The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-07-26

awoke, and as neither boy had watch
they could not tell whether they had
been asleep six hours or "a. But there
was no mistake about the motion Of the
ship. She was fairly under way and
very likely out of sight of land.
Tommy put q 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 as he was on the point of
turning upon his companion with q tor
rent of reproaches for having induced
him to run away. he heard 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 certain box was there. 1t was
| pleasant to see the light of day once
| more and feel the rush of fresh air from
| above.
I'VE must be out of sight of land
now, said Tommy, $50 we might as we'll
| 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
a suddenness that caused him to rush on
! 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. 1t
| was several moments before it dawned
on the mate that they were the same
we'll dressed. polite little fellows whom
he had seen playing about the ship 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:
eff you please, sir, we are two stowa-
ways, and we hid i'll 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 YETI"
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 80
| that he could see over the bulwarks.
| They were just passing through the Mar
rows, with Staten Island OH 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
| tug had the brigantine in tow, and
she was moving rapidly through the wal
| 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 waves dancing in the
sunlight, and other delightful surround
| ings, as described III The Pirates
Bride; or, the Avenging Demon of the
Gulf to find instead of all this that
they were still in New York harbor and
bearing down OH Coney Island as fast us
| the tug could take them.
Nov, 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
|
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-
tinucd, turning To the mate, wed bet
ter have the boat manned and put them
ashore at Coney Island They can ensi-
ly get back from there. l suppose
you've got money enough for your fare.
boys"
If YOU please, sir" said Tommy, 1--WE
don't want to 80 back. We want to go
with you down to Cuba and get some
oranges and bananas That was what
we shipped with you for"
Cuba" cried the captain. I'VE are
not going to Cuba for fruit; we are 60
ing down to Rio Janeiro for cargo of
hides. You'd better buy your bananas
on Third avenue"
Then said Fatty decisively, that
settles the business. We can't eat hides
and I'd rather go home than keep on any
longer. Put us ashore, and we'll take
the train home. We can find our wav
to the depot"
The captain was as good as his word,
and the boys were landed on the desc
late western shore of the island with
strict injunctions to make the best of
their way home.
Their spirits rose again us they trudgea
along the beach, enjoying the fresh open
breeze and the bright sunshine Charley
was very much impressed with the pic
turesque sand hills and clumps of bushes
which tEey passed and declared that the
whole country did not offer a better
y,t1 fn,.