San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-10

s.S-s 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 foresaw a
serious danger if the wind shifted into the
south, and as / could not obtain glimpse of
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 a stand. put the lead over the side that
we might know if she dragged, hung Ian
tern on the forestry and one on either quar-
ter, that our presence might be marked by
my relative should he put out in quest of us,
and went below, leaving Cromwell to keep
the lookout.
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-
ton of it tolerable. Suppose my relative
should be dead? Suppose Wilkinson should
be robbed of his money? fall to the cutting of
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 a curse, and that
on the whole was better off on the ice than
here with the anchor in English ground, and
my native soil within gunshot.
l was up and about till midnight; and then,
being in the cabin and exhausted, fell asleep
across the table, and in that posture lay as
one dead. Some one dragging at my arm
with very little tenderness, awoke me. 1 was
in the midst of a dream of the schooner hav-
ing been boarded by party of French
privateersmen, with Tassard at their head,
and the roughness with which was aroused
was exactly calculated to extend into my
waking the horror and grief of my sleep.
l instantly sprang to my feet, and saw
Washington Cromwell.
''Massa Rodney" he bawled, "Massa Rod
ney, de gents 'longside-him an Wilkinson
-yaas, by de good Lord, dey'se both dere,
Dey hail me- an answer and say who are
youF and dey say Are you de Boca? we
am say, and dey say"-
l had stood stupidity staring at him; but
my full understanding coming to me on
sudden, jumped to the ladder and darted on
deck heard voices over the starboard side
and ran there. 1t was not so dark but that
I could see the outline of a Deal lugger.
While l was peering the voice Of my man
Wilkinson cried out, ''On deck, there! Crom-
well-Billy-wheres Mr.. Rodney!'
Here ami" cried l.
my God, PAUL." exclaimed the voice of
Mr.. Mason, this encounter is fortunate in
deed.
shouted to the negroes to show light,
and in few minutes Mr.. Mason, Wilkinson
and a couple of Deal boatmen came over the
side. l grasped my relative by both hands.
l had not seen him for four years.
This is good of you, indeed" I cried.
"But you must be persisted with the cold of
that open boat. Come below at once--cOme,
Wilkinson, and you men-there's fire in the
cook room and drink to warm u.s." and down
l bundled in the widest confusion of excite
ment, followed by Mason and the Others
My relative was warmly clad, and did not
seem to suffer from the cold. He took me by
the hand and brought me to the lantern light,
and stood viewing me-
cay said he, ''you are your old self-a
bit worried looking, but thatll pass. Stout
and burned. Odds heart! Paul, if you have
passed through the experiences Wilkinson
has given me a sketch of we must have your
life, man; we must have your lfe-for the
booksellers"