The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-11
CHAPTER XXIX

Spring night in Connecticut, anc the scent of lilacS through the win dow. Polly's baby sleeping in his cradle, Polly in her bed. Near the door lies the mongrel dog on guard his whiskered nose on his out stretched paws, his ears twitching- the little dog that has come so far and knows his destiny.
 Spring night on the Atlantic off the coast of England, the same moment in the span of time, yet late as hours are counted. Two vessels riding close, one newly cap- tured.f
 ". About the prisoners" Jerry Whitfield was saying to Cabell Banks. I'd like to get rid of them"
 "Yes. It's bad business keeping prisoners. You've got to feed and exercise them. In the end they're apt to take your ship away from you. My advice is, set them ashore tomorrow on the first island you can safely touch"
 There never was sounder ad- vice." Jerry replied. And we'd both better head south at once. Come daylight, Old Mother Frigate will count her chickens"
 "We1l sail together, of course. I'll have my French pilot pick your island. Good night"
 Cabell went over the side alone and roWed himself back to the Gray Gull. Presently the two ships were cleaving the night like 3 pair of friendly birds flying South.
 The old French pilot knew of an island that would do. A ship he sailed had once put in there for 8 new mast the year he got his second wound fighting for Napoleon.
 Its inhabited" he told Cabell in his provincial French, but none too comfortable" The old man laughed hard at the thought of the English dogs" having to stop there. Ct was always Eng fish dogs" when his wounds hurt hirn) "They will have to live on carrots and goats milk, the fine rascals! No roast beef for while"
 The island proved to be just where thu old Frenchman said it would be, and they reached it next day before sunset. The Gray Gull stood by while Jerry took the May Queen as close to shore as he dared.
 There must come now the diffi- cult work of unloading prisoners. Most of the British sailors in the forecastle cabin would be armed, Jerry recalled; only those in the deck fight had lost their weapons. A slip now, one careless or in cautious move on his part, and the ship would be taken from him. In this event he and his men would hardly be set ashore on this island. They would be taken in irons to Dartmoor prison or to the vile hulk ships reserved for Amer ican privateerS who oVerreached themselves.
 At this moment, with elation behind him, and grim necessity ahead, Jerry could think of Polly clearly. Not as dim sweet dream in the darkness, but as a flesh and blood wife in pine paneled kitchen, sewing a seam before an open fire. In her strength and courage, in her promise of fruition and home to a wandering mans heart, Polly was America, and America was Polly. For such @ woman and such a country, men cultivated level heads and humble hearts.
 It was the quarterback cabin that Jerry unlocked first. In per- son he conducted the four sullen officers up the ladder and across deck to the rope ladder that took them into the waiting shore boat He remembered to be conven- tional, knowing that the English expected every American prlva- teer skipper to, be boor.
 From the forecastle cabin a few men were called at time and disarmed. Fists and tempers were active. The prisoners had nat urally concerted during the night and day to overthrow their cap- tors. Jerry warily stationed them in the boats with oars in their hands, each matched by an Amer ican oarsman, with another pair of his men to guard the boat. And so the transfer was made from ship to island without loss of life.
 This accomplished, the May Queen and the Gray Gul put to sea again and sailed west. That way lay home.