The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-15

whispered my suspicious and brought
up the would be bridegroom to inspect
AS he saw him he grew pale, and his
eyes flashed.
know l cannot get ashore now"
no said, turning to Charley. DO YOU
think you can beat him over to the 9th
er shore?"
1es' sir, answered our skipper.
we can and will, or else lose tho mast"
and L saw that he meant it.
just then the two boats were alone.
side. and the old man and tho younp
one exchanged expressive gestures as
their eyes met.
I;ang! went the signal to start, and
the fleet squared away. the Dawn and
the Foam crossing the line together.
Charley ordered up more sail until we
hau every stitch flying, while the Foam
dlu likewise. 1t was a dead heat before
the wind, and the two boats led the
feet. The respective crews had learned
the story by that time and shouted loud
~ to each other, while n broad smile
lit up the face of the captain of the
roam He evidently thought it good
joke, but we heard the girl sobbing be-
low, and our entire crew was willing
to help on the elopement If papa got
to Long Island first, we would turn
about and make Nutmeg again, Or
well, we figured up the possible cost
IN the case If we put the couple ashore
and forcibly prevailed upon papa to re.
turn via the Dawn. The breeze fresh.
ened, and the two boats went before it,
drawing farther apart all the while.
Papa was supplied with Il glass, so we
got one for our man, and he skipped
up on deck every minute to look through
1t, and then tumblcd hack to comfort
the girl. One by one the crew went in
and were introduced to the blushing
little creature, and each man as he came
out felt as | did when | first heard her
volce-lt foreboded danger to the gray
haired old passenger ON board the Foam.
If we only had To tack. he'd lose his
head by the boom, ~ suggested Charley
as he saw the white spot above tho door
of the cabin
NJ t want to disobey papa, "
soDDcd the girl, when | went into our
cabin, but l am old enough to know
what is right, and papa is awfully fun
ny sometimes. He chased us Is miles.
We were half married once this morn
ing when Henry saw him up the road,
and we had to start off again -
assured her that the Dawn could
beat anything afioat; that sho would
be safely looked after by tho entire
crew.
Tho captain of the Foam is a mean
fellow, y said mildly, remembering his
last remark. Then l came up, while
the skipper resigned the wheel to an
other and started down to make tho &C
quaintancc of the pair.
Alloy, there!' he shouted to me, aft
er awhile, bring down some water,
will you:" l was steward, you know.
we were astcrn of the Foam, but q
little to the windward, and looked at
papa and scowled. The fact came to
me that 1 had forgotten the water and
left it by the horse and buggy. won
dered If the fellow had forgotten them
too
81 say, steward, called out Charley,
"where's the water?''
a quotation apt but trite came into
my mind about water, water''-
There was Il sudden crash ahead of
us. The Foam luffed suddenly, and we
saw mass of sail hanging from the
mast, which had snapped off near tho
top. She had tried to carry too much
In the wind, but it might have been
fate. for our boat held an equal amount
of sail and stood like rock. The skip
per was on deck III moment. lie
grabbed the wheel and brought the
Dawn as near the Foam as possible. a
joyous smile spread over his sunburned
tHcn-fhn
skipper of the Foam were too busy with
the wreck to notice us, but there was
gray head polling ont of the cabin door,
at which we yelled, and the bridegroom
to be yelled, and then we passed ahead,
farther and farther while the Foam lay
to Ill tho wind, and before long the
Foam was astcrn of tho whole fleet,
while we led them all. And as we
neared tho buoy which marked the linn
its of the race, the Foam was a mere
speck, but with the glass we fancied
that we saw papa's white head still
looking over the cabin door. We won
the race, and straight ahead we sailed
into the vide bay, and the loving pair
and the skipper and l went ashore. AS
we walked up from the landing toward
the minister's house Charley turned to
me. why didn't you bring i'll that
water asked for?'
Il left it at Nutmeg, was my blush
ing answer, when ! brought them on
board"
"Oh, you lubber,' replied the skip
per in tones of disgust. You would
try to sail with the anchor OUT But
Notwithstanding Igave the bride away
a. few minutes later and received my
inward from her sweet lips.
7 But the browning act of revenge was