The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-06-23

jim. pointing down the alter waterway,
which was quite choked with broken
spars and fragments of wreck. "Bear a
hand, Bob, and Wen soon have him out
of that
The hatchway was speedily cleared of
rubbish, door at its foot flung open.
and a man, gasping and gurgling as if
| strangled, fell forward into their arms.
They dragged him up into the fresh air,
and he began 20 revive at once, although
it was some time before he could speak
While Bob was attending to him Jim
examined the condition of the vessel
| The foremost was still standing, but the
main and mizzen masts had gone by the
board. and the planking on the star
! board-quarter was completely stove in,
while the hold was nearly fun of water.
! The only comforting facts were that the
wind had fallen, and Il at the sea was
! evidently going down likewise.
Hell do now" said Bob. coming
up. "I've propped him against aspare
sail, and he says he II be all right pres
entity. He tells me his name is Crossley,
and that he's rich merchant home
ward-bound to London from the Baltic.
When they took to the boats he ran
down TO get some money or something,
and those timbers fell and blocked him
in, and the crew went off without him"
We'll, look here, cried Jim: /" this
crafts loaded with timber, so that she's
not likely to sink; and | don't bel eve
she's leaking either, or the water in her
would be deal higher. Let's try the
pumps and see.
To work they went, and We're soon
Joined by Mr.. Crossley, who. now that
his faintness had worn off. did as much
work as both of them together After
a long spell of pumping Bob went to
"try the wen, - and returned with the
good news that the water had fallen six
inches.
" Bravo!n cried jim; "we'll pump
her dry in a few hours at this rate for
it's only the after-hold that's been filed.
Let's look about for something to eat,
and then at it again"
After some search they rummaged
out a biscuit chest and small cask Of
water still unhurt by the sea While
they were eating, Il faint CLEAN of light
| began to show itself in the east.
"Hollo!" cried Bob; al thought this
was supper, and it turns out to be
breakfast. Look alive, mates; the sun'l
be on deck soon, and he mustn't catch
us skulking,"
At it they went again, and by sunrise
! the ship was so much lightened and the
sea so calm that the three worn-out
workers thought they m ght venture
upon a nap. When Jim awoke again
the sun was well above the horizon
"Bob," cried he TO his chum, who
opened his eyes at that moment, there's
a breeze getting up from the east. Now
/ if we can only manage to get some sail
upon the old craft, | think we II find our
way home YETI
Bob and Mr. Crossley were on their
! feet in a twinkling, and the three set
| to work to make sail. the foremost
| and jib-boom being still sound, they
| succeeded-not without some q fliculty
/ in hosting the jib and foretopSail.
| Then Jim went to the helm, while his
crew of one man and boy stood
ready to obey his orders. For even in
! this first boyish adventure of one who
afterward became so famous he seemed
/ already to command and be obeyed quite
as matter of course. "
! The breeze freshened, and the light
ened ship went pretty rapidly through
the water. All that day she ran before
| the wind on westerly course, and just
about uightfall our three yCyagers saw
the distant coast of England looming
sbadow-l.ke along the horizon.
THANK Godr' said the merchant,
| drawing a long breath.
+" We haven't made such bad voy-
age, after all" laughed Jim. We
went out IN boat, and we're coming
back in a ship. Pm sorry for poor old
Sam, though, losing his boat, because
| he was SO kind as to lend it to us! If
we get any salvage for bringing this
craft into port Wen give it to him
Never mind tie boat, my boy" re-
| joined Crossley; "rll make that good;
andyou may rely upon some salvage
for saving my life, whether you get any
for the ship or not. By-the-bye, what's
your nameP'
"James Cook" answered the boy.
"rA remember it" said Crossley;
"and Pm much mistaken if al ENGLAND
doesn't some day remember it too.
He spoke truly. Thirty years later
that barefooted boy was the greatest
seaman and explorer in Britain, and
Mr. Crossl y, then a white-haired,
wr.nkled old man. of sevenfy-fve, was
never tired of telling his friends about
the strange voyage that he had once
made in a water-l gged vessel with Cap
tain Cook.-DaUld Ker, IN Harper's
! Young People.