The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-16

my life, and, indeed, thel chance for it
is SO great that l set small store by
the boat that is moored in the bay near
the mouth of this creek. If / come off
alive 1 shall easily find another boat.
This one you had better take, and, as
soon as the Eaoon has set tonight, sail
for New London, where you will be safe.
Go not before, lest you be overhauied ON
the sound and recaptured."
al will never be taken alive" answered
Robert, firmly.
"You are a brave man, and / do not
doubt your intent, but we are all in the
hand of God. If you reach New London
safely give the boat in charge of Ebenezer
Holden, whom you will easily find. And
now, farewell"
Robert feared to remain in the house,
lest he might be surprised by a party of
the British dragons, who, as he was in
formed, were continually securing the
island. Near nightfall Mistress Suydam
came rushing down to him from the up
per window where she had long been
sitting, watching that she might note the
approach of an enemy far off.
1.-THE dragons are comingi" she cried
to him.
A dozen of them were coming down
the road at an easy, swinging trot, with
Capt. Tileston at their head. OF course
the fugitive imagined that they were in
pursuit of him, but they were not. He
was supposed to have been drowned and
eaten by the sharks, numbers of which
savage creatures were attracted to the
vicinity of the prison ship by the prey
that was either tossed to them or that
voluntarily leaped overheard. The dra-
goons had quite another object than his
capture in their coming. But he thought
only of fight.
He ran swiftly down the brook, crouch
ing below the line of rank grass that mar
gined its banks, until hereached the bay,
where he plunged in and disappeared.
Day was ended by this time, but the ear
ly rising moon gave SO clear a light that
he did not dare to attempt reaching the
parsons boat, though it was only four or
five rods from where he took to the
water. A couple of the dragons rode
leisurely down the bay, and there sat
upon their horses, chatting. They were
discussing the catching of spies who were
supposed to land there from the Connec-
ticut or New York shore. Presently Capt.
Tileston, with four more men, Joined
them. They had stopped to search for
rebels in Mistress Suydam's house. The
captain had a plan.
sit is useless" he said, 'sfor us to at
tempt the capture, upon the water, of
those Yankee spies, who have eyes like
hawks by day and owls by night, and
could see us long before we could see
them. We must let them land. As I
have sharper sight than any of you at
night, I will conceal myself in the boat
and watch for them. You vii. hide in
yonder clump of woods. When they
land / will signal to you by initiating
the ploveris cry. which way to dash to
fall upon them-once for this way, twice
for that-and at the same moment will
seize their boat to cut off their retreat"
So it was arranged. One of the dra-
goons waded out to the parsons little
sail boat and drew her in SO that the cap
tain could step aboard dry shod, after
which he moored her out again. Then
the dragons went away into the woods,
and the captain lay down in the boat to
watch and wait for events. Events were
rapidly approaching him that he had no
conception of.
A big, floating bunch of sedge grass
drifted out from near the shore toward
the boat, slowly approaching it closer
and closer. At length it seemed to lodge
against the boat. The captain did not
notice it. He was looking in the oppo-
site direction. Noiselessly a head rose
out of the water behind him-the head
of Robert Jameson-close by the bunch
of floating grass. The next moment "a
long arm reached over the low side of
the boat, and a powerful hand gripped
the captains throat-gripped it with
such ferocious energy that it cut off his
breath, made the world turn black be-
fore him, and seemed to paralyze him.
Before he could make a movement of
self defense or a sound, q man rolled
into the boat upon him, and seizing one
of his big holster pistols that he had laid
beside him, dealt such a blow upon his
temple that he was stunned and lay as
still as if dead.
When the captain recovered his senses
he found himself bound hand and foot
with the anchor rope. His captor had
stepped the mast. The little sail was
bellying full with a favoring southeast
breeze, and the shore was far behind.
The next morning he was turned over to
the military authorities at New London
as a prisoner.
Robert Jameson was regarded as quite
a hero IN New London, where he prompt
ly re-entered the service, and fought
bravely until the end of the war, in Alb
ner Suydam's company