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

I'm t9V<eo - tho man. and thol
hastily glanced ABOUT him. II was |
pretty piece Of business! BY the uni
form % the officer before him. and D,
the appointments and armament 81 til
ship. he saw In an instant that he wa
on board British vessel 81 war. VIVA
. fool he had been % get so angry tina
ne would not look behind him as IL
rowed! II II had not been for mis- IN
fortunate temper. he never would have
mistaken this vessel for the 4 Aniu a. 4
=" made q mistake" he said. III,
voice trembling little. ~ though,
this was my ship. the Amelia. +"
And then he made q movement hack.
ward: q i he would scramble over.
board and get again into bis little boat.
But the officer laid his hand on bis
shoulder.
stop. my good fellow" he said.
You must 60 and report to the Cap
tain. 1 have been watching Won Tor
some time. and wondered what was
bringing you here. Your ship must lie
q good one Il you mistook His Majesty's
sloop-of-war 'Saracen' for IL"
~ should not have made such 4
blunder," said Tom, III had looked
out better" And he dejectedly fol-
lowed the officer to the quartcr-deck.
The Captain heard his story. and
asked him good many questions.
What e the cargo Of your ship. the
Ameliav" he asked.
Nothing but stones and old iron. .
answered Tom. "She's going North
for cargo. and sails in ballast. There
Is nothing in our little village with
which she could load. She came here
10 refit."
The Captain looked at the first Of
ficer. and said:
III this boys story is true, the
Amelia would be no great prize
+" But how can YOU tell that IL Is
true?" said the other.
YOU'D find 1t ont very soon il YOU
could look into her hold" said Tom.
lie was about 70 say more. but the Cap
tain interrupted him.
How much water is there on your
bar at high tide?" he said.
Fourteen feet" answered Tor.
That would be q tight scrape for the
: Saracen. ~ remarked the Captain to
bis officer. "But she could do i'll
"Oh yes, SIR said the other, and
couple Of feet to spare"
The Captain then addressed Tom
again: The channel Of the harbor runs
around the end Of the island opposite
the town, does ii notr' said he.
Yes. sir" answered Tom.
Are you familiar with the inlet and |
the channel?' asked the Captain.
"Oh. yes. sir" said Tom. ~ have
plotted vessels in three or four times. =
well. sir" said the Captain. If l |
make You handsome present, will you
pilot the 'Saracen' into the harborPH
bring British vessel into our har-
bor?' cried Tom. ~ will never do /
hat. Our bar and our crooked chan
1el, as father has often said, are better
or rs than q fort; and / am not the
nan 70 show an enemy's vessel the way
through"
Suppose I were to order you to be
led up and logged until you should
lgree TO do what askP' said the Cap
ain.
''You may tie up and nog,r said
Tom, " but will never pilot YOU"
The Captain looked at Tom atten-
lively. ~ don't think l viii trust
ou.' he said. Even with pistol Il
our head. believe you would run me
ground. / may not be able TO take
ny prizes in your harbor, and I doubt J
there is anything there worth taking.
ut an able.bodied young fellow like Ii
on y no slight prize, and 80 l will
IKE you. You may 60 forward and
II. Burns will assign you to watch"
Tom went forward with the officer.
linking sadly enough Of the dreadful I
rape he had got into; but determin- I
e IN his heart that he would never
'sist the crew in fighting one OF bis s
,untry's ships They might kill him Z
rst He would do his duty Is Z sea- !
AN in working the ship, but he would !
aver tight. On that point be was de- .
rmined.
As soon Is he had al opportunity. b
ON went 70 one Of the sailors and said: B
That little boat that l came In be- '
ngs 70 Jacob Hopkins, and I'd like 70 4
4 Il back 10 him IL 1 could.n
!" You needn't trouble yourself about u
Q little boat said the sailor. laugh q
&. MIR. Burns ordered that cut u
riit. Il wasn't worth hosting :!
Tom was very sorry that he had h
used Jacob Hopkins the loss Of his b
at, but he was still more sorry for a
Q fate that had befallen him. He q
'nt about bis work quietly and sadly. n
ne did what he was told to do. and tu
, officers found no fault with him. II bt
Ted him much better to work, even VI
the ship 81 his enemies, than To BE- II
4 up as q prisoner OF war; and. BE- a
2 long, he became moderately con- 81
tied with his lot. Ia
AZ was never called upon to help -
b his countrymen. In few months ~
'Saracen" sailed into neutral ~
4. where there was an American war vi
sci, having on board q couple Of ~
fish sailors who had been taken IN
soners. For one Of these Tom was n
hanged. and he regularly enlisted On ~
I'D the United States ship, on which
remained until the close Of the war.
4 xtU110I hal al