Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-13

the master took off a new long boat from
Deal There was some hitch in delivering
her. and she scarcely brought along
side by 3 the next morning when the COM
modOre signaled to get under way.
By reason of this delay, the Hand in
Glove was taken unawares. and started
well astern of the fleet, which numbered
over twenty sail of merchantmen, and being
a sluggard in anything short of half gale,
she made UP precious little way in the
light EN-. E. breeze.
Soon after that evening. Beachy Head
bearing NV. by w. four miles and
half Abe Cummns the lookout for
ward. sped a lugger coming toward shore
upon wind. She crossed well ahead OF
the HAND in Glove, and close, as 1t looked,
under the stern of East Indiaman,
which was then busy reefng topsails be-
fore night. For awhile Abe lost sight OF
her under the dark of the land; but, by
and by the wheelman took a glance over
his shoulder and there she was, creeping
up close astern. His call fetched uD cap
tain Wilcox, who ran aft and hailed. but
got no reply. And so she came on, until,
steering close up under the Hand In
Gloves port quarter. she was able to heave
a grapnel on board and throw twenty we'll
armed Johnnies into the old brig. The Eng
lishmen-seven In all, and taken unpre-
pared-were soon driven below and shut
down-four in the cabin, two In the steer
age and one in the forecastle. this last be-
ing Abe Cummins. After awhile the sentry
over the hatchway called for him to come
I'D and show where the leading ropes were.
which he did at the point of a cutlass. And
precious soon the Johnnies mad altered
the briggs course, and stood away for the
coast of France, the lugger keeping her
company all night.
Early next morning the two vessels were
close off Dieppc harbor. and there, when
the tide suited. they were taken inside and
the prisoners put ashore a. nlghtrall ana
lodged for three days in a filthy round
tower On April 1-Easter Sunday, I've
heard it was-they were told 10 get ready
for marching. and handed over, making
twenty-five in all, with the crews OF two
other vessels-the Lisbon Packet and the
Margaret, letter of marque Of London,
bound from Zante. laden with currants-to
a lieutenant and guard OF foot soldiers.
Not man of them knew where they were
bound They set out through a main pref
ty country, where the wheat stood near
about knee high but the roads were heavy
after the spring rains. Each man had seven
shilings in his pocken. given him at part
ing by the captain of his vessel-the three
captains had been left behind at Dieppe-
and on they trudged for just a fortnight
on an allowance of one pound of brown
bread and twopence halfpenny per man
per day: the bread served out regular and
the money when they could get II. Mostly
they came to a town for their nights halt.
and as often as not the townsfolk drummed
them to Jail with what we call the 'Rogue's
March but in France / believe It's Hon
ors Of War" something that sounds po-
liter than tbs. But there were times when
they had to put up at a farmhouse by the
road and then the poor chaps slept on
straw for a treat.
Well, on the last day Of the fortnight
they reached their journeys end-a great
fortress a rock standing right over the
river, with a town lying around the foot OF
the rock and smaller town, reached by
bridge Of boats on the far side of the river.
/ can't call TO mind the name of the river,
but the towns were called J1vvy-Great and
Little Jivvy.' The prison stood at the very
no oreya nSo pltf hot
dropped clean 300 feet to the river not
at all q pretty place to get clear of, and
none so cheerful to live in on days allow
ance of one pound of brown bread. half
pound of bullock's offal, three halfpence in
money paid weekly, and the most of 1t de-
Quoted for prison repairs), and now and
then a noggin OF peas.
1t was now that the difference in the
two men came out. Abe took his downfall
very quiet from the first He had man
aged to keep a book in his pocket-a book
OF voyages 1t was-and carry 1t with him
all the way from Dieppe. and It really didn't
seem to matter to him that he was shut up
so long as he could sit in a corner and
read about other folks travelling. In the
second year of their captivity an English
clergyman. a Mr.. Wolfe. lent him an old
book on "Navigation"-Hamilt Moore's;
and over that Abe would sit by the hour.
with his roommates drunk and fighting
round him. and copy out tables and work
out sums. All his money went in pen and
INK instead or the liquor winch the Jd1lers
smuggled in.
Billy Bosistow was a different pair of
shoes Although no drnker by habit. he
fretted and wore himself down at times to
a lowness of spirits in which nothing seemed
to serve him but drinking. and fierce drink
ing On his better days he was every
body's favorite; but when the mood fell on
him he grew teasy. and MT to set his right
hand quarrelng with his left. Then came
the drinking fit, and he'd wake out Of that
like a man dazed, sitting in q corner and
brooding for days together.
He had two things to brood upon-escape
and Selma. But confinement Is the ruina-
ton of some natures, and as year after
year went by and his wits broke themselves
on a stone wall. he grew into q very
different man from the handy lad the john
MES had taken prisoner. One thing he
never gave up. and that was his pluck: and
he had plenty of use for 1t when. after
seven years, his chance came.
His first contrtvance was to change names
with old American in the depot. 1t so
happened that the captain Of a French pri-
vateer had applied to the prison for a crew
OF foreigners to man his ship, then lying at
Morlaix. The trick, by oiling the jailer's
palm. was managed easily enough, and
away Bosistow was marched with twenty
comrades of all nations. But at the first
stage some recruiting officers stopped them,
insisting that they were Irish and not
Americans, and must be enlisted to serve
with Bonaparte's army in Spain. The pris-
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