Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1886-04-22
THE SAILORS ODD BOOT.
From Harpe,,s Young People.

THE SAILORS ODD BOOT.
From Harper's Young People.
There was no smarter frigate than
the Ariadne in the whole British navy
during the fighting days of Admiral
Nelson and there was no better officer
than her stout captain Sir Richard
Oakley, or as he was generally Called
"Dashing Dick" Strict though he
always was, Sir Richard was great
favorite with his officers and crew,
Nho were well aware that he never
punished any one without good reason.
The sailors never forgot how "Dashing
Dick" once tore his own shirt into
bandages for the wounded, after a
hard fight; and if he had taken it in
to his head to steer right into the mid
die of French feet, there was not a
man on board who would not have
followed him to the death.
One morning Captain Oakley was
pacing the deck as usual, the very
picture of an old sailor, when big
| "atopman," with a face as brown and
hard as the Captains own, came up
and touched his forelock in salute.
"Well my man, what is it 2" asked
Sir Richard, recognizing Bill Hawk
ins, one of his smartest seamen, who
| had saved his life from the stroke OF
French cutlass only few months
| before.
| "Please YOUR honor, some chaps
/ been an stole a lot o my things,
answered Bill, as hesitatingly as if he
had been confessing the theft him
self.
Dashing Dicks brown face dark
ened, for a theft aboard his ship was
something quite new to him.
"Stolen l' echoed he, through hi
clenehed teeth. "Are you quite sure
of what you say. my lad !? It's yer,
awkward thing, remember, to charg'
any of your shipmates with being I
thief"
I But Bill was quite certain that h
could not be mistaken On the ev
of their departure from England,
few days before, he had bought him
self a new "kit," and had then. as b
said. "stowed it away for'ard." Mex
day several of the smaller article
were missing, and no one seemed t
know anything about them.
AS the Captain listened, his eye
! glowed as they were wont to do whe
an enemy's ship appearedin the ofinl
In trice all hands mustered on dec
at the call of the boaswain's whistl'
and Sir Richard, bidding them loo
:, him full in the face and listen to wins
: he.wa going to say, addressed thel
y as follows: Is
my lads, I'm very sorry to fin
that there's some one among us me-:
& enough to steal from his messmates
q thing which 1 could never have ea
il pected from British seamen. Now
# don't choose to have that sort of thir
z : goiLg on on any ship that ] comman
Is and I'm going to stop it once for q
IL I've got-my eye upon the thief at til
moment
4 Here he paused and shot a CLAN
at tie wondering crew which Gas ol
J of the men said afterward) seemed
go right through you and out at {
j, other side"
II hope your honor don't think i
me- said a gray-hared, cockswain
n the front rank.
ID "Or MI" or me-" echoed seyel
IT, voices at once.
e I don't say its anybody, yet" I
swered the Captain, with grim 9
e phasis on the last word "but | do
that the thief is looking me full iii
y face at this moment, and that | am sot
ing at him, and he knows it as we'll
I do"
This, after all, was not surprisil
= tsinasmuch as the whole ships compa
- was looking straight at him, in ODE
ence to his own orders; but the
nouncement, and the solemn tone
which it was made, caused vlsi
We sensation among the crew.
g Now" pursued Dashing Dick, /"
ard give him till to night to bring b,
ard 'rd what he has taken but if all the thi
ard stolen from William Hawkins are
ard ard restored this very night, to-morl
sr.i ars morning the man who stole them 81
s have the best fiogging that ever g
arg a'a any man. 2 81
saa when the sun rose next morni
8 Ed IL the missing nrticles were in q
place a<s.1in. no one knew hpY.
6a- Thie detective feal earned for
'sFd toin Oakley the unbounded admiral
lnrd of che simple jack Tars. some Of WI
rara could only explain it by eaying
No- f|anfaiin must have ;stolen the fh
hinseIf in order ID have chanc
- L Il :. I<,~-S<.>. Rsxk = +,