The Red Cloud chief., 1881-10-20
How tom WALLEN WENT ABOARD.

HE "Amelia was Il coasilnp
schooner, which, i'm the early part OF
this century, piled between several OF
Dur Atlantic ports. 1t was in the sum-
mer of 1913 that she lay in the harbor
of a little seaport town, 10 which her
Captain aud most of her crew belonged.
Late in the afternoon of an August day.
she dropped down with the tide from
the pier, at which she had been taking
in ballast IN preparation for a voyage
noIthward, and anchored some dis
lance below the town, where she would
be obliged to wait until the tide rose
sufficiently high for her TO cross the
bar ut the mouth of the harbor, which
was not passable for a vessel of the
size of the Amelia" excepting at high
tide.
While she was living here, a boat
with a man and his wife and a load OF
fruit put of from the shore; and, row.
inc up TO the ship, the boatman tried to
p a trade with the sailors, who were
idly waiting for the time to set sail.
Among the crew was a young fellow
named Tom Wallen. who was about to
set off on his second voyage in the
Amelia" While the man with the
melons was Offering his fruit for sale,
an idea struck Tom.
Il don't want any of that stuff"
he said to himself; but L should like
very much TO 90 on shore with Jacob
Hopkins and his wife. We shan t
weigh anchor for six hour at least, for
the tide hasn't run out yet, and lshould
like to bid my old father and mother
a better good bye than the one l gave
them n little while ago."
Tom had been in the town that after
noon. when he heard that his Captain
did not intend TO wait for flood tide Ie-
fore leaving the wharf, but would drop
down with the ebb to the end OF the
island opposite the town, and. there
fore, the crew must be on board n
than they expected. Tom had only
time TO run down to the little cottage,
some distance below the town. in which
his father and mother lived, to bid
them n hastv farewell, and to hurry
back to the schooner, to which his
chest had been carried that morning.
Those were war times, and Tom did
not know when he might see his old
father and mother again. and he had
left them very much shocked and dis
furbed at his sudden departure. for they
llstu cAftcCltu W hdNC hiiil VII tiCth
all the evening. Accordingly, he went
TO the Captain and stated his case. He
said that. as the vessel lay not far from
the cottage, Jacob Hopkins could take
him ashore in a short time and that he
would bring him back long before mid
night. This was the time they expect
ed TO set sail, as the tide would her be
ut its height and the moon would have
/ risen. The Captain was a kind-hearted
man. and was well acquainted with
Toms parents. After a little consider
alton, he gave the young fellow the
permission he desired. and Tom. having
speedily struck a bargain with Jacob
Hopkins. was rowed ashore.
Old Mr.. and Mrs. Wallen were de-.
lighted when their son popped in on
them and told them he was going to
take supper and spend a couple of
hours with them. They had seen the
ship at anchor before the house and
knew hat she would not 60 over the
bar before midnight; but they had not
expected that their son would get leave
to come on shore.
The evening passed pleasantly, and
when Tom took leave of his parents,
about ten o'clock, he left them in a
\ much more contented state of mind
than when he had hurriedly torn HIM
self away i'm the afternoon. Toms IA
Their went down with him to the skiff.
which Jacob Hopkins had left tied to a
stake near the house, and to which he
had promised to return about this time,
TO row Tom back to the vessel. But
when they reached the skiff 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. Its now
half past ten, and L ought to have been
on board by this time. 1 don't see why
Jacob should have disappointed me in
this way"
In tell you what Wen do Tom"
said his father. well both get into
the boat, and YOU can row over to the
Amelia and I'll bring her back"
mo, indeed, fatherr!' cried Tom.
' <.Tm not going to let you row q mile
over the harbor this night. The wind
is rising. and it is getting cloudy, and /
shouldn't want to be on board the
4Amelia,' and think that you were pull
! Eng back home by yourself through the
iow myself to the schooner, and then
III anchor the skif there, and 60 on
board. You see. she has a long coil of
rope and a grapnel. and old Jacob can
get another boat, androw rel after
her in the morning. He ought to be
put to that much extra trouble for dis
appointing me in This wsy."