Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-01-16

like stevedore's dog. There was TO
be no nigh enough ON this lugger
that was the sort Of talk. and oil and
rotten stone for tine very gun swivels.
But Jackai knew the fellow and even
admired the great figure and its loud
ways Hess cap'n anyhow, he told
his wife. 'Twon't be all fellows to
football while he's in command. And
I've seen him handle the Good Intent
under Hockin."
Mrs Tackabird said nothing. She
was busy making sausages and setting
down stug Of butter for her mans use
on the voyage But he knew she would
be disappointed woman If he didn't
contrive in some honest way TO turn
the tables on the company and their
new pet. For days together he went
about whistling Though troubles as
sail" and the very night before
sailing as they sat quiet. one each side
of the hearth, no made the old woman
jump by saying all of sudden, Goals
o. fret
"What dee mean by thatf" she
asked.
Nothing. I was thinkin to myself.
and out it popped.
"Well. tbs like q Providence. for
till you said that I'd clean forgot the
sitter for your cuddy fire. Mustn't
waste cinders now that you're only a
mate.
Being woman, she couldn't forego
that little dig. but she got up there and
then gave the old boy Kiss.
She wouldn walk down to the quay,
though, next day to see him of. being
certain. she said, to lose her temper at
the sight Of Cap'n Dick carrying on
as big as bulls beef, not to mention
the sneering shareholders and their
wives. SO Cap'n Jacka took his congees
at his own door and turned half way
down the street and waved goodby
with the cinder sitter. She used to say
afterward that this was Providence too.
The Unity ran straight across until
she made Ushant light, and after cruis-
ing about couple Of days in moderate
weather. it being the 6rst week in
April. Cap'n Dick laid her head east
and began to nose up channel, keeping
an easy little distance of the French
coast You zee. the channel was full OF
our ships and neutrals in those days,
which made fat work for the French
privateers, but the Frenchies' own ves-
sells kept close over on their coast. and
even 30 the best our boys could expect
nine times out Of ten when they'd
crossed over was to run against a
chasse-maree lodging between Cher
bourg and st. Malo or Morlaix with
naval stores or munitions CT war.
However, Cap'n Dick had very
good luck. One morning about three
leagues n. W. Of Roscof what should
he see but n French privateering craft
Of about 80 tons (new measurement),
with an English trader in tow. Lon
don brig. with cargo Of all sorts, that
had fallen blhind her convoy and been
snapped up in midchannel. Cap'n
Dick had the weather gauge. as well as
the legs Of the French chasse- maree.
She was about q league TO leeward
when the morning lifted and he first
spied her. BY Z O'Clock he was close
and by had made himself master Of
her and the prize. with the loss Of two
men only and four wounded, the
Frenchman being short handed by rea-
son Of the crew he'd put into the brig
10 work her into Morlaix.
This was first rate business. To begin
with, the brig (she was called the Mar
tha Edwards Of London) would yield a
tidy little sum for salvage. The wind
being fair for Plymouth, Cap'n Dick
sent her into that port. her own captain
and crew working her, OF course. and
80 Frenchmen on board in irons. And
at Plymouth she arrived without any
mishap.
Then came the chasse- maree. She
was called the Bean Pheasant probably
Bienfaisant). an old craft and powerful
leaky, but she mounted Is guns, the
same as the Unity, and ought to have
made better run from her, but, first,
she hadn't been able to make her mind
10 desert her prize pretty well within
sight of port. and, In the second place,
her men had q fair job to keep her
pumps going. Cap'n Dick considered
and then turned to old Jacka.
I'm thinking" said he, "I'll have
to put you aboard with prize crew to
work her back to Polperro."
1.-THE Lord will provide, said Jacka,
though he had looked to see q little
more Of the fun.
So aboard he went with all his be-
longings, not forgetting his wife's
sausages and the rtug Of butter and the
cinder sitter. Toward the end Of the
action about Is Of the Johnnies had
got out the briggs large boat and pulled
her ashore, where, no doubt, they reach
ed safe and sound. So Jacks hadn't
more than dozen prisoners to look
after, and prepared for comfortable
little homeward trip.
"I'n just cruise between this and
Jersey" said Cap'n Dick, "and at
the week end. if there's nothing doing.
we'l put back for home and reship
you"
So they parted, and by 1890 Cap'n
Jacka had laid the Bean Pheasant's
head north and by west and was reach
ing along nicely for home, with stiff
breeze and nothing to do but keep the
pumps going and attend to his eating
and drinking between whiles.
The prize made good deal Of water,
but was a weatherly craft for all that,
and on this point Of sailing shipped
nothing but what she took in through
her seams, the worst Of the mischief
being forward, where her stem had
worked bit loose with age and started
the bends. Cap'n Jacka, however.
thought less CT the sea-that was work
ing up into a nasty lop-than OF the
weather, which turned thick and hazy
as the wind veered little to west Of
south. But even this didn't trouble
him much. He had sausages for break
fast and sausages fer dinner, and as
evening drew on and he. knew he was
well on the right side Of the channel he
Knocked ont his pipe and began TO
think Of sausages for tea.
Just then one Of the bands forward
dropped pumping and sang out that
there was Q big sail on the starboard
bow. II b'lieve 'tis q frigate, sir, he
I.x-.~~ Ii. hoc1n