Year: 1865

lew rods from the shore, on the east side O
the river, were gathered ten or twelve men
noting every motion that was visible anC
| listening to every sound that came from the
water.


ais it not possible to know what is the
object of those water coffins ?" said an ole
gentleman, while he strained his eyes as
the darkness drew deeper.


'' 1t might be DONE" said a young mar
whose face had been bronzed by familiarity
with the ocean at is nearly dark enough
Come, Bill, what say you there won't be
so much light as comes from a cats eye il
an hour shall we take boat there and
slip alongside 2" Bill, as a stout fellow o
thirty was called, could not permit that q
younger man than himself should propose
a deed he would shrink from executing, i'm
mediately signifed his willingness to join
IN the almost reckless enterprise.


The night was cloudy, the darkness had
settled thick and heavy, the waves looked
like black, unduated pail and as though
to increase the awfulness of their condi-
ton, the British had extinguished their
lights. Soon after the adventu1ers had
launched their boat ,and not an object could
be traced in the almost palpable blackness,





silence for some time, and had gone two
thirds of the distance before either spoke.
Are you sure this is the right course,
| Ned 2" at length said Bill, as they rested
on their oars.


Hush, speak lower. No. am not GER
tain, but we cannot be far from them. If
but one star would look out it would be
better than this eternal gloom. ! cannot
see the lights on shore through this fog.
What murky night we are out in
Gloomy as a graveyard" Hang the
British, | had rather meet legion of them
by daylight" whispered Bill, moodily.-
But bark there they lay, dead ahead,
and getting ready to make port, too," he
continued, as he heard the low gratings of
cable, as it was slowly and cautiously
drawn up.


Lightly as the swallows wing the oars
dipped into the brine, silently as a shark
the boat cut the water, and directed by the
sound, ere the anchor swung at the bow
they glided unseen under the very stern of
the large vessel. But the humming voices,
out of which nothing distinct could be gath
cred, was mingled with the winds signing
through the rigging, and the dashing of the
dashing of the waves against the huge fab
| ric.


With their patience nearly worn out,
Ned at length whispered "Bill, if you can
keep your hold | will go aboard and get a
full report of these villains business" The
latter was about to reply when they heard
hurried motions on the deck ; a large boat
was let down, and dozen men, all of whom
by the faint light of lantern they dscov-
cred to be armed, pushed off toward the
shore that lies south of the Piscataqua-
Scarcely had they gone when Ned with
| the assistance of rope that dragged into
the water climbed to the deck The watch
was grouped beside a gun carriage, and
Ned, as confidently as though he had been
one of the crew, walked by, and reaching
the hatchway, descended to the lower deck
Here he found himself among several hun
dred men, a part of whom were in their
hammocks, but others, although it was as
dungeon, appeared to be arranging their
clothes and preparing for some desperate
enterprise.


Almost lost in confusion, he stood motion
less at the bottom of the steps but he had
been there but moment when, hearing
some one approaching, he stepped aside
hastily, and not knowing where he might
be, held out his hands to grope his way
AS chance would have it, he went directly
toward the head of a sailor who was trying
to catch al hours sleep before his nights
work should commence. Ned, quickening
his pace as the step came nearer, suddenly
plunged his fingers into the locks of the
sleeper, and with such force that his head
received in no considerable wrench. The
old tar leapt to his feet in twinkling, and
Ned darted off like a chicken chased by
hawk, leaving the angry sailor daring the
whole ships company to try to take his
scalp off


He soon learned that it was the intention
to make an attempt to effect an entrance to
the harbor that night, and the boat he had
seen leave the ship was gone to examine
the chains which had been thrown across
the main channel, and if possible saw them
This was all he could learn. 1t was enough,
and he felt there was urgent necessity of
giving instant warning of the danger. But
when he reached the hatchway he found the
passage entirely closed by two old veterans
half intoxicated, who had settled themselves
to have a quiet time in lauding old England
and cursing the Yankees. Ned stood en-
tirely invisible, but necessarily hearing
every word. 1t was nearly an hour that be
stood waiting for them to rise, and listen
ing to their outbreaks of passion concern
ing the Americans.


"Their men are no bolder than our wo-
men, and their guns are no better than tin
horns" said one gruffly. "No, Jack" said
the other, "and do You know that once on a
time about twenty of our gals on the coast
of Cornwel, dressed like sailors, put off in
gunboat and took Yankee seventy-four
with no other arms than old swords ?' Ned,
boiling with rage, could not hear such SLAM
der, and regardless of consequences, roared
out, That's lie, you old dog |" Both
sailors shook as though the magazine had
exploded, plunged toward him, and, awak-
ened to sense of his situation by his own
voice, Ned sprang out of their reach, and,
as soon as the uproar had in some degree
subsidized, made his way on deck-but here
an unexpected event occurred. The boat
which had just returned, and the crew, when
he stepped on deck, where in the act of lift
! ing up prisoner. Determined, if possible,
to know who he was, he elbowed his way
with admirable coolness, and succeeded in
taking the arm of the prisoner While
notice of their success was passed below