The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-04-12
A few days afterwards, however,

| two large Federal men-Of- war saw ana
signaled the suspicious looking ship.
With the sails spread she gave them
long and hard race, but as they
gained on her and brought their heavy
ordinance to bear directly on her sides
she paused and surrendered. An at
temp at fight with such odds against
him would have been suicidal. Capt.
Wilson received the officers who
| boarded the blockade runner with all
the courtesy of man who welcomes
his honored guests. A brief
investigation showed them na-
ture and mission of the captured
ship. The spurious Union Jack was
hauled down the Stars and Stripes
soon took its place. The crew were
made prisoners of war, and transfer
red to one of the conquering ships.
The dauntless Capt. Wilson whose
self lfpossession never left him, sug
gested that he should be left with the
Emily St. Pierre, as she was an old
boat with peculiar machinery, and
carried cargo that was just then es-
pecially valuable. To his request the
officers assented. They also agreed
to retain the negro steward who ex-
pressed an earnest wish to stay. The
new crew was composed of eight ex-
perienced sailors besides the two naval
officers who were to take the block
ade-runner to New York in the wake
of one of the men-of-war.
A friendship soon sprung up be-
tween the officers and the suave Cap.
tain. They found the Frenchman was a
master of navigation, charming con-
versationalist and was of invaluable
assistance to them in managing the
queer craft on which they sailed. Ev-
cry evening Capt. Wilson amused
them with wild adventures he had ex-
perienced in his journeys of the past
few years, and made himself so useful
that the young officers got into the
habit of treating him more as broth
er officer than as prisoner of war.
They even sent him below to order
the sailors to do certain work on the
ship on several occasions. The cap
tain's pretty boy became quite a pet
with all the crew, and both father
and son seemed to return with gaert
heartiness the evident favor which
whichthey were regarded. Capt. Will
son spent part of every day on deck
with his son for whose amusement he
whitfield all sorts of odd playthings
from pieces of wood. The officers
would sometimes pause and laugh at
the comical jumping.jacks and other
toys their ingenious and versatile pris-
oner had carved with his pocket-knife
for the bright child, to whom he SEEM
ed devotedly attached. Capt Wilson
Whitfield these playthings every day
with remarkable persistency, and the
child seemed to develop an unusual
fondness for them. In the presence
of the officers he would tease his faith
er to come with him on deck and make
him new toys.
One day, as he was thus engaged, he
asked the boy: Leo, if the occasion
required it, could you face great dam
ger without shrinking, that you and
l might succeed in difficult under
taking ?"
| The child's laughing face grew ser
ious in an instant as he answered
"Try me. can shoot pistol with as
steady hand as you can, and / have
known" he added in a whisper,
though no one was near them, "what
you have been working on while you
pretended to be making my toys. I
am no baby, IS you know, papa, to
care for such playthings, but I saw
you wanted to make those odd little
things you have in your pocket" The
man looked at the child in astonish-
ment for one moment, and then draw
ing him to his arms he kissed him
again and again. The officer who
came near at that moment turned
away and sighed as he thought of the
probable fate of the father, when he
should be delivered to the authorities
and held to account for the contra
band business he had pursued with
such notorious daring that he could
not hope for mucn Iaercy. He con-
siderately left them together longer
than usual and went into his cabin to
calculate how much longer his prison
er would enjoy the companionship OF
his only child.
The man of-war had long since dis
appeared and would reach New York
several days ahead of the Emily St
Pierre. Left alone with the boy, Capt
Wilson said Follow me closely thi.
afternoon, and when you hear my sill
yer whistle, come directly, but without
showing any signs of haste, into the
: Captains cabin. / am going to put
. you to a test from which strong mar
might shrink, but you must prove
yourself worthy of the trust which
! repose in YOU"
Il will,' said the child, and that
instant, hearing approaching footsteps
he brought back the careless smile te
his face that had grown suddenly pale
at his fathers ominous words, and
when the second officer in command
came up he was apparently absorbed
in pile of wooden playthings he had
scornfully dashed away moment be
fore. A little later Capt Wilson
arose and walked away, followed at {
short distance by the boy, who car
ried with noisy solicitude his wooder
, soldiers and other toys
Capt. Wilson went into the com
manding officers cabin and foune
j, him still bending over the chart
With a pleasant remark, and re
quest that his entrance should not dis
: turb him, Capt. Wilson walked VI
behind the officer and with a powerful
and quick effort slipped a wooden gat
3 in his mouth. In few moments tn,
dumb officer was securely tied to hil
= 81 Ill n