Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-04-10
CHAPTER XXI.
THE END.

I should require to write to the length of this book over again to do full justice by de- scription to the difficulties and anxieties of the days that now followed. If it had not been thick weather all the time I do not know how I should have fared, am sure Twas betweed two fires, so to say: On the one side the French cruisers and privateers, and on the other side the ships of my own country, and particularly the revenue cutters and the sloops and the like cruising after the snug glers. As knew that my relative could not be with me under four days, I steered out of sight of land into the middle of the channel, between Beachy Head and the Seine coast, and there dodged about under very small canvas, heartily grateful for the haze that shrouded the sea to within mile of me. l scarcely closed my eyes in sleep, and though my worries were now of very different kind from those which had racked me on the ice, they were, in their way, to the full as tormenting. Every sail that loomed in the dinginess filled me with alarm. Several ships passed me close, and 1 could scarce breathe till they were out of sight. Indeed, I lay skulking out upon that sea as if I was some common thief broke loose from iaiL However, it pleased heaven that I should manage to keep out of sight of those whom most strenuously desired not to see; and the afternoon of the fourth day found the Boca lying off Beachy Head, and peering over the rail with a haggard face at the dark shadow of the land.
 It had been blowing and showing all day. The seas ran short and spitefully. It was dismal December afternoon, and the more sensibly disgusting to us who were fresh from several weeks of the balm and glory of the tropics. And yet would not have exchanged fo,.o o1o f,,o l oil fhof 1xuoS 1yo to be worth.
 It was the most reasonable thing in the world that a vessel should be hove to in such somber weather; and so was under no con- cern that our posture in this respect would excite suspicion, should we be deserted. The hours stole away one by one. Now and again a little coaster would pass, some hoy bound west, a sloop for the Thames, a lugger on some unguessable mission-all small ships, oozing dark and damp out of the snow and mist and passing silently. I kept the land close aboard to be out of the way of the bigger craft, and kept the vessel in the wind till it was necessary to reach to our station. The three of us were mighty pensive and eager, staring necessarily with all our eyes; but it looked as if we were not to expect any thing that day when the night put its dark ness into the weather. Then as I foresaw 8 serious danger if the wind shifted into the south, and as I could not obtain Q glimpse of a shore light, resolved to bring up and ride till dawn. Long ago we had got the schooner's old anchors at the catheads and the cables bent; so, lowering the mainsail and hauling down the stay foresail, we let fall the starboard anchor, and the ship came to Q stand. Iput the lead over the side that we might know if she dragged, hung a lan- tern on the forestay and one on either quar for fhot hn 1xy my relative should he put out in quest of us, and went below, leaving Cromwell to keep 1 the lookout.
 l l was extremely fretful and anxious, and had no patience to talk with Billy Pitt | There were too many risks, too many vague chances in this exploit to render contempla tion of it tolerable. Suppose my relative should be deads Suppose Wilkinson should be robbed of his moneys fall to the cutting o1 capers as a sailor newly delivered to the pleasures of the land with ten guineas in his pocket? get locked up for breaking the peace blab of us in his cups, and start the customs | on our trail? There was no end to such con lectures; and made myself so melancholy that I was fool enough to think that the treasure was no better than curse, and that on the whole was better off on the ice thar here with the anchor in English ground, anG my native soil within gunshot.
 I was up and about till midnight and then being in the cabin and exhausted, l fell asleeI across the table, and ill that posture lay a! one dead, Some one dragging at my arm with very little tenderness, awoke me. I wa! in the midst of a dream of the schooner hay ing been boarded by party of Frencl privateersmen, with Tassard at their head and the roughness with which was aroused
 was exactly calculated to extend into m.
 waking the horror and grief of my sleep.
 instantly sprang to my feet, and say
 Washington Cromwell.
 "Massa Rodney" he bawled. sMassa Rod
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