The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-09
by an by he says, 'Cap'n, there.

by an by he says, 'Cap'n, there's
breeze comm.
"sI've been a-watchin it, sir, says
I, an ups with me anchor an sail.
"It caught the other feller first,
an of a sudden her canvas filled, all
she begin to cut throo the water on
a beat up the bay. had the tiller
ready, an it wasn't a minute till we
was movin too. 1t was slow at first.
but we soon had to reef an went
tearin throo the water to beat a
steam la'nch. The clouds had
brought reg'lar hurricane an was
pilin up aloft an roarin full O. thun.
der. You otter "a seen Mr.. Archer
then. He KEEP runnin from bow to
stern an back, forever askin whether
I thought we was gainin. Now I'm
proud O this here Miriam O. mine
| IN back her ag'in anything on the
bay but that there strange boat:
Why, that craft jist slipped throo
the water like she was lied. We KEEP
up pretty we'll, though, all might o
caught her if the rain hadn't come,
an us lost sight O. 'em. I wanted to
put back, but Mr.. Archer, he
wouldn't have it, an KEEP runnin up
an down, pipin his eyes this way an
that way an usin bad language till
it come dark an the storm had pass
ed. Then he throwed himself down
in the cockpit an lit his pipe an
SAYS, Home, cap'n!' That was all
-jist Home, cap'n!'''
/ had thrown aside my lines, for
Levi Skullcarp's account of the SEN
timental man had awakened my in
terest, and when he had finished his
recital had turned my back on the
water, my feet we're dangling in the
cockpit and my eyes were fixed on
the bayman.
Didn't he explain why he was SO
anxious to see heri" l asked after a
silence of some minutes.
Inreply the captain clambered in
to the cockpit and, braoing himself
against the end of the tiller, fixed
the long glass to. his eye. followed
his gaze to where it rested on a
small white sail that was moving
across the bay, about mile away.
ssI'll be blowed!' he cried. There
was pause, and then he muttered:
Small jib, white duck dress, spoony
bow, white hull, black hairl I'm
blowed!''
This exclamation was accompanied
by loud rattle as he closed the
! glass.
ssGit to win ward, quickr' he yell
ed.
The boom swung around, allowing
me just time to dodge it, and before
/ had fully recovered from my sur
prise we were moving through the
water under the fast freshening
breeze.
"Where are you going, captainl'
asked in a tone Of remonstrance.
He gave the sheet a few turns
about cleat, tucked the tiller COM
fortably under one leg, filled and
lighted his pipe, and when the smoke
was rising in great volume from the
bowl and trailing astern in clouds
that must have made our boat at a
distance present the appearance Of
small steamship he exclaimed again,
;sI'll be blowed!''
Then I arose in my wrath and,
supporting myself by grasping the
centerboard and facing the obdurate
mariner, cried, "See here, captain, I
was under the impression I had
hired this craft, and'-
"I'm goin fer Mr.. Archer. Vans
her," he said in a firm, solemn tone
that brooked no trifling and forced
me to submission.
| Hardly had tho Miriam touched
the dock when Levi Skullcarp was
ashore, and after giving me hur-
fied admonition to be all ready tc
push off on his return he clambered
into rickety vehicle and soon dis
appeared in a cloud of dust. For
some ten minutes I struggled with
the rising wind and sea that kept in
cessantly pounding the boat against
the dock. AT length l was relieved
to spy a cloud Of dust rolling down
the level stretch of road that led
from the village. Preceding it was
a man on bicycle. 1t was Archer
He reached the dock, sprang from
his wheel and tossed it against a
post, jumped into the Miriam and
without word to me pushed her
away, seized the tiller and the sheet.
and off we scudded.
''The captain!" I cried, pointing
at the approaching cloud in the cen
ter of which I knew the redoubtablu
mariner to be.
"Plague on the captain!' growled
Archer Then he added, more soft
ly, "Get to windward, please. y
"But there he is now,' expostu-
lated.
Archer looked a-ound. Standing