The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-02-27
- sss
DICK RODNEY;
Or. The Adventures Of
An EtOn Boy.
L. RT JAMES GRANT.
tsttsss &c esesss tEesressess.s .eee-~
Sr JAMES GRANT.
UHAPTER Iv.-(Continned

On peroeiVing that was avsLe .
-. au Doil was rung by the captain. and
not oonee' accompanied by the last
sllce OF snore-bread that remained was
brought to me By Billy, the cabin-boy
aho then, after time, was requested
10 state what craft that was from
winch had besn taken, my name and
80 forth, that Mr.. Hislop might enter
al tne particulars among the IRE
marks" in his log-book.
soon satisfied them as To oil +h,s
AND where am / now" incurred
Fretty far out upon the open sea
nay lad, replied the captain with a
sniiie, as he threw the end of his che
root into the empty CRATE.
me open sea-still the open seal"
reiterated with dismay, which l cared
not to conceal
les; We saw the last glimpse of the
rugged Start on the day before ves-
terday, and this morning, just an hour
osIore picking you up, we babe good
Dye to cid England, for the Lizard
A'ient was Darlington had the dead
watch, hislop; how did it bear?"
About twelve miles Off, on the
weather quarter"
How shall return homer"
Thsy both laughed as I despairingly
made this inquiry.
BY the way you left It. l suppose;
that is by water" said Capt. Weston.
You spoke Of the Start; what is
that?"
"A cape Ct the Channel, on the
southeast coast of Devonshire, about
nine miles to the southwark of Dart
mouth" be replied, while casting a cas-
ual glance at chart which lay on the
table
l had thus, before being rescued SO
providentially, drifted more than a
hundred miles from Erlesmere, and 1t
was marvellous that the schooner had
foated 30 far unseen.
Well, what is to be done now?'
asked the captain. 1--WE are bound for
the West Indies, but we may put you
aboard the FIRST craft that passes us,
homeward-bound; or you are free to
remain, If we cannot do better for
you"
thought Of my mother, my father
my two sisters; and my heart was SO
full Of gratitude to heaven for preserv.
ing me to the end, that l might see
and embrace them all again, that had
no words to reply. After a time 1 ex-
claimed:
Home, home!-let me go home tc
Erlesmere!"-weeping as I spoke, fol
the thought OF them all made me very
child again.
The captain and mate exchanged
glances of inquiry.
TITS no use piping your eye now. my
lad" said the former, coming toward
my berth; "but answer me quietly. Yor
said that your name was Rodney?'
Eyes"
"And You spoke of Erlesmere; are
you a son of old Dr. Rodney, the rec
tori"
do you know nay father, them"
exclaimed.
Cant say exactly that have the
honor Of being known to him; but
know of him, right we'll. Why, Master
Rodney, l have sailed your uncle'i
ships many a time, and know hii
gloomy old Office in the city. as wei
as the buoy at the More; SO you are a
safe and as welcome aboard the Eu
genie as if in the old rectory house a
home"
This was pleasant intelligence, at al
events; but my earnest desire was II
return-a design which was not fate'
to be speedily gratified.
For several days we passed only out
ward bound vessels, or others which
we're at such a distance that the tasl
of signaling and speaking with then
would have delayed the Eugene lonsel
than Capt. Weston could risk. TIVE
that passed near us, when we showed
our ensign, replied by displaying thu
tricolor of France or the red and vel
low bars of Spain; so there was hONh
ing for me now but to remain content
eddy on board the Eugene, which wa
hound for Matanzas with solid cargo
of steam machinery and coal.
The master had no doubt of getting
return freight direct for London
thus six or eight months might elaps'
before | could return to Erlesmere'
l gradually became reconciled to thu
novelty Of my situation; looked for
ward hopefully to the time when th'
sorrow of those had left behind woul'
he alleviated. and began to enjoy t'
tbo utmost the prospect of voyage il
spanking brig to the shores OF CueA
CHAPTER V.