The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-01-10

the sticks, with line about his middle
and meat knife from the chest in his
teeth It was an all days job, but with
an occasional dram to keep out the cold
we got off the sails and fioated the
masts end for end and dashed one on
our starboard side with the boom across
the stern and the other to port with her
boom across the bows, and with the gatfs
turned up and gUyed forward and rig
ged with canvas we had craft that no
sea could make under, although it
might sweep us off.
There says Bill after we got her
under way, with the sun an hour high
over the port bow, "she may not be fast,
but she's stanch, and we're b'ilin away
for Bedford -
Afore sun set we sighted ship to lee
ward beatin up against the wind, and
when she came alongside she hove to
and sent off boat.
was feelin mighty clipper at the
prospect of seeing the American flag
again, but Bill Marlin sat on the chest
amidships putting away at his pipe
Lower away the mainsail and ease
'er," reared Bill.
lowered the sail, and the raft laid
to, and by that time the boat swung
alongside, eight oars up, man o'war
style, and the starchiest Yankee mate in
the stern that ever sailed out of Boston.
Come, tumble aboard here, men, ,"
says the airy mate, land be quick about
it. There's no room for that Chest
"Where ye bound?' says Bill Marlin,
takin out his pipe and spittin to wind
ward. ..'-
What's that to you where we're
bound?' growls the mate from Boston.
Look a-here," says Bill Martin,
'''I've got date with shipmet in New
Bedford, and your bow looks to be onto
the wrong end O. the ship. l amt goin
back to Liverpool, and you better git
your boathook out O. my sta b ard sail. !"
what time are you due in New Bed
ford on that timber crab?'' says the
mate, laughin.
ION Thanksgivin day." says Bill
whenever that is
well, that's tomorrow by order of
the governor of the commonwealth of
Massachusetts, says the mate.
"You might a-missed yer reck min,
says Bill.
No." said the mate. Here's Bos-
ton paper week old with the proclama-
ton in it," and with that he hove the
newspaper onto the raft.
well, where be we anyway, ship
metz" says Bill, softenin.
We're five days out from Boston,"
says the mate.
'A-beatin and a-clawin up agin head
wind and sea, !" says Bill, scratchin his
head and pullin the glass out of his
pocket and holdin it up
Are ye comm aboard or amt YEP
roared the mate, standin up in the
stern.
"Stan by, shipmet, says Bill, land
leave me time to settle. Fair and stiddy
at that. Thanks kindly, officer, says
Bill, standin up himself alongside the
chest. ''The raft keeps her course for
Bedford 5..
Anything you re short of?' says the
mate.
II wouldn t refuse little extra grog
and somethin ready cooked" says Bill.
While we were layin to for the dona-
ton the moon came up off the stern
post, and Bill spelled out the governors
proclamation. The mate did uncommon
~ we'll by us, and besides the grog sent
Us four pound lump Of plumduff. And
the quartermaster who brought it had
been shipmet of Bills somewhere in
the China seas, and a finer night with
fairer wind never saw aboard ship
than that was time we got under way.
II never knew any luck come OF
changin ships at sea when the other one
was goin in the wrong direction" says
Bill, though wouldn't mind boardin
one headed for the 'Merican coast. /.
know Lige is layin off for me in Bed
ford, keepin his date, and I low to re-
port thar soon's can get ashore.
Somewhere about two bells Bill turn
ed in behind the chest, and in five min
utes he was snorin like a trumpet. The
wind freshened, and the RATED bowled
along for four hours at a three knot
gait, and it must have been past mid.
night when I gave the helm to him. It
seemed like hadn't more than just got
to sleep when Bill woke me up.