The Russellville Democrat., 1883-03-22

make YOU handsome present. viii you
pilot the racen' into the harbor?"
ssBr1A 4 British vessel into our har-
borp' ,rel Tom. II will never do
that. Our bar and orr crooked chan
mel, as iasier has often said, are better
for us than a fort: and | am not the
man to show an enemy's vessel the way
through
Suppose were to order you to be
tied up and logged until You should
agree to do what askP" said the Cap
tain.
You may tie up and log" said
Tom, . but will never pilot you.
The Captain looked at Tom atten-
lively ~ don't think l will trust
you.' he said. Even with a pistol at
your head, believe you would run me
aground. | may not be able to take
any prizes in your harbor, and doubt
If there is anything there worth taking.
But an able bodied young fellow like
you is no slight prize, and so will
take you. You may go forward and
Mr.. Burns will assign you TO a watch. "
Tom went forward with the officer.
thinking sadly enough of the dreadful
scrape he had got into; but determin-
assist the crew in lighting one of his
countrg's ships. They might kill him
first He would do his duty as sea-
man in working the ship. but he would
never fight. On that point he was de-
termined.
AS soon as he had an opportunity.
Tom went to one of the sailors and said;
THAT little boat that / came in be-
longs to Jacob Hopkins, and I'd like to
get it back TO him if could"
You needn't trouble yourself about
the little boat" said the sailor, laugh
ing. ..Mr. Burns ordered that cut
adrift 1t wasn't worth hosting
aboard"
Tom was very sorry that he had
caused Jacob Hopkins the loss of his
boat, but he was still more sorry for
the fate that had befallen him. He
went about his work quietly and sadly,
but he did what he was told to do, and
the officers found no fault with him. 1t
suited him much better to work, even
on the ship Of his enemies. than to be
shut up as a prisoner of war; and, be-
fore long, he became moderately con
tented with his lot.
He was never called upon to help
fight his countrymen In few months
the 'sSaracen" sailed into neutral
port, where there was an American war
vessel. having on board couple OF
British sailors who had been taken
prisoners. For one of these Tom was
exchanged. and he regularly enlisted on
board the United States ship, on which
he remained until the close of the war.
Tha al I..I n "a
British men of-war, but she captured
several of the enemv's merchant ships,
and, when Tom was discharged. there
was quite large sum OF prize money
due to him.
Tom lost no time in making his way
down to his native town. He found his
parents alive and well, although they
had been in great grief ever since their
son rowed away in the night to go on
board the amelia" They had never
known for certain what had become of
him, although many persons supposed
that he might have been captured by an
English wr vessel which had been seen
in the oiiins, and which sailed away be-
fore daylight On the night of Toms dis
appearan o. His parents earnestly
hoped that this was the case, for it
would be mach better TO have had their
son taken prisoner than to have had
him drowned.
Tom soon heart the reason why he
could not find the "Amelia." A man
living on the island opp0 site the town
had discovered the lrit sh vessel, and,
while Tom was spending the evening
wieh his parents had rowed over to the
4" Amelia to tell the Captain of the
danger which awaited him outside the
harbor. The - Amelia" Immediately
weighed anchor. and, there heing a IA
vorable breeze, she sailed past the town
to point where she would be tolerably
safe from an attack by the enemy's
boats. The town was greatly excited
by the news. and Jacob Hopkins, sup
posing Tom knew all about the matter,
had never thought of rowing him over
to the Amelia" which would certainly
now be in no hurry to sail.
Toms prize money amounted to
much more than he could possibly have
made by a dozen voyages in the
:. Amelia" and he was not only able to
make his parents very comfortable, but
owner of small coasting vessel This
pan ne, III tiillc, accomplished, anu Hc
commanded his own schooner for many
years.
But, before starting on his new career,
Tom took a holiday, and spent many an
hour among the boats along shore, tell
ing his father and the old men of the
town the stories of his adventures.
One of the first persons he went to
see was Jacob Hopkins. OF course
they had met before, since Toms re-
turn. but now he came on business
jacob said he, Il want 10 pay
you for your skiif, which lost when ]
went away from here"
You didn't lose it. Three days aft
er you left, | found it on the beach as
good as new"
I'm glad of that" said Tom; "but
didn't the empty boats return scare the
old people?"
"They never heard of it. l knew
they'd be dreadjully scared to know
that the boat, in which their son went
away had been cast up empty on the
beach, so rowed her here at night,
and put her in shed in my yard, where
/ she has been ever since, and I've never
said word about it,
You are a good, kind fellow said
1 Tom, pressing Jacobs hand; "but
your skif must be in sorry condition
| by this time"
So saying, Tom walked over to the
shed where the boat had been slowed
away. He found it dry. cracked and
practically useless. Again thanking
I r.. A. F.. e..t.x l.;