Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-12-03

y the mate, who stood by the r,
3 near where the captain had fall,
. overheard, we could never fir
% them in the daytime, let alone su,
night as this
q 4 am afraid not answered q
. mate, sadly .tRaar tRdasar essas essas that
Falcon ahoy The shout cam
loud and strong from the darkness,
not twenty yards from where th
ship lay.
: 'The captain ? cried a doze
} glad voices.
Delay your jaw there you lubbers
Tail on to that line and haul n
aboard, or we'll be adrift.'
Line ! Us! What could b,
mean? But the mate had alread,
discovered curious thing-a light
but strong rope. fastened to a rims
In the ouiwark and extending out.
ward into the darkness, toward thu
spot whence the captains voice pro.
ceeded. 1t was drawn tight, as il
some heavy burden were towing al
the end of it.
In an instant sturdy arms were
pulling at it with will. Then a
stout rope was lowered, and MP it
like monkey. scrambled Joby, fol.
lowed more slowly by Captain Es-
sex.
Then a great cheer went up,
drowning the roar Of the storm it.
self, as the crew gathered about the
dripping forms of the captain and
his little friend. A few words
served to explain what had hap
pened.
Joby, with his eye on the captain,
had seen him carried overheard.
He knew that one end of the coil of
light, tough rope upon which he sat
was secured to the bulwark, for he
day. Without pansing to think OF
his own danger, he took the free
end of the rope between his teeth,
and was in the water nearly as soon
as the captain himself.
Though he could swim like q
duck, he was borne helplessly along
on the crest of the waves, almost
into the arms of Captain Essex,
who caught him as he was sweeping
by. The captain fastened the line
about both their bodies; and part
ly swimming and partly towed by
the ship, they had managed to keep
their heads above the water until
the Falcon was hove-to.
The storm blew itself out during
that night, and the next morning
dawned clear and calm. All the
forenoon Joby was observed to be
very grave and and silent, as if he
were pondering some important
question. Finally he presented him
self before the captain in his cabin.
well, my boy said the captain,
what can l do for you p
"A mans life is worth o good
deal of money, isn't it p asked Jo-
by, twirling his cap nervously as be
spoke. Not boy like me, but g
grown man.
yes, of course, my lad replied
the captain. "A mans life is sup
posed to be the most valuable of hii
possessions
well, then,' said Joby, twirlinf
his cap still more nervouslv, 'the!
say l saved your life last night.
don't say it was much, you see
Any fellow who can swim could d.
the same only ! happened to d.
it.
Yes, you certainly did it, Joby
| And what them
you see-you see, stammere'
Joby,' IL thought that would pa
) for my passage then it wouldn'
: be stealing, you know
Joby could not make ont why tn
, captains honest eyes should sud
. denly grow moist, nor why the car
> tain's strong right arm almos
. squeezed the breath out Of his sma
body, nor yet why the captain
voice should be so husky, as b
3 said:
'Joby, my lad, while old Tor
i Essex's hulk holds together, and
single timber of him floats, 70
9 shall never want for berth, or |
o without friend.'-American Al
d riculturist.