Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-07-26

shrouded the sea to within mile of me. |
scarcely closed my eyes in sleep, and though
my worries were now Of very different
kind from those which had raeked me on the
ice, they were, in their way, to the full as
tormenting. Every sail that doomed in the
dinginess filed me with alarm. Several
ships passed me close, and l could scarce
breathe till they were out of sight. Indeed,
lay slzulking out upon that sea as II I was
some common thief broke loose from Jail.
However, it pleased heaven that | 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 of Beachy Head, and peering
over the rail with haggard face at the dark
shadow of the land.
1t 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
it for a clear, fine day for all that was like
to be worth.
1t 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-
Germ that our posture in this respect would
hours stole away one by one. Now and
again little coaster would pass, some hoy
bound west, 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. | 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 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 stand. Iput the lead over the side that
we might know if she dragged, hung a lam
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 cuttingof
capers as a sailor newly delivered to the
pleasures of the land with ten guineas in his
pocket; get locked up for breaking the peace2
blab Of us in his cups, and start the customs
on our trail9 There was no end to such con-
lectures; and l made myself so melancholy
that l 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 gunshct
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
ono dead. Some one dragging at my arm
with very little tenderness, awoke me. was
in the midst of dream of the schooner hay
ing been boarded by party of French
privateersiuen, 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
/ instantly sprang TO my feet, and saw
Washington Cromwell.
"
ney, de gents 'longside-him an Wilkinson
--yaas, by dc good Lord, dey'se both deere
Dey hail me, an j answer ana say Who are
your and doy say Are you de Bocar We
am say, and dey say
/ had stood stupidity staring at him; but
my full understanding coming to me on a
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
/ could see the outline of Deal lugger
While | was peering the voice of my man
Wilkinson cried out, son deck, therel Crom-
well-Billy-- where's Mr. Rodneyln
''Here / am" cried /.
"My God, Pauln exclaimed the voice Of
Mr.. Mason, ''this encounter is fortunate In
deed.
l shouted to the negroes to show light,
and in q few minutes Mr.. Mason, Wilkinson
and couple of Deal boatmen came over the
side. | grasped my relative by both hands.
had not seen him for four years.
"This is good of you, indeedm l cried.
''But you must be persisted with the cold Of
that open boat. Come below at once--come,
Wilkinson, and you men-theres a fire in the
cook room and drink to warm us; - and down
/ 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 that'll 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"