The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-07-01
vi HIuISSll.

Well" said Tommy, I'VE might as
we'll make the best of it here, and not let
these rats brighten US to death. Well
have to keep a stiff upper lip now that
we are out for a life of adventure"
They were in for ii" and no mistake,
but they did not lose heart. For awhile
they lay listening to the scampering Of
rats and the sound of waves dashing
against the vessels side. Before long
their eyes began to droop. and they fell
into a dead sleep, from which they were
awakened by the jolting of the ship,
which told them that they had started On
.,..y. 1t was pitch dark when they
K. AID as neither boy had a watch
my could not tell whether they had
been Pep six hours or "a. But there
vas = mistake about the motion of tire
ship. She was fairly under way and
very likely out of sight of land.
Tommy put a good face on the matter,
but Fatty was very quiet. He was think
ing of his home and wondering whether
he would ever see his father and mother
again. Just rs he was on the point of
II t1oAl LIZ Sol4ip d4lIOl Will d lO1-
rent of reproaches for having induced
him to run away he heard a sudden
noise, and a moment later the covering
of the hatchway was removed, and the
captains voice was heard telling one Of
the sailors to go down in the hold and
see if a certain box was there. 1t was
pleasant to see the light of day once
more and feel the rush of fresh air from
above.
We must be out of sight of land
row. said Tommy, $50 we might as well
go and show ourselves on deck"
The boys accordingly left their place
of ~concealment, clambered swiftly over
the boxes and came upon the sailor with
d ~suddenness that caused him to rush on
deck screaming out that there were evil
spirits chasing him about the ship. The
boys followed him as fast as they could,
and as they clambered out of the hold
they found the captain, the mate and
nearly all the crew gathered in amaze
ment about the hatchway. Their clothes
were torn and covered with dust, their
faces were grimy, and their uncombed
locks hung down over their eyes. It
was several moments before it daWned
on the mate hat they were the same
well dressed, polite little fellows whom
he had seen playing about the ship a few
hours before.
Why, captain." he exclaimed, those
are the same little chaps we saw here
this morning. They must have got
locked up in the cargo"
This was the moment that Tommy had
been waiting for. Stepping forward. he
said to the captain:
"If you please, sir, we are two stowa-
ways, and we hid in the cargo because
we wanted to go to sea like the boy in
the Ocean Guerrillas; or, The Phantom
Midshipman.' Are we anywhere near
Havana yet"
The captain and the mate looked at
each other and then at the two boys and
then burst into uproarious laughter.
III show you how near we are to
Havana" exclaimed the mate as he took
Tommy in his arms and lifted him up so
that he could see over the bulwarks.
They were just passing through the Mar
rows. with Staten Island on one side and
the romantic shores of Bath and Benson
hurst on the other. In the distance Tom !
my could see the form of the Coney Is
land elephant outlined against the sky.
A tug had the brigantine in tow, and
she was moving rapidly through the wa
ter. 1t was an awful come down to both
the boys to learn that instead of being
far out at sea with the whales spouting,
the seagulls circling over their heads and
the white crested raves dancing in the
sunlight, and other delightful surround
ings, as described in The Pirates
Bride; or, the Avenging Demon of the D.
Gulf to find instead of all this that
they were still in New York harbor and
bearing down on Coney Island as fast as
the tug could take them.
Now. boys" said the captain, Il am
just going to drop you ashore. and you
take my advice and go home as fast as
you can. It's mighty lucky you came
out of your holes when you did. for those
matches might not be opened again be-
fore we made port. and by that time
there'd be mighty little left of two lads
OF your size. Mr.. Bramhall," he con-
tinued, turning to the mate, led bet
ter nave the boat manned and t'ut them
ashore at Coney Island. They can east
ly get back from there. | suppose
you've got money enough for your fare.
boys"
If you please, sir" said Tommy, W
don't want to go back. We want to 60
with you down to Cuba and get some
oranges and bananas. That was what
we shipped with you for"
Cuba" cried the captain. We are
not going to Cuba for fruit: we are 90