The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-07-23
A PHANTOM YACHT

Tommy tossed restlessly on his little
| bed He could hot sleep, for he was
| feverish with excitement. His papa haG
promised to take him sailing the next day
| on his beautiful new yacht, and it wa:
almost impossible for the little fellow tt
quiet down and go to sleep.
He crept from his warm bed and stood
| In the moonlight at the window.
He was sure he had not been there more
than five minutes when he heard swish
| Looking up, he found himself in the
| garden below. and there was his fathers
| nav Yacht coming, with all sails set
right across the lawn frcm the tennis
| court. every sail bellying out like g
| balloon.
On it came, rushing along at a terrible
rate, brushing to each side the soft, green
grass. Yet there did not seem to be q
breath of wind 10 ruff1e the boughs of the
evergreen tr ees at tie back Of the house OIL
sway the tender branches of the willow
trees along the carriaGe-drive.
At first he was inclined to run. but be-
fore his little legs would obey the boat
came gliding up TO the horse block oppo-
site the front door, and kindly little old
man with a crZzled beard called out TO
him to come on board.
When the little man called his name
again, rather more sharply than before.
| Tommy hesitated no longer, bnt, climbing
| upon the horse block. scram bled first up
the queer little stairs that hung on the side
of rhs boat. and then over the rail to the
deck.
On every hand were groups of little
| men. all dressed in brown suits and wear
! ing high top boots, loose above and turned
| over in kind of fold from where two
large tassels hung, nearly to the heels.
Before he could muster courage enough
10 speak the figure IN gray, who had first
called him, attracted his attention. He
vas evidently the captain or leader, for he
wore a tall silk hat, which though proba-
blv black. served only as a background to
be entirely covered over with gold anchors,
stars and odd marine objects.
The yacht had now left the horse block.
and as It reached out on the lawn the
grass actually rolled up over the rail and
covered the lee deck
Pretty soon ha grew holder and, going
ND to the captain, who was smoking pipe
made of a lobster claw stuck In a peri
Wrinkle, be said:
Aren't you afwaid to go cruising about
here on the lawn? l never heard my papa
say anything about sailing on dry land,
though l have heard nv uncle Toby, who
Yacht. say that those old Yankee boats
could sail In a heavy dew"
"Oh, WELL" said the old captain, "how
long has your father sailed a boat. any
how?'
81 don't 'zactly know" replied Tommy,
douttfully; "but he's had one so long as l
can wemember, and Pm ever so old,
guess"
"Poohv' said the captain. shat amt
ANYTHING, I've sailed on land more'n 200
years, and l sailed on water for fifty be-
fore that"
They had now got we'll under way again
and were skimming across the croQuet
grounds 10 the grape arbor.
They soon gathered large quantity OF
the fruit, which the little men with high
top boots quickly slowed away below by
standing in line and passing the punches
from on to the other.
The wind seemed TO have fresheued up,
and the yacht was making straight for the
melon patch out behind The barn. Here
thew came TO anchor, and two OF the small
boats put off from the yacht to gather the
choicest fruit. w
where we're going" And he handed
Tommy a long spygass ana pointed at a
dark spot above the moon.
At first Tommy couldn't see anything
everything looked sp0ty, and clouds
seemed to fit across the glass, but by and
by he saw the mast OF a ship, and then he
saw another and another.
At last Tommy said;
"Why, they all seem to be going to-
| gethsr in one big harbor.
yes" replied The captain: "there's
| where we're going. All those ships have
| been wrecked at sea, and. though most
people think they are entirely lost, mos,
| people are entirely mistaken, for they are
| not We are restricted. however," con.
| tinued the captain. "For once each year
we are forced to meet in the harbor you
have Just seen and report. Look again
| and see what ships are there"
"Oh. oh, oh! What's that ship" ejacu.
lated Tommy, pointing wildly at the sky
THAT big ship, with dead men all around
and one live man with big bird tied
| around his neck :"
"Thats the Ancient Mariners Ship
said the captain.
YES and there's nasd ,a the Victoria" said
YOU 90 there, and what have you TO re.
port?"
1--WE go there because the Flying Dutch.
man orders us to CO." answered the cap.
tain. "You see. he is commodore of the
fleet. and at each annual meeting we have
to port to him what we have accom-.
plished during the year; and the one who
brings DacK Ln6 RIeaLont ii uuDPr Oh NOR
tails with him Is made commodore the
next year, but no one has ever brought
more than the Flying Dutchman, so be is
ALWAYS commodore. This is the poorest
showing l ever made, however. and il ]
hadn't got you l wouldn't have had any
prlZr."
Mel shouted Tommy In terror.
Yes" said the captain. you'll never
see YOUR folks again. You've got to go
with me up to that harbor by the moon.
You can CONS back in 100 years, though,
and help to catch people, too, then"
The next moment there was terrible
crash. The yacht, being left to steer her
self. had dashed into he big fountain near
Tommy's window, and then. with mast
falling and great hole In her side, rose on
the crest of monstrous wave, struck the
side of the house-and Tommy was hurled
through the air and landed upon his own
bed.
"Ohi, he gasped. "'ll never sail again. -
And why not ?" laughed his father. who
was bending over him. sits time to gel
up; we're all ready, to start"
But isn't it all smashed" asked Tom.
my. looking around.
And though Tommy hold his story, and
even pointed out the very Spotin the melon.
patch where they had anchored, yet his
papa laughed.
We all know, however, that papas dom
know everything.-Bost Globe.