Willmar tribune., 1899-06-28
CHAPTER III.-CoNT1NUED.
By ChAUNCY C. HOTciKrSs
lCcDvright, 1897, by D. Appleton & Co All
rights reserved

rights reservedl
CHAPTER III.-CONTINUED.
OF the younger lady had never heard,
nor, after my feeting glimpse of her, could
J make myself believe that her nature was
tainted. Scammell was the official guard of
the two for the trip, which accounted for the
dragon being at sea, and, according to the
doctor, he had become deeply enamored of
his younger charge, the fair Gertrude King.
doubtless it was desire to cover himself
with glory and dazzle the eyes of his love
which had led him to take hand in board
ing the Phantom, but I gave over interest
in the whole matter by the time the boat
reached it's destination.
The half-slewed Irishman made but hasty
work with Lounsbury. The unconscious
man had been removed to the cabin, and lay
in my berth with eyes fast closed, still
breathing like pump. The doctor locked
at him frowningly, felt of his head and pulse
with careless air, and then gave his dag
nosis.
Clip sovereign, cap'n, and bet on it's
fall, and ye will have as good notion of how
the case will turn out as myself. There's no
knowing at all what the man will come to.
He has had the devils own shock. "Tis con-
cussion and mayhap fracture, mayhap truc-
tural lesion of the brain. Who knows? He
may die, he may live, but he'll be a bit
flashed in his wits if he pulls through, and
ne'er the lad he was. What's one dead rebel
more or less? Let him lie and take chances.
Have you drap O potheen to say good
night on? I'm off,
l felt like kicking the man for his heart
lessness, but gave him drink and saw him
started for his own craft; then, getting the
crew together, l set them to work, and in
short order we were under way.
The surgeons words had not tended to
depress me. The passion possessing me
when | struck my mate had passed away,
and if he would live and remain flashed"
until I had cleared from the muddle into
which had been forced would pray for
his final recovery.
1t was an easy matter to sail for New York
As the schooner now bore, wing on wing,
that port lay fair off the end of the jib
boom. The Sprite sailed something less than
half mile on our larboard beam, and thus
we went for hours, each holding her own
In the early light of the following morn the
wind suddenly lightened, then shifted to
the north, and by the time l had made
Sandy Hook, where the bulk of Howe's fleet
lay waiting the arrival of the British army,
the Sprite was some miles to windward.
l had forgotten the race. The sick man
had most of my time and attention, for he
had taken to raving, and was finally lashed
to his bunk. His speech was but an uncouth
mouthing of words that meant nothing, and
when at last, in the lower bay, the schooner
was formally taken possession of, passed
the care of him to others, and began to look
sharply to my own affairs.
It was two days after the mess on the
Phantom before we dropped anchor off the
city, coming to a final rest near the upper
limb of the blight of the small bay below
Corlears Hook, on the Sound river EAST
tiver).
There had been more than little fuss and
many questions put by the authorities be-
fore I stepped ashore. Answers, too were
given, which might have been picked full
OF the reigning powers; but owing to the
disorder due to the retreat of Clinton from
Philadelphia, and the arrival of his army,
which had now boarded the fleet at Sandy
Hook, confusion ran riot in all branches of
government, and saved me from much fine
lying.
4ACAC A0O AcScI Uceu q ulOI1lcuC " "uSu 1
could have gotten at the gold in the cabin
but little time to study the papers had ap-
propriated and still had on my person; and
now, well nigh destitute from want of cash,
I had the misery of seeing the kings broad
arrow painted on the bows of the Phantom
and of finding myself turned ashore
l was not greatly troubled by my lack of
voo1u nonov hold ;p1orco,,,o,+ Ioo,,
ments for claim on my own ship for prize
money for capturing her, and could easily
turn it into gold by allowing liberal dis
count; but it went to my heart to see the
broad arrow (which marks the kings prop
erty), and know the craft was, by hook or by
crook, prize in possession of the enemy
But it my comparative poverty caused me
no great uneasiness, I was worried over the
eact that l had two living witnesses against
the, one of whom, the negro, was capable
of damning me with his evidence could he
but obtain the ear of an official. It struck
me forcihly, too, that was fairly within the
enemy's lines and under false name and
character. It were one thing had been
caught at acting part on the high seas and
on my own schooner, but quite another to be
discovered under the exciting circumstances.
The first could have made me a prisoner of
war at most; the second would damn me as
a spy, and give me short shift to the next
world by means of rope.
At that time it might have been possible
for me to have left New Y ork and gotten
on my way homeward- But it did not hap
pen to lie in my blood to turn up with the
report of having forfeited everything save
liberty and life With a weakling it would
have passed; with me 'twonld look as though
J had thrown away all for the sake of light
ening my heels, and would likely injure my
reputation.
Aside from this, there lay hidden close at
hand f500, and none, save Lounsbury, had
fathomed the secret. 1t was my all, barring
the schooner, though that was not a total
loss, as the admiralty papers in my pocket
bore witness. No man willingly foregces
two thousand four hundred and odd dollars
in gold rightfully his own, unless he be
coward; and that, I mainta l am not.
And so by my fortune determined to stand
until it should be sunk, blown up, or other
wise lost. .ff' 4 T. Z
There was more than this pecuniary inter
est which sealed my determination to stay
where l was for space and risk the future.
And that-the war; R& 4 &|2&-S
Lest my reader think had been a laggard
in the conflict which had now been on better
than two and a half years, let it be known
that had been active against the enemy,
both afeld and adoat; noticeabiy in the
whaleboat warfare on the coast.
I had made more than one lobster back
wish she. hsd stayed in Merry England (un:
less he wss at once set past wishing) and
helped adigaa mighty, hole in. the kings cx-%e
chequer by destroying his property. But
that was in the past. and ru1s not with this