Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-02-28
CHAPTER III.-CoNTINUED.
BY CHAUNCY c. HOTCHkISS

OF the younger lady had never heard,
nor, after my heeting glimpse of her, could
! make myself believe that her nature was
tainted. Scammell was the official guard of
the two for the trip, which accounted for the
dragoon being at sea, and according to the
doctor, l., hal Lecome deeply enamored of
lis younger charge, the fair Gertrude King.
Doubtless it was a desire to cover himself
with glory and dazzle the eyes of his love
which had led him to take a hand in board
ing the Phantom, but l gave over interest
in the whole matter by the time the boat
reached its 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.
Flip Il sovereign, cap'n, and bet on its
fall, and ye will have as good a notion of how
the case will turn out as myself. There's no
knowing at all what the man VIII come to-
lie has had the devils own shock. 'Tis con-
cussion and mayhap fracture, mayhap true
tural lesion of the brain. Who knows? He
may die, he may live, but he'll be 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 a 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
l. L L. 20 ha1
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 Y ork
As the schooner now bore, wing on wing,
that port lay fair of the end of the Jlb
boom. The Sprite sailed something less than
half mile 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
/ had forgotten the race. The sick mar
had most of my time and attention, Tor he
had taken to raving, and was finally dashed
to his ~. II So, 2ch was but an uncoutf
mouthin., OF words that meant nothing, ano
when at last, in the lower bay, the schooner
was formally taken possession of, passec
the care of him to others, and began to lool
sharply to my own affairs.
1t was two days after the mess on th'
Phantom before we dropped anchor off th'
city, coming to a final rest near the uppe
limb of the blight of the small bay below
Corlears Hook on the Sound river iEas
Iiver).
There had been more than a little fuss ant
many questions put by the authorities be
fore / stepped ashore. Answers, too, wer
given, which might have been picked ful
of holes had suspicious arisen in the mind
of the reigning powers; but owing to tn
disorder due to the retreat of Clinton from
Philadelphia, and the arrival of his army
which had now boarded the feet at Sand
Hook, confusion ran riot in all branches O
government, and saved me from much fin
living.
There had never been a moment when
could have gotten at the gold in the cabil
without exciting suspicion. In fact, l ha'
but little time to study the papers had ar
propriated and still had on my person; an
now, wellnigh destitute from want of cash
I had the misery of seeing the kings broa
arrow painted on the bows of the Phantor
and of finding myself turned ashore.
i was not greatly troubled Dy my lack
ready money / held Endorsement docr
ments for claim on my own ship for priz
money for capturing her, and could easil
turn it into gold by allowing liberal dis
count; but it went to my heart to see tn
broad arrow (which marks the kings prof.
erty), and know the craft was, by hook or b
crook, prize in possession of the enemy
But if my comparative poverty caused m
no great uneasiness, was worried over th
fact that ] had two living witnesses agains
me, one of whom, the negro, was capabl
of damning me with his evidence could
but obtain the ear of an official. 1t struc
me forcibly, too, that was fairly within tn
enemys lines and under false name an
character. 1t were one thing had bee
caught at acting part on the high, seas an
on my own schooner, but quite another to
discovered under the existing circumstance
The first could have made me prisoner
war at most; the second would damn me
a spy, and give me short shift to the nel
world by means of a rope.
At that time it might have been possib
for me to have left New York and gottt
on nv way homeward. But it did not ha
pen to lie in my blood to turn up with Il
report of having forfeited everything sa
liberty and life With a weakling it wou
have passed; with me 'twould look as thoui
7 had thrown away all for the sake of high
anins my heels, and would likely inJure n
Feputation