Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-03-10
JOBYPlID HIS1lRE.

The sun had set, but the lower edges Of
the wild, stormy looking clouds massed
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 nky, and here and there pale star al
ready glimmered In the dusk A brisk
wind, or what sailors call "a half gale, 4"
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 Oft to
the southwark a dim, blush line, which
only the experienced eye OF a 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 well away
from the dangers of the land, and making
good progress under a steady wind, paced
to and fro on his quarter deck, gruffiy hum
ming a little cong, the greater part OF
which was lost'in his thick, bushy beard,
though now aud then you might have
caught some words, as THE sea Is the
place for me, my lads, or "a lively ship
and a willing crew."
Captain Kssex's little song was inter
rupted by a sudden oommotion In the for
ward part of the vessel. There was sound
of loud, angry talking, a hasty scuffiing
Of feet, followed by the frightened sob
bing of child.
"Hellop' exclaimed Captain Essex,
"what is the meaning Of that row"
"a stowaway, sir, " 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"
"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 gave
place to a look of astonishment, mingled
with pity, az his eyes rested upon the shiv-
ering form Of the intruder But he main
tained the sternness of his tone as he ad-
dressed the boy.
"Well," said he, "what are you doing
herei'
"N-nothing, SIR" was the trembling
reply.
"Who are you, and where did you come
fromf Speak up, nowi No nonsensev'
"Tm Joby-Job Oliver, sir" said the
boy, between sobs, which he vainly en-
deavored to choke down. 81 live in Lon
don by the docks, SIR"
"What are you doing here, them"
Ell hid away down below, and-and
they found me. i wasn't doing anything.
didn't touch a thing. / thought they
wouldn't mind. I'm not very big, you
see, and don't weigh much"
He broke down with gasp and press
ed his small, grimy fists into his stream
ing eyes. Then, as the captain remained
silent, but continued to gaze at him with
q tremendous frown, he made a brave ef-
fort to go on with his story.
~ haven't any mother or father, you
see, and l have to earn my own living.
Everybody says: He's too small. What's
he good forf' and they don't take me,
though am strong. can lift trunk
. little one. can run errands very fast,
but everybody says, 'Oh, he's too ragged
and too dirty II I could get jobs, you
see, could get me new suit of clothes,
and everybody don't want me, and"--
Here a fresh storm of sobs shook the
small frame.
"But you haven't told me yet what you
are doing on board this shipp' said the
captain, preserving his severity with an
effort.
"The ship was going to America" an
swered the boy. "Everybo is rich in
America. Everybody wants you there,
you see. Tom Dixey went there, and he
makes load Of money"
"That's all very WELL" responded the
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 thatf"
Evidently the boy had never taken that
view Of the question. He looked up at the
captains stern face with a frightened and
startled expression. Then 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 third a shilling, much battered,
Clipped and defaced. These he held out
toward the captain.
"This is all I've got now. Learned the
sixpence and the two pennies-the shil-
ling gentleman gave me. It's broken,
but 1t il good silver, all the same"
"And what am / to do with thesei"
asked the captain.
"To pay my fare, 4" replied the boy. "It's
most enough, think. Twill earn the rest
Doon when get over there"
The good captain could maintain his
gravity no longer. A smile lighted up his
rugged features as he said kindly:
'There, there, Joby, keep your money,
my boy. You are an honest little fellow,
after all. You shall stay with me on the
Falcon, and we will make man Of you.
How will that suit your"
Joby was delighted, of course. The sail
ors, who are wonderfully handy at such
things, devised a suit Of clothing for his
small body. He speedily became a great
favorite with the crew of the Falcon, prov
ing himself to be active and intelligent,
and, what is FAR better, absolutely honest
and truthful. The captain had grown very
fond Of Joby, and as for Joby-well, it
was not long before everybody on board
knew what Joby thought of the captain.
The Falcon, which was sailing vessel.
had met with headwinds constantly since
leaving the channel, and on the fourth
week out was struck by heavy gale from
the northeast. All day long the good ship
labored with the mountainous waves, leap
Ing and plunging till IL seemed as though
the groaning, creaking masts must come
out Of her. But she was a stanch, well