But the mate didn't
swallow the yarn at all; he only shrugged
his shoulders with kind o. grin. as much
as TO say: "I'm too old a bird to be caught
with that kind of chaff;;" and then he says
TO him, Look here, my lad; that's all very
fine, but IL won't do here-some o. these
men o mine are in the secret, and | mean
10 have IL out O them. Now, you Just
point out the man as slowed you away and
fed you, this very minute; IL you don't IL II
be the worse for YOU"
The boy looked up in his bright fearless
way-it did my heart good TO look MI him,
the brave little chap!-and says, quite
quietly. 1--WE told you the truth; 4 amt
got no more to say"
The mate says nothin', but he looks at
him for minute, as Ii he See clear through
him; and then he faced round 10 the men,
lookln' blacker than ever. ''Reeve rope
to the yard!" he sings out loud enough 10
raise the dead; ''smart noW."
The men all looked al each other, mn
much as TO say, "What ON earth il coming
nows" But on board of ship, o. course,
when you are told 10 do q thing you've got
80 do IL; SO the rope was rove in a jiffy.
''Now, my lad, says the mate in hard,
square kind OF voice, that MADE every
word seem like fitting a stone in wall,
you see that roper Well, I'll give you
ten minutes 10 confess" and he took out
his watch and held il in his hand, 'and IL
you don't tell the truth before the time is
up, I'll hang you like d dog!'
The crew all stared at one another as If
they couldn't believe their ears-I didn't
believe mne / can tell ye-and then a
long growl went among them like q wild
beast wakin' out of a nap.
''Silence there!" shouts the mate, in a
voice like the roar OF northeaster. Stand
by 10 run fOr'ardl" and with hIs own hand
he put the moose around the boys neck
The little fellow never tlinched a bit: but
there were some among the sailors, big
chaps as could ha' felled an OK, as shook
like leaves in the wind. AS for me, ! be-
thought myself Of my curly-headed little
lad al home, and how il would be il any
one was TO 20 for TO hang him. And at
the very thought on IL Il tingled all over,
and my fingers clinched themselves as if
they were a gnppin' somebody's throat
| clutched hold o "a handspike, aud held Ii
behind my back, all ready.
'"rom, whispers the chief engineer to
me, ''do you think he really means to do
iti''
IL don't know" says |, through my
teeth; ''but ii he does he shall go rrsL. If
swing for it,"
I've been in many an ugly scrape i'm my
time, but | never felt half as bad as | did
then. Every minute seemed O. long as a
dozen, and the tick of the mates watch
reg'lar pricked my ears like a pin. The
men were very quiet, but there was pre-
Cious ugly look on some OF their faces; and
| noticed that three or four ON 'em kept
edging or'ard TO where the mate was stand
in In way that meant mischief. AS for
me, made up my mind that II he did
go tor TO hang the poor little chap, I'd kill
him on the spot and take my chances.
Eight Minutes" says the mate, his
great, deep voice breakin in upon the ST.
lence like the tone of funeral bell. ''lf
you've got anything TO confess, my lad,
you'd best out with il, for yer times near
ly up"
''l've told you the truth, answered the
boy, very pale, but as firm AS ever" May
say my prayers, pleasel"
The mate nodded, and down goes the
poor little chap on his kness, with that in
fernal rope about his neck all the time, and
puts up his little hands to pray. | couldn'r
make out what he said-fact my head was
In such whirl that / hardly could have
known my own name-but III be bound
God heard it, every word. Then he got
up on his feet again, and puts his hands
behind him, anc says he To the mate, quite
quietly, II am ready"
And then SIR, the mates hard, grim face
broke up all to once, like I've seed the ice
in the Baltic. He snatched up the boy In
his arms and kissed him; and burst out O.
crying like a child; and | think there
warnt one of us as didn't do the same. /
know did, for one.
''God bless you, my boy!" says he,
smoothin' the child's hair with his great
hard hand. You're a true Engllshman,
every inch of you; you wouldn't tell lie
to save your life! Well, If 80 be as your
father cast you off, I'll be your father from
this day forth, and If | ever forget you,