The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-04-11
JOBY PAID His FARE.


in the west were still aglow with vivid,
crimson fire. In the east the gray gloom
of the coming night was mounting up to
the sky, and here and there pale star al
ready glimmered in the dusk. a brisk
wind, or what sailors call "a half gale, "
was blowing, and the waters of the Eng
lish channel were breaking in short, an
cry waves, of deep green in the hollows,
and snowy white where their crests curled
and spouted in Kissing foam. Far off to
the southwark a dim, blush line, which
only the experienced eye of seaman could
have recognized as land, marked the coast
of France, while in the opposite quarter
the chalky headlands of England cleaned
family in the fading twilight.
The stout ship Falcon, leaning gallant
ly to the wind, was making her way down
the channel, bound for America. The
sails had been reefed, the cables coiled,
and everything made snug for the night.
Captain Essex, pleased, as an old sailor
always is when his vessel Is we'll away
from the dangers of the land, and making
good progress under steady wind, paced
to and fro on his quarter deck, gruffiy hum
ming little song, the greater part Of
which was lost in his thick, bushy beard,
though now and then you might have
caught some words, as ''The sea is the
place for me, my lads,'' or GA lively ship
and willing crew."
Captain Essex's little song was inter-
rupted by sudden connection in the for
ward part of the vessel. Thers was sound
of loud, angry talking, a hasty scuffiing
of feet, followed by the frightened Sob
bling of child
"Hellop' exclaimed Captain Essex,
"what is the meaning of that row."
ga stowaway, sir, F" answered one OF the
men from below.
"a stowaway on my ship!'' growled the
captain. "Bring the rascal herel Well
give him a taste of the ropes end first,
and then-but what is that?"
1.-THE stowaway, sir" was the response
as two of the crew approached, leading
between them very small and very rag
ged boy.
The anger in the captains face gava
place to look of establishment, mingled
with pity. as his eyes rested upon the shiv-
ering form of the intruder. But he main
tanned the sternness of his tone as he adj,
dressed the boy.
SWELL" said he, ''what are you doing
here?"
"N-nothing, sir" was the trembling
reply.
tsWho are you, and where did you come
from? Speak up, now No nonsense"
"I'm Joby-Job Oliver, SIR" said the
boy, between sobs, which he vainly en-
deavored to choke down. IT live in Lon
don by the docks, SIR
"What are you doing here, them"
Ell hid away down below, and-and
they found me. wasn't doing anything.
1 didn't touch a thing. I thought they
wouldn't mind. I'm not very big, you
see, and I don It weigh much. "
He broke down with gasp and press
ed his small, grirny fists into his stream
ing eyes. Then, as the captain remained
silent, but continued to gaze at him with
a tremendous frown, he made a brave eff
fort to go on with his story.
~ haven't any mother or father, you
see, and I have to earn my own living.
Every body says: He's too small. What's
he good forP' and they don't take me,
though l am strong. l can lift trunE-
a little one. can run errands very fast,
but everybody says, oh, he's too ragged
and too dirty If / could get jobs, you
see, could get me new suit of clothes,
and everybody don't want me, and''--
Here fresh storm of sobs shook the
small frame.
''But you haven't told me yet what you
are doing on board this ship!'' said :he
captain, preserving his severity with an
effort.
''The ship was going to America" an
swered the boy. Everybody is rich in
America. Everybody wants you there,
you see. Tom Dixey went there, and he
makes load of money"
''That's all very WE'LL" responded che
captain, "but people who go to America
pay for their passage, and to hide away so
as to go without paying is just the same
as stealing so much money. Don't you
know that?'
Evidently the boy had never taken that
view of the question. He looked up at the
captains stern face with frightened and
startled expression. Ts,en he began hur-
ried search in the pockets of his ragged
jacket From one he drew forth two cop
pers, from another a silver sixpence and
from a third a shilling, much battered,
Clipped and defaced. These he held out
toward the captain.
s'This is all I've got now. l earned the
sixpence and the two pennies-the shil-
ling gentleman gave me. It's broken,
but it is good silver, all the same"