The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-10-06
SUCCEEDED TOO WELL.
Why the Admiral Was Not Pleased
with the Dispatches

Will tilS lflSJaIC1eS
''lt's about four years ago." said the
skipper, that / was strolling one
evening down the side of the harbor at
Cove with my hands in my pocket,
having nothing to do, nor any pros
poets of 1t, for my last ship had been
wrecked off the Bermudas and nearly
all the crew lost; and somehow when a
man is in misfortune the underwriters
won't have him at no price.
Just before me, when sat down,
there was an old schooner that lay
moored in the same place for as long as
I could ber; she was there when
I was boy
THE evening wore on, the moon
shone out, and l was just determining
to go home again for the night when l
saw two men standing on the steps of
the wharf below me and looking
straight at the Ark. I heard voice
from one of the persons, that at once
knew to be the port admiralis.
"'Well, Dawkins, said he to the
other, If You think she'll hold together
I'm sure I've no objection. don't like
the job, confess; but still the admiral
ty must be obeyed.'
so, my lord said the other, she's
the very thing: she's n rakish-loolSing
craft, and will do admirably; any re-
pair we want a few days will effect;
secrecy is the great thing.
'Ho, hov thought l, there's some
thing in the wind here so | laid N.Y.
self out on the anchor stock, to listen
better, unobserved.
1--WE must find crew for her, give
her few carronades and make her as
shipshape as we can
"'As to the crew., said the other,
there are plenty of scoundrels in the
heet here fit for nothing else. Any
fellow who has been thrice up for pun
lshment in six months We'll draft on
board Of her; the fellows who have
only been once to the gangway Wen
make the officers"
"a pleasant ships company,
thought I, if the devil would only
take the command.
"'And with skipper proportionate
to their merit, said DawlSirs.
"'Begad, I'll wish the Freach joy of
them,,' said the admiral.
"'Ho, no! thought I, I've found Won
put at last; so this is a secret expedi-
tion; see it all; they're fitting her out
" fire-ship, and going to send her
slap in among the French fleet at Brest-'
Now, then,' said the admiral, to
morrow you will look out for the fellow
to take the command. He must be q
smart seaman; bold fellow. too; other
wise the rufianly crew will be too
much for him; he may bid high; we'll
come to his price
Never fear, my lord said the other,
my care shall be to pitch upon one
whose loss no one could feel; some one
without friend or home, who, setting
his life for naught, cares less for the
gain than the very recklessness of the
adventure
THAT'S me- said /, springing up
from the anchor-stock and springing
between them; I'm that man.
MY poor fellow, you know not
what you ask; this is no common case
of danger
~ know it all. my lord; have heard
il all
We said the admiral, must speak
together again; be here tomorrow
night at this hour; keep your own
counsel of what has passed; and now
good night
This is the plan,' said Dawkins,
when we met again. AS soon as that
dd craft can be got ready for sea, or
some other if she be not worth it, you
will sail from this port with a strong
crew, well armed and supplied with
ammunition. Your destination is Malta,
your object TO deliver TO the ad-
miral stationed there the dispatches
with which you will be intrusted; they
contain information of immense i'm
portance, which for certain reasons
cannot be sent through a ship of war,
but must be forwarded by vessel that
may not attract peculiar notice.
IF you be attacked, your orders are
to resist; if you be taken, on no ac-
count destroy the papers, for the
French vessel can scarcely escape re-
capture from our frigates, and it Is Of
great consequence these papers should
remain Such is a brief sketch of our
plan; the details can be made known 20
you hereafter
"In less than three weeks weighed
anchor, and stood out to sea one
beautiful morning in autumn, and set
out on my expedition. have already
told you something of the craft Let
me complete the picture by informing
you that before twenty-four hours
passed over l discovered that so un-
gainly, so awkward, SO unmanageable
a vessel never put TO sea-
IF the ship was bad the crew was