Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-11-27

he's about at the back of the islandt
Iyhss dy g make of this Proddy busi-
nesss's
Case of ransom, I take It'll This
Dixcn's brought OF something Of the
kind before up Penang way. They've
nabbed old Proddy at his plantation by
this time expect and, If they can,
they II run him over tosome den ON the
Bornean coast and keep him TIL gov
ernment or the merchants come down
with something handsome, The so called
Mrs. Proddy's father is about the big
gest scoundrel in Singapore, and / fancy
he's in this job with Crocky. IF so, the
negotiations would be made through
him-but. meantime, it's your own part
to burst up this pleasing little arrange
mentp'
Old Proddy-for all isstomaoh-
Tended himself like paladin and had
to be knocked ON the head with q boat
stretcher, so that he knew no moro un-
til, peeping through port at break of
day, he saw a misty shore slide slowly
past him, as before gentle air the
schooner stood eastward under every
stitch she could spread
That shore, Proddy, Esq, is Obin.
island, from which little snckumstance
you'll jedge that we're a-standin to the
eastward out of this here he'll trap OF a
strait OF yours. An, as to what we're
a-takin you, Proddy, Esq,,-that you'll
find out before you're powerful deal
olderls
you'll have the Tiolller after you
before you're much olderrs snorted tho
astounded Proddy.
Hardly thet, Proddy, Esq. You see
there won't be no muss made about you
before this evenin, and, as we'll catch
the monsoon strong again in the offin
your footy little smoke pot of Tickler
will Jest hev the hull uniyarsal ocean
to overhaul for us by tomor- Great
JeRersonp and down went Crocky's
jaw, as, glanoing through the port, a
slender trail of smoke led down his eye
to little white hull just rounding
Franklin point.
In three seconds Crooky was ON deck
rapid, resolute and cool "Chased
sooner than we expected, ladsl No get
away now with Proddy, Esq.-but,
without him, guess we'll fix It'll Get
the dinRy over the side-smart, nowl
We'll send his friends on a little excur-
sion to rescoo him from wat.tery
gre-ayep'
Within three minutes the dingy was
adrift, with q bit of canvas set for'ard,
and Proddy-lest he should dowse it,
lashed to ringbolt in the stern sheets.
The resourceful Crooky, bringing the
wind upon his port quarter, stood away
due north, between Obin and Tul1ang.
Aboard the gunboat there was no
hesitation. Reluctantly a course was
shaped for the little waif, scarce visible
now against the sunrise, as faster and
faster the freshening wind drove her ont
to sea, SO that by the time the drenohed
and stiffened Proddy had been hoisted
aboard the Tickler the namesake of the
Alabama's captain was being warped
into winding offshoot Of the Johore
river, wherein, with topmasts housed,
she lay snug till dark Then, with the
ebb, she dropped down again to sea, and
sunrise found her well away into the
gulf of Siam.
Mrs Proddy had her reward in two
installments. The first when before high
heaven the grateful Proddy confirmed
her wifely status; the second when, by
the orders of the secret society of which
her estimable parent was an ornament,
her cook, member also of the "hoey, /"
mixed something with her morning cof-
fee that speedily made of Proddy the in
consolable widower he is to this day
Alexander Montgomery in Sydney Bull
letin.