Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-07-17

tire possession OF my mind and could
do nothing but stare and wonder.
The "Hispaniola" was under her
nainsail and two jibs, aird the beautiful
white canvas shone In the sun like
snow or silver. When l first sighted
her oil her sails were drawing; she was
lying n course about northwest, and
presumed the men on board were go
ing round the island on their way back
to the anchorage. Presently she began
to fetch more and more TO the west
ward, SO that thought they had sight
ed me and we're going about in chase.
At last, however, she fell right into the
Winds eye, was taken dead aback, and
stood there awhile helpless, with her
sails shivering.
CLUMSY fellows" said I, "they must
still be drunk as owls" And thought
skipping.
Meanwhile the schooner gradually
fell off, and filled again upon another
tack, sailed swiftly for a minute or
so, and brought up once more dead
in the winds eye. Again and again
was this repeated. To and fro, up and
down, north, south, east and west the
"Hispaniola" sailed by swoops and
dashes, and at each repetition ended
US she had begun, with idly tapping
canvas. It became plain to me that
nobody was steering. And, if SO, where
were the men? Either they were dead
drunk or had deserted her, I thought,
and perhaps il 1 could get on board
I might return the vessel to her cap
tain.
The current was bearing coracle and
schooner southwark at an equal rate.
AS for the later's sailing it was so wild
md intermittent, and she, hung each
time SO long in irons, that she certain
ly gained nothing, if she did not even
lose. If only I dared to sit up and pad
die l made sure that l could overhaul
her. The scheme had an air of adven-
ture that inspired me, and the thought
of the water breaker beside the fore
companion doubled my growing cour
age.
Up I got, was welcomed almost in
stantly by another cloud Of spray. but
this time stuck to my purpose, and set
myself with all my strength and eau
ton to paddle after the mustered His
PAMELA" Once shipped sea SO heavy
that I had to stop and bail. with my
heart fluttering like bird but grndual-
ly got into the way of the thing, and
guided my coracle among the waves.
with only now and then a blow upon
her bows and dash of foam in my face.
I was now rapidly gaining on the
schooner; l could see the brass glisten
on the tiller as it banged about and
still no soul appeared upon her decks.
could not choose but suppose she
was deserted. If not. the men were
lying drunk below, where I might bat.
ten them down, perhaps, and do what
chose with the ship.
For some time she had been doing the
worst thing possible for Ine-standing
still. She headed nearly due south
yawing, of course, all the time. Each
time she fell off her sails partly filled,
and these brought her. in a moment,
right to the wind again. / have said
this was the worst thing possible for
me; for helpless as she looked in this
situation, with the canvas cracking
like cannon, and the blocks trundling
and banging on the deck, she still con-
tinucd to run away from me, not only
with the speed of the current, but by
| the whole amount of her leeway. which
was naturally great.
But now, at last. I had my chance
| The breeze fell. for some seconds, very
low, and the current gradually turning
| her, the "IIispanicla" revolved slowly
round her center, ard at last presented
me her stern, with the cabin window
still gaping open, aud the lamp over the
table still burning on into the day
The maiusail hung dropped like ban
ncr. She was stock-still, but for the
current.
For the last little while had even
lost; but now, redouhling my efforts,
l began once more to overhaul the
chase
was not hundred yards from her
when the wind came again in a clap:
she filled on the port tack. and was Off
again, stopping and Swimming like a
swallow.
My first impulstSA as one Of despair
but my second was toward Joy Round
she came, till she was broadside on to
me-round still till she had covered a
half, and then two-thirds, and then
three-quarters of the distance that
separated us. | could see the waves
boiling white under her forefoot. I'm
ncnsely tall she locked to me from my
low station in the coracle.
And then, of sudden, | began to
comprehend. ! had scarce time to think
scarce time to act and save myself.
I was on the summit of one swell when
the schooner came STOPPING over the
next. The bOwsprit was over my head.
sprung to my feet. and leaped. stamp
ing the coracle under water. With one
hand | caught the jb-boom, while my
foot was lodged between the stay and
the brace; and as | still clung there
painting, a duh blow told me that the
schooner had charged down upon and
struck the coracle, and that I was left
without retreat on the "Hispaniola."
CHAPTER XIV.
STRIKE THE JOLLY ROGER.
! had scarce gained position on the
i