The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-09-08
1.-THE PILOT"
BY JAMES Kenmore COOPER
Condemnation by Alfred s. Clark

On late afternoon of a winters
day, during the American Revolution,
rakish schooner and a majestic
frigate anchored we'll inside a little
bay on the southeastern coast Of Eng
land. A whaleboat drove shoreward,
a young officer clambered up the steep
cliffs and few minutes later mys-
ferrous stranger was transferred to
the frigate's deck. He answered to
the name of "Mr. Gray" and was said
to be merely a pilot, but he was
greeted with surprising Difference.
For no ordinary man would these
vessels have ventured SO near the
coast Of sandbars and hidden rocks.
The wind was a mere ruffle Of air.
But the incessant mutter of the long,
slow waves foretold that a storm was
brewing. Ever more fitfully and
family blew the land breeze; the NUT
ter of the waters grew deeper. Only
here and there did few stars twin
kle between the fast gathering clouds.
1t was time to beat out to open sea, if
1t were not even now too late. Men
swarmed aloft and hung upon the
yards; sails fluttered out; the anchor
was pulled in; the frigate gathered
Roadway. Then the faint breeze died
The spread of canvas hung useless;
the currents drove the ship shoreward
With a roar the wind came sud-
denly from the east. White spray
dashed from the bow Yet the pilot
paced the quarter deck seemingly OBJ
vious to danger. But open water was
far ahead and suddenly from the fore
castle came that dreaded cry, Break
ers! Breakers, dead ahead" The
pilot shook off his trance of thought.
His orders Numbered forth, sailors
sprang hither and thither at his bid
ding, the frigate swung about at his
cry of Hold on everything!" Tor
tuously she picked her way out
through the twisting channels, in
darkness amid the howlings of the
great winds.
She shivered from bow to stern as
a hundred men looscd the huge main
sail. The jib was torn free with a
crash like a lannon's blast but the
big sail held and the frigate bowed
like a reed in the wind. White foam
showed dimly upon both sides, but the
pilot kept the snip, as by miracle,
within a narrow ribbon of dark water.
He took the wheel himself. Time and
again the frigate seemed to have reel
ed free from PERIL time and again
she plunged anew toward a weller of
white water But she drove ever on
and at last she rode the great waves
of the open sea.
Not the storm alone had these ships
dared. They were American vessels,
lurking about an enemy's coast. This
little bay had a peculiar ascination
for two young lieutenants aboard, Ed
ward Griffith and Richard Barnstable.
Not far inland lived Colonel Howard
Tory who had fled from America
! when the cOlonists revolted. With
him dwelt his niece, Cecilia, Howard
| beloved by Griffith, and his ward
Katherine Plowden, betrothed to
Bannstable. In ST. Ruth's Abbey lin
gered too, Christopher Dillon, a poor
Kinsman, anxious to better his condi-
| ton by wedding the wealthy Cecilia
Redcoats lent q picturesqueness to
| the venerable abbey, for small garri
son under Captain Boroughcliffe had
been summoned by the owner. For
| aught that men knew, John Paul
Jones himself might be aboard these
ships lowering nearby.
While accommodating the next night
"NIr. Gray and Griffith were captur
ed, but Borroughcliffe's drunkenness
enabled them to escape. Griffith, was
| however, retaken.
The impetuous Barnstable, frettine
offshore with his enormous coxwain
Long Tom Coffin, had been nearly cut
off from his schooner by an English
| cutter, but he scrambled aboard safe
ly and the drum beat to quarters
While broadsides roared and the