Year: 1879




teenth year, he was 1t school in small
village ih the south of England, and
was IS happy a boy as any fellow ought
to expect to be and yet on his birth
day when he was really fourteen, he
ran away to sea.


No one could possibly imagine why
he did this. and, ludeed, Tom himself
could give no reason for his conduct.


He had had q half holiday on bis
birthday, and went down to the seaport
town OF NJ, . short trip from the
school, to spend few hours and see the
ships. There be fell in with q recruit
ing officer, who wanted some boys for
. msn-of- war in the harbOr. aud Tom
WAS 20 much pleased with the stories
he told OF life at sea, that be went
into stAtioner's store, bought some ps-
per. and wrote two notes. one to his
family at home, and the other to the
master Of the school. informing them
that he mad . most admirable opportu-
nifty Of going TO ses to learn to be Ia.
val officer. Such o chsncs might not
occur again, and - he had made UP
his mind to enter the navy anyway, it
would not be wise to let the opportu-
nifty pass. He would lose nothing by
leaving school now, for navigation,
msthema'ics and everything that was
necessary for . naval officer to know
were taught on the ship. Then he
mailed the letters and went Oh board.


When Toms father and master re-.
ceiyed these notes, it is probable that
they would have taken measures to get
Tom of that ship in very short or
der. had it not been for the fac. tha:
the vessel sailed early the next morn
ing after Tom made his appearance on
her deck. and she was tar out to sea
before Mr.. Black and DR.. Powers had
read their letters


So there WAS nothing to be done at
home but to hope that things would
eventually turn out for the best; and,
indeed. this was what Tom himself had
to do. For he soon found that bis DO.
sition on tho vessel was very different
from what he supposed it would be.
Instead of being taught how to sail
the ship, he was taught how to coil II
rope and TO belp wash decks lie vas
II ships boy NOT midshipinan.


When poor Tom found out this la.
mcnt,ble fact. he made up his mind
that he would run away the first time
the vessel touched n port. But when
she did reach port he rs-inade up his
mind and concluded to stay on board
BY little observation he found out
that it would be difficult and danger.
Gus thing for him to run away. and,
besides. he had no money to take him
home.


Tom wrote home whenever he had u
. chance. aud be had some long letters
from his family. which were forwarded
to him with other letters for the ship.
But alter he had been on board the Hec.
tor about six months. lie got short let
ter which told him that. as his friends
had become convinced that he was
really very much attached to u life on
the sea. aud that rs his officers had re-
Iorted we'll of him, they had obtained
him an appointment as midshipman.


In about year after Toms appoint
ment, war broke out with Spain. aud
the Hector was ordered to the Spanish
coast. After cruising about for
month or two. she joined with two
other British vessels in an attack on q
fortressiof the Mediterranean Sea, which
was at the same time besieged by land
force. Early in the morning the three
vessels opened fire upon the fort. which
soon replied in vigorous fashion send.
ing bomb-shells and cannon balls all
around them. and sometimes knocking
of . spar or crashing through some
timbers. There were lively times on the
Hector's deck, and Tom found ont what
it was TO bo in . hot fight on board Of
. chip. But the boy was not frightened.
That was not his nature. He rushed
around. carrying orders ard attending
to his duties. very much as If he Was
engaged in rousiug game of cricket.


While he was thus employed. plump
on bosrd came bomb. shell. and fell
almost at tbs foot OF the m.inmast.
The fuse in it was smoking and fizzins.
In instant more it would explode and
tear everything :arouud it to atoms!
Several men were at gun near by, but
they did hot see the bomb. Their lives
we're almost - good as gone. The cap.


in stood just back of the gun. He
saw the smoking bomb. and sprang
back. Before he had even time to
shout Look OUT" along came Tom
He was almost on the bomb before be
saw il.


Il never took Tom long to make up
bis mind. We have seen that. - His
second thoughts always came up long
way after the 6rst ones He gave one
glance at the smoking fuse; be knew
that it was just about to explode, and
that it would kill everybody round
about IL. and be picked it up and hurled
it into the sea.


When the captain saw Tom stoop ard
grasp that hot. heavy bomb in his two
he ssv HIM raise it up,
with the fuse spluttering and fixing
close to his ear. where. il it had ex-
ploded, il would have blown his head
into pieces no bigger than a pea-and
then dash it over the ships side. 50
that the iuse Was, OF course. extin-
guished the instant it touched the water,
be was % astonished that he could not
spcak. He made one step, . warning
cry was ON his lips. but before he could
saw . word it was all over.


When Tom turned, and Was about to
hurry away on the errand that had been
% strangely interrupted. the captain
took him by the arm.


my good fellow" said he-and, al