The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1908-07-18
Not Such a Coward, After All
BY w. J HENDERSON.

Harry Vinton, where on earth did
you learn to ride horse?"
Never learned at ALL" said Harry.
Cant you see that?"
II should say so. Why, you look
like a fish out of water"
"Of course do. A sailor hasn't
any business on horse. But you sent
him down to the landing for me to
ride up and got aboard of him and
navigated him up here. Say, George,
weathering that last turn in the, road
he jibed with me all standing and I
came pretty nigh going overheard.
But here am, anyhow. What stun
ming view this is! why, I can look
right down on the Mohawk's deck and
see the old man On the quarterback
like a big black ant. It's jolly"
The Mohawk was an American
sloop Of war, carrying twelve guns.
She was lying at anchor off Sperma-
cetti Cove, inside Of Sandy Hook. She
had been detailed by the commodore
to look out for certain British
privateer called the Ariel, which had
been cruising along the New Jersey
and Long Island coasts, keeping the
inhabitants in a state Of terror. Pri-
watering is out of date now, but in
the war of 1872 there was plenty of it.
Harry Vinton was a midshipman.
There was no Annapolis naval acade-
my in those days, and when young
gentlemen wished to enter the navy
to learn to be officers they were en-
listed as midshipmen and learned
their profession altogether aboard
ship.
George Osborne was the son of a
banker who did business in New York
and spent the summer months at his
beautiful country home on the High
lands of Navesink. The two boys,
George and Harry, had gone to school
together before the latter was sent to
sea, and though Harry was the son of
rather humble parents the boys had
become great friends. SO when the
Mohawk anchored in Spermacetti
Cove George sent word out to Harry
by fisherman asking him to come
ashore and spend the afternoon. Cant.
Luscomb, the commander, granted
the request of the boy for shore lib
erty and put him in charge of a cut
ter's crew to row him ashore.
Now, my lad" said the captain.
keep your weather eye lifting. You
know there's man aloft Watching the
sea all the time for any signs of a
suspicious sail. If anything's sighted
we'll hoist the boat recall and I'll ex-.
pect you to get on board with all
speed, for if we have to get to sea it'll
be all hands and the cook, maybe, be-
fore we get back
Aye, aye, SIR" said Harry touching
his cap. He jumped into the boat and
cried Shove off," After a lively pull
he was set ashore, where he found
handsome horse waiting for him to
ride up the hill, and that is what call
cd forth Georges remarks already re.
ported. Harry now noticed that a lit
tie distance away stood three or four
other boys. Two of them were neigh
bors' sons and the third was a visitor
the son Of a wealthy New York mer-
chant. He looked at Harry with an
air Of disdain. -
perhaps If you can't ride a horse"
ne said, you'll play ball"
I'LL try" said Harry, with great
good nature. 49,. -
The boys went to a level piece of
lawn behind the house, and began to
play. Harry had not handled a ball
for two or three years and had never
been much of a player anyhow The
merchants son, Philip Valence, was
disguised
L should think sailors ought to be
able to play ball." he said.
"Why?" asked George.
Because they have such tough,
dirty hands"
Why, my hands are not any more
dirty than yours!' exclaimed Harry.
Indignantly.
"Oh, really" calculated Philip.
haushtily. Il can't think of compar
ing your hands with mine."
why not, I'd like to know" de-
manded Harry holly.
Because they are like their owner
coarse and vulgar" said Philip.
"Oh, say!" exclaimed George.