The Russellville Democrat., 1883-03-22

Amelia, and think that you We're pull
ing back home by yourself through the
dark. No, sir; III take the boat and
low myself to the schooner, and then
I'll anchor the skif there, and go on
board. You see. she has long coil OF
rope and nTapnel, and old Jacob can
get another boat, and row over after
her in the morning. He ought to be
pnt to that much extra trouble for dis
appointing me in this way
Old Mr.. Wallen was obliged to con-
fess that this was the better plan, and
he knew that his son could row more
quickly to the vessel if he had no one in
the ski6 but himself.
So Tom babe his father goodbye once
more, and pulled away into the dark
ness. 1t is always lighter on water
than it 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 hid rowed some dis
lance, he was surprised on turning
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
Their, around the end of the island. be-
fore the tide turned,'' he said to him
seu THAT may have helped little.
but it was a mean trick for the Captain
to do. after letting me go on shore"
But Tom did not hesitate. He laid to
his oars again, and pulled around the
island. He could see no signs of the
ship. but supposed she was lying direct
ly inside the bar, which spot was con-
cealed from him by projecting point
OF woodland. Tom rowed on and on,
until, at last, he actually reached the
entrance to the harbor, but still he saw
no signs of the amelia. Could it
be possible, he thought, that the Cap
tain had taken advantage of the rising
of the wind, and had gone to seap 1t
would be rash act, Tom rightly inn
agined, to sail through that narrow pas
sage. with the breakers scarcely hum
bred yards on each side of the vessel,
on night as dark as this cloudy, and
without moon. And yet, what else
could the Amelia have done? He
could not have passed her in he harbor
as he rowed along. She could not have
quietly sunk out of sight She must
have gone to sea.
As Tom, without thinking what he
was doing, kept rowing on, he looked
out over the long waves that came
swelling in between the two lines OF
breakers, which guarded the entrance
to the harbor. And there. not quar-
ter of mile from the shore. he saw the
lights of ship, evidently lying to, with
her head TO the wind.
Tom was very angry at tbs sight.
eff it were not for~ my chest he
thought, (which holds everything
own, Id row back. and have nothing
more to do with her"
Tom was not the man 10 60 back
when he had started out to do anything.
And so lie rowed on and on toward the
inlet, where the long waves, which be-
came breakers on either side of the
narrow passage, were rolling in from
the sea. 1t was not an easy matter to
row boat over these waves, but Tom
had been used to such work from a
boy. having often rowed out to sea on
fishing expeditions, and he knew ex-
actly how to pull his boat against the
incoming surf. 1t was not long before
he was out on the gently swelling wa
ters of the ocean, and pulling vigorous
ly for the vessel. He forgot, entirely,
that it would be necessary for him to
return Jacob Hopkins boat, but he de-
termined to give piece of his mind to
his shipmates, who, whatever might
have been the cause of their sudden de-
parture, could certainly have found
some means of giving him notice of it.
He pulled up to the bow of the vessel,
and loudly called for line A rope
was soon thrown to him. and, fastening
this to his skiff, he sprang into the rig
ging, under the bowsprit, and nimbly
c.ambered on board.
"Ihis is pretty piece of business!n
he cried, as soon as his feet touched
the deck. why did you fellows sail
off and leave me in this way?"
"What do you mean?n said man,
stepping up toward him and holding
up lantern. "Who sailed off and left
you?"
Tom looked at the man, and then
hastily glanced about him. 1t was a
pretty piece of business! BY the uni
form of the officer before him, and by
the appointments and armament OF the
ship, he saw in an instant that he was
on board a British vessel of war. What
fool he had been to get so angry that
he would not look behind him as he
rowed Ii it had not been for his I'M
fortunate temper, he never would have
mistaken this vessel for the Amelia. :"
Il made n mistake" he said, his
voice trembling a little. ~ thought
this was my ship, the Amelia.
And then he made movement back
ward, as if he would scramble over
board and get again into his little boat
But the officer laid his hand on his
shoulder.
stop, my good fellow" he said.
"You must go and report to the Cap
tain. l have been watching you for
some time, and wondered what was
bringing you here. Yonr ship must be
a good one ii you mistook His Majesty
sloop-of-war 'Saraeen' for il"
II should not have made such a
blunder," said Tom. "if had looked
out better" And he dejectedly fol-
lowed he officer to the quarterback
The Captain heard his story, and
asked him good many questions.
What is the cargo OF your ship, the
AmeliaP " he asked.
Nothing but stones an old from
answered Tom. "She going North
Tor cargo, and sails in ballast. There
is nothing in our little village with
which she could load. She came here
to refit. p"