Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-17
Gales and Skstthts.
The Sailors Odd Boot.


the old fighting DAYS of Admiral Nelson,
and there was no better officer than her
stout CAPTAIN. Sir Richard Oakley, or. as
be was generally called. "Dashing Dick. "
Strict though he always was. Sir Richard
was a great favorite both with his officers
and his crew, who were well aware that
he never punished any one without good
reason. The sailors never forgot how
..Dashing Dick" had once torn his own
shirt into bandages for the wounded. after
a hard fight; and if he had taken it into
his head to steer right into the middle OF
French fleet. there was not man on
board who would not have followed him
to the death.
One morning Captain Oakley was pac-
ing the deck as usual. the very picture OF
an old sailor, when big "topman," with
a face as brow and hard as the Captains
own. came up and touched his forelock in
salute.
well, my man, what is it ?" asked Sir
Richard, recognizing Bill Hawkins. one
of his smartest seamen, who had saved
his lite from the stroke of French cut
lass only few months before.
please your honor, some chaps been
and stole lot O. my things" answered
Bill, as hesitatingly as if he had been con-
Tossing the theft himself.
Dashing Dicks bold, brown face dark.
ened, for theft aboard his ship was
something quite new to him.
"Stolen - echoed he. through his
clenched teeth. '.Are you quite sure of
what you say, my lad 81 It's very awk-
ward thing. remember, to charge any OF
your messmates with being thief
But Bill was quite certain that he could
not be mistaken. On the eve of their de-
parture from England, few days before,
he had bought himself new exit" and
had then, as he said "stowed it away
ard" Next day several of the small
er articles were missing, and no one
seemed to know anything about them.
AS the captain listened. his eyes glow
ed as they were wont to do when an enc
mv's ship appeared in the offing. In a
tree all hands mustered on deck at the
boatswain's whistle, and Sir Richard. bid
ding them look him full in the face and
listen to what he was going to say, ad-
dressed them as follows:
my lads, I'm very sorry to find that
there's some one among us mean enough
to steal from his messmates-a thing
which could never have expected OF
British seamen. Now | don't choose to
have that sort of thing going on aboard
any ship that command, and Pm going
to stop it. once for all. I've got my eye
upon the thief at this moment"
Here he paused, and shot a glance at
the wondering crew which Gas one of the
men said afterward) "seemed to 90 right
through you and out at the other side"
II hope you're honor doesn't think it's
me-" said the gray-haired cockswan in
the front rank.
"Or me-" "Or me-" echoed several
voices at once.
81 don't say it's anybody yet" answer
ed the Captain, with a grim emphasis on
the last word; "but do say that the thief
is looking me full in the face at this mo-
ment, and that am looking at him, and
he knows it as we'll as do"
This, after all, was hardly surprising,
inasmuch as the whole ships company
were looking straight at him in obedience
to his own orders; but the announcement
and the solemn tone in which it was made
caused a visible sensation among the
crew.
Now, pursued Dashing Dick, "Tll
give him till tonight to bring oack what
he has taken; but if all the things stolen
from William Hawkins are not restored
this very night, tomorrow morning the
man who stole them shall have the best
flogging that | ever gave any man."
When the sun rose next morning, all
the missing articles were in their place
again. no one knew how.
Intn f,r g..
Oakley the unbounded admiration of the
simple Jack Tars, some of whom could
only explain it by saying the Capt. must
have stolen the things himself, in order to
have chance of giving his crew lesson.
But apparently the lesson was not alto
gethe effectual, for scarcely had the
Adrane been three days at anchor in
Portsmouth Harbor, after her cruise up
and down the channel, when shoe
maker, whose shop lay close to the an
chorage, came on board with charge of
theft against our friend Bill Hawkins him
self!
AT this sudden change of the robbed
man into the robber. Capt Oakley hardly
knew what to think, for he had always
had a very high opinion of Bill. Howev-
er. he depressed his establishment, and
ordered the shoemaker to tell his story.
1t was soon told. He had been making
pair of sea-boots few days before. and
having finished one had just gone to work
upon the other, when the completed boot
suddenly disappeared, and the shoemaker
"A grabbed. suspicious cid fellow-set
down the theft to one of those very sailors
out of whom he made his money
whoever took that boot, muttered he,
"knows that the other ones no use by it.
self. and means to come back presently
and buy it cheap, and to make up the pair +;
but when he does come, I'll be ready for
him, or my names not Timothy Temp.
kins."
Sure enough, three DAYS later, Bill Haw-
kins, after looking hard at the odd boot
in the window, stepped into the shop and
called out:
Hello, my hearty dye sell odd boots ?
How much for that one ?"
What more proof could any man want |?
Mr.. Tompkins bounced upon him at once.
and brought him before Capt. Oakley as
the thief
well, Hawkins" asked Sir Richard
what have you to say to all this ?''
please your honor" answered Bill,
undauntedly, 81 didn't take t'other boot.
and | don't know anything about it; and
as for that 'un as | wanted to buv. onlv
meant to give it to my old chum, Sam
Stokes, the pensioner."
But what on earth can he do with one