The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-07-27

taken with his clothes on, gave him a
start.
"Billy, you didn't fall of, did you?"
he inquired, huskily.
"No; but he did," said Billy. tug
ging away at his knotted coat and
trousers.
"He pulled me out with his clothes"
said the other boy; "and 1 tell him to
come down to the President an get
dry"
''Is it far?' said Captain Hanford.
mo. Jes' down there"
"Well, 1 think we'd better go, Billy.
Tn afraid you'll catch cold"
"All right. But 1 won't catch cold,
retorted Billy, who had got into all of
his clothes by this time.
The small boy, looking like
drowned rat, led the way and Captain
Matt followed, gathering the details
of the adventure from Billy. He glowed
with pride at his sons presence of
mind in devising this novel clothes
line and rescuing the boy. But Billy
treated it as if it were the most COM
monplace thing in the world. He was
really thinking more of getting warmed
up than anything else.
They both wondered little where
the boy could be leading them. They
were still more surprised when he
brought them to the oddest-looking
craft they had ever seen. 1t was too
old-fashioned tub for even Captain
Matt to have ever seen its like. 1t
was big, bulky frigate, whose sides
bulged out like gourd and then mar
rowed in. The top was entirely cov-
cred in with glass roof. 1t looked
like some old hot-house tied up at the
dock. Her igure-head of grimy white
was man in frock coat. The name,
President, was lettered on the side.
Captain Matt and his son exchanged
glances over this dismantled, clumsy
apology for a ship as the boy hurried
up the gang-plank. The deck had an
immense sweep and was tidy and ship
shape, with some old cannon and gun
carriages on it, all under the glass roof.
The boy dived downstairs and then
to the left, and the Captain aud his
son were surprised at finding them
selves suddenly in what seemed the
cosiest of little homes. There were
regular square windows as large as
those in room, and gas chandelier,
with two or three jets lit, threw a
pleasant light ON the carpeted floor
and table Uttered with woman's
sewing. There were hower-pots in
the window. Through the door of an
adjoining room they saw stove and
shelves. A small, wiry man was sit
ting comfortably, reading a paper,
and q bright faced, motherly woman
was sewing. The advent of the drip
ping boy and the two strangers in
stantly threw the place into excite
ment.
II fell into the water and he pulled
me out, father and L brought him
here to get his clothes dry" explained
the rescued urchin, wet and shaking
with the cold.
Mother, you make some tea for
em, quick. Jennie, take the lad
in there and get him into some of your
clothes and we'll dry his before the
stove" said the little man in one
breath.
II will. But you are q nice boy to
save my James," Here the good
woman gave Billy hearty hug and
two resounding kisses, much to his
discontinue. He hated to be kissed
and there was nothing to make fuss
about. Why do women act that way?
While the boys were getting into
dry clothes and the woman was max
ing toast and tea, Captain Hanford
and the other got acquainted. He
learned that the old frigate was the
exact copy of an American boat which
was regarded as q model of naval
architecture in her time. The first
President had been copied from the
American model of the same name in
1898, nearly one hundred years ago.
This one was built exactly like the
first, and was launched at Portsmouth
in 1929. After thirty-two years of
service, she had been brought to this
dock, where she had lain for thirty
five years without being once taken
out of the water.
"There was talk Of taking her over to
your Worlds Fair, but, bless yerl
the old thing would go to pieces be-
fore she got to the More lightship," "
said Gunner Seabury, for that was
the name of the little man. "But
she's a big boat, one hundred and
sixty feet long and forty feet extreme
beam, has crew of twenty light able
seamen, and carries one gun on the
upper deck aud four on the main
deck"
"Do they do anything with her?"
asked Captain Hanford.
i "No, except that the Naval Reserves
drill here every day from nine in the
morning until four in the afternoon.
The long sweep of deck with SO little
on it makes fine place to drill 'em.
And we live here and keep little shop
for 'em," added Seabury.
! "And beautiful home you've made
it, ma'am," said Captain Hanford,
thinking of his own neat, white cot
tage at Bath Beach, with pang Of
homesickness.
The boys came out now as fresh and
\ dry as ever, and none the worse for
their adventure. II looked as if they
were more likely to come to grief by
eating toast and strawberry jam, which
grateful Mrs. Seabury gave to them
without any restriction. The Han
fords left with the blessings of the