Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-02-02

lust gitt.n' me eye fixed on that part
O. her hull when Mr.. Archer Jumps
up. run for'a'd to the mast an stood
there like he was sightin' land after
month adrift on raft.
"Cap'n, kin you run a leetle
nearer that craft? I know her., he
calls
"In this win'?' I asks.
"'Pole, he yells.
"T could pole, I says, he'd l a
pole, but I hain't.'
"He give long groand an set
down on top O. the cabin yander an
KEEP pippin his eye throo the glass at
the other boat that was foolin' around
bout mile off our bow.
'sBy an by, he says, 'Cap'n, there's
breeze comm
"'I've been watchin' it, sir, says I,
an I ups with me anchor an sail.
"It caught the other feller first,
an of sudden her canvas filled an
she begin to cut throo the water on q
beat up the bay. I had the tiller
ready, an it warn't q minute till we
was movin', too. 1t was slow at first,
lut we soon had to reef, an went
.earin' throo the water to beat steam
la'nch. The clouds had brought q
regular hurricane an was pilin' up
aloft an roarin' full O. thunder. 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. I'll back
her agin anything on the bay but
that there strange boat. Why, that
craft slipped throo the water like she
was illed, We KEEP up pretty well,
though, an might O. caught her if the
rain hadn't come an us lost sight O.
'em. wanted to put back, but Mr..
Archer he wouldn't. have it, an KEEP
runnin' up an donw, pipin' his eyes
this way an that way an usin' bad
language till it come dark an the
storm had passed. Then he th'owed
himself down in the cockpit an lit his
pipe an says, Home, Cap'n!' That
was all-iist Home, Cap'n.' >"
I had thrown aside my lines, for
Levi Skullcarp's account of the senti,
mental man had awakened my interest,
and when he had finished his recital ]
had turned my back on the water, my
feet were dangling in the cockpit and
nv eyes were fixed on the bayman.
"Didn't be explain why be was SC
anxious to see her?" I asked after
silence of some minutes.
In reply the Captain clambered into
the cockpit and, braeing himself
against the end of the tiiler, 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.
"I'll be blowedr' he cried. There
was q pause and then he muttered
"Small jib, white duck dress, spooney
bow, white hull, black hair-I'n
blowed!"
This exclamation was accompanied
by loud rattle as he closed the glass
"Git to win ard, quick!" he yelled
The boom swung around, allowing
me Just time to dodge it, and before
I had fully recovered from my surprise
we were moving through the wate1
under the fast freshening breeze.
"Where are you going, Captaln"
asked in o tone of remonstrance.
He gave the sheet few turns abou
O cleat, tucked the tiller comfortably
under one leg, filed and lighted hi
pipe, and when the smoke was rising
in great volume from the bowl ant
trailing astern in clouds that mus
have made our boat OF distance pre-
sent the appearance of a small steam
ship, he exclaimed again: "I'll b'
blowed!"
Then arose in my wrath and, sup
porting myself by grasping the center
board and facing the obdurate mariner
cried: "See here, Captain, [ was un
der the impression I had hired thi!
| Ctitlt, uuil-
"I m goin' fer Mr.. Archer; yan''
her." he said in firm, solemn tone
that brooked no trifing and forced mt
to submission.
Hardly had the Miriam touched th'
dock when Levi Skulcarp was ashore
and after giving me q hurried admo
milton to be all ready to push off on hi
return, he clambered into ricket.
vehicle and soon disappeared in
cloud of dust. For some ten minutes
/ struggled with the rising wind ant
sea that kept necessarily poundin!
the boat against the dock. At lengtl
I was relieved to spy q cloud OF dus
rolling down the level stretch OF roat
that led from the village. Preceding
it was q man on q bicycle. 1t wa:
Archer. He reached the deck, spraue
from his wheel and tossed it against {
post, jumped into the Miriam, ant
without word to me pushed he
away, seized the tiller and the sheet
and of we scudded.
"The Captain!" L cried, pointing a
the approaching cloud, in the centre
of which + knew the redoubtable mar
! iner to be-
"Plague on the Captain growlet
Archer. Then he aided, more softly
sect to windward, please"
".But there he is now," 1 expostu
lated.
Archer looked around. Standing
on the stringpiece of the wharf, VIC
lently waving one hand above his head
while with the other he pointed sea
ward, was Levi Skuilcarp. The sen
timental man a5 the catboats helm
waved a hand to imply that he saw tn
speck OF o sail to which he was point