The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-01

Us veins, along with his fathers face. :"
AYE, and his mothers warm art, "
answered John Bates. YOU'RE his I'M
Gle; don't be too hard on the boy"
Thomas Garth, the first speaker,
made no immediate answer. He shifted
his pipe, looked out over gray sea
streaked with foam, torn with wind,
and then sat down again under the
weather side of wall upon Perranpol
quay.
ITS like this, Bates; Mike Tregaskis
had his evil way before he left near
eighteen years ago And this boys the
risen ghost Of his father"
do Dick know about his father?"
''In manner of speal1in' yes. Dick
knows is father left Mary; an e ses 'e's
goin' to roam the world some fine day
and bring Michael Tregasl1is back to is
mother"
The speakers were two grizzled Cor
nishnlGn, and the boy whom they dis
cussed now interrupted conversation,
for he came briskly along the quay.
Dick was a smooth, brown-faced lad
froward enough as his uncle declared
but well put together, strong, ener-
getic when he liked, and splendid
sailor. He had wanted to go into the
royal navy, but his mother could not
nerve herself to let him 60 So he
stopped at Perranpol, in mischief most
of his time, the cock of the walk
amongst the youngsters of the neigh
borhood. He was a wild hawk of a
boy and risbed his life from morn till
night, on the sea, on the cliffs amid the
gulrs nests, or where any spice of dan
ger lurl<ed He loved his mother with
all his heart and caused her a world of
mingled terror and joy Nobody ever
knew what Dick would do next. Some
times, though less often as he grew
older, he vowed to go out into the
world and find his father and bring
him home to Perranpol, but with years
the determination waned. The world
was big place, Dick discovered, and
all that was ever known of Michael
Tregaskis in Perranpol, after he went
away, amounted to rumor that he
had gone as sailor to foreign parts.
Dick came down the quay to where
old Garth and John Bates were smol1
ing their pipes. He stopped and spoke
abruptly to them:
II been up on the head. IT'S wicked
work brewing to the east'rd-a black
galeablowin' up. The airs stingin' with
it Already"
Like enough, boy"
"How's the Devils Teeth Dick?"
asked Bates.
The Devils Teeth" was q ridge of
sunlien rocks that showed jagged,
serrate edge above water at low tide.
1t lay to the east of the little harbor
of Perran pol, about half mile from
shore.
''Old Nick's shown EN-" answered
the Ia d. Hes champip' the water to
froth with 'em. Lord! there's 4 ugly
tumble out there tonight! I'd like to
see summat come down on that lee
Shore
''Out on you, boy swore his uncle
"You-you as dweils with fisher folks
to wish that. Are you daft? Mayhap
God Almighty IL drive you on Il lee
shore fore 'e's done with you. Your
'art's 'arder an blacker'n Cornish
rocks!''
L dOu NlSlJ no W hOuC, uuClt,
answered Dick, looking out into the
on-coming night; ''but It's this way:
Long Dykes laid by with some i'll
that's took i'm in the loins, an I'm
next-neXt for the life-boat. I've got
the cap'n's word for it. He seed me
pull in the regatta to Falmouth last
summer. and e Civ is word That's
why I'd not cry if so be there coined
wreck on the Devils Teeth"
Its true said Bates; Long Dykes
in dock with lu:nbagey an the boys
next"
DO your mother know, Dick?"
mo. Time to tell 'er when I've gone
an come back again"
"A dirty night, an goin' to be
blamed sight dirtier. I'm for home
said John Bates
"Doant'e name the life-boat to moth
err"
NAY, not me. God send no call to
name it to none"
The storm that night was tremen-
dous. Few of the oldest men in Per-
IA npol could remember worse. When
the tide turned and came high, the
night gllmmered with ghostly gray
Ii ght OF white water, breaking in sheets
ov er the quay; the wind shrieked and
filed Perranpol with flying brine and
flashing rain. But dawn trem bled into the
chaos at last, and just after the earliest
dim touch of it, Dick, sleeping restless
iy enough, heard a sound that brought
him ont of bed and into his clothes like
a fash of lightning. Louder than the
hurtle of the rain, louder than the roar
and shrek of the gale came the thud
and solemn boom of IL heavy gun. After
a minutes pause the sound shook his
easement again III a lull of the wind
and Dick knew it was signal from the
coastguard station-the signal for the
life boat. 30 t'+ '-+~
inaless than zen minutes he was
abroad. Such oil lamps US had not been
blown ont still rocked and twinkled in
the little street The tide was out
again, and Dick fairly gasped as he got