The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-10-04
THE CRUISE OF !:
THE DAWN
ltResulted DifferentlyFrOmW What :
Might Have Been Expected.
BY HAROLD WINSTON

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am the son of fisherman and was
brought up on salt water. loved 1t,
but was ambitious to break away from
so simple life and make something of
myself. II not better, at least more
prominent. was twenty-one when.
with 500 In my pocket that l had
saved. l went to New York for the
purpose of finding position.
Positions are not to be had In a mo-
ment in the metropolis, and the best l
could do was to enter my name at the
bottom of a list awaiting vacancies.
Ny money was being used up, though
/ husbanded my resources, and | be-
came discouraged. Every morning l
bought newspaper and looked over
the advertisements to see IL young
man of my description was wanted. |
finally saw one that met my case, but
not for business. 1t was an advertise
ment for skipper for yacht.
had seen enough of the crowds of
a big city The continual whlrl sick
ened me. The display of wealth side by
side with abject misery made me long
again for the water. upon which there
are no streets. no alleys, no dirt True.
the vehicles on the ocean differ in de-
gree as those on the land. had been
used to nothing better than a fishing
boat and was fascinated al the idea OF
sailing yacht.
answered the advertisement, but
tI,.
zion than ! had of securing any of the
clerkships for which | had applied.
But | had an advantage in knowing
how to sail boat, while I was entire
ly ignorant of business. A few days
after | mailed my letter | received an
invitation to call at a dwelling In the
upper part of the city.
was received by a woman about
thirty five years old. She repealed me
from the moment met her. looking at
me critically. ms II sizing me up for
something besides my marine qualitica.
tons. She asked me to state them,
however. and did so When ! told
her | had been born and brought up
near bath. Me-. noticed that she
pricked up her ears. and when | added
that | knew the coast thereabout from
Portland to Mount Desert I saw that !
had affected her favorably.
She told me that her uncle. with
whom she lived and of whom she
had the care. was very old man and
an Invalid He had been failing lately,
and his physician had advised his
getting out into the open. A yacht
had been purchased with view to
taking him on cruise along the New
England coast 1t was rather late In
the season for yachting and she asked
me how long it would be safe and
comfortable TO remain on the water.
replied that If the vessel was not too
small aud was capable of being heated
II might remain In commission till the
frat of November After an Interview
lasting nearly an hour. during which
she surprised me by the large salary
she would pay-$250 a month-she
dismissed me. saying that when she
had decided among those who had ap
piled she would let me know.
One morning when had about
given the matter up | received a note
from the lady advising my of my ap
gether crew. | got busy at once,
visited the yacht. saw that she needed
six men and engaged them. Miss
Hurlbert--the lady who engaged me
procured the servants.
We sailed on the day when tourists
were returning from their outings
the first of September-and l was di
rected to coast eastward. The only
persons aboard were Miss Hurlbert.
Mr. Townsend. the invalid. and the
crew and servants. After rounding
Nantucket | was directed to steer for
Portland. where, on arrival, we put
into the barber and | was directed to
go ashore for mall brought one
letter addressed to Miss Hurlbert.
which she tore open at once, and Its
contents affected her perceptibly. She
asked me TO go down into the cabin
with her where there was no one but
ourselves-Mr. Townsend kept his
stateroom- when we were alone
she said:
OdpLdiu. are you u uSHlSii
Surprised. | replied by inquiring why
she asked such a question. Where
upon she told me that her uncle was
engaged In lawsuit In which a
fortune was involved. All his prop
erty. except his real estate. had been
turned into jewels. which were aboard
the yacht The move had been adj
vised by his attorneys on the ground
that possession is nine points In the
law She had received warning from
one In her interest that the plaintiff
in the suit. great rascal and very
determined man, had got wind or Mr..
Townsend's-or rather Miss Hurlberts
method OF procedure and had fitted
ont a yacht to follow and take the
property by force Could she depend
upon me in the matter?
The affair was not to my liking
and | gave her no immediate reply
She followed up the question by offer
ing me 5000 for myself and
thousand dollars for each one Of the
crew In case her expedition were sue
eessful. to be paid whether there was
fighting to be done or If the scheme
could be handled peacefully. ] con-
suited the crew and they agreed that
II I thought the matter involved no
rascality they would go in under my
command. The deal was made with
ibis proviso.