The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-11-03
SUCCEEDED TOO WE'LL.
Why the Admiral Was Not Pleased
with the Dispatches.

1T 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 it, for my last ship had been
wrecked off the Rermudas 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
moorcd in the same place for as long as
could remcm Der; she was there when
| was boy.
The evening wore on. the moon
shone ont, and was just determining
t. 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 l heard voice
from one Of the persons. that at once
knew To DC the port admirals.
well Dawkins, said he to the
ether. 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.'
%. my lord said the other. she's
the very thing: shes n rakish-Ioolling
craft, and viii do admirably; any re-
' pair we want few days will effect;
secrecy Is the great thing
'Iio, no! thought /, there's some
thing in the wind here;' SO ! laid my
self ont on the anchor stock, to listen
better. unobscrved.
We must find a crew for her. give
her few cavronadcs and make her as
shipShape as we can
'''AS To the crew. SAID the other
there are plenty of scoundrcls in the
hcct here tit for nothing else. ANY
fellow who has been thrice up for pun
iShmcnt in SIX months Wen draft on
board of her; the fellows who have
only been once To the gangway wei
make the officers"
"a pleasant ships compan.
thought /, If the devil would only
take the command
And with n skipper proportionate
to their merit said Dawkins
''Begad. I'll wish the French joy of
them said the admiral
"'Ho, no" thought I, I've found you
ont at last: so this is a secret expedi-
tion. I see ii all; they're fitting her out
as n fire-ship. and going 70 send her
slap In among the French feet at Brest.'
Now, then said the admiral, to-
morrow you viii look out for the fellow
to take the command. He must be a
smart seaman; 4 bold fellow. too; other
wise the ru!ianly crew Will be too
much for him; he may bid nigh; well
come to his price.
- Never fear, my lord said the other,
my care shall be TO pitch upon one
whose 10 5 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 l. springing up
from the anchor-stock and springing
between them; Pm 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
it all
We said the admiral, must speak
together again; be here tomorrow
night at this hour; keep your own
counsel of v hat has passed; and now
good night
This is the plan said DawiIins,
when we met again. AS soon Is that
old craft can be got ready for sea. or
some other if she be not worth it. You
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 viii 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 tnat
may not attract pPruliaT notice
'''If you be attacked, your orders are
10 resist; If you be taken, on no ac-
count destroy the papers, for the
French vessel can scarcely escape re-
capture from our irigates, and it is of
great consequence these papers should
remain. Such is "A brief sketch of our
plan; the details can be made known to
you hereafter.
in less than three weeks l 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 tventyfour hours
passed over | discovered that so un-
gaiuly, SO awkward, so unmanageable
a vessel never put to sea
IF the ship was bad the crew was
ten times worse. Every ill-conductcd,
disorderlV fellow who had been up the
gangway once = week or SO, every un-
reclaimed landsman of bad character
and no scamanship was sent on board
OF Us; and, in fact. except there was
scarcely any discipline and no restraint.
we appeared like floating penitentiary
of convicted feions.
so long as we ran down the channel