Year: 1879

were as precious set OF scampS as ever
breathed."


This made the matter worse still. OF
my whole crew, I could muster but
thirty men, counting the three able pas
sengers, and they would help me if they
could be of any use.


But during all this time, the ship in
question had been nearing US, we having
steered SO as to speak with her, and now
she was not more than two cables length
distant from our lee bow.


"Ship ahoy" shouted through my
trumpet.


Halo !" came from the other ship.


"What ship is thatl'


"The Ben Franklin" answered the
same voice, the owner of which wore a
Scotch cap and red shirt.


"Where are you bound?"


'To New York"


"Belong there?''


eyes"


At this moment she had ranged far
enough ahead SO that I could see that
she had the American flag at her peak,
which had before been hid by canvass.
There were certainly forty men leaning
over her rail, and knew at once that we
could not easily overcome them. At
that moment, had my ship been near
enough, I could have jumped on board
and engaged with those men single hand
ed. What had become of Harry Bum
stead, thought I, and the few men who
might have been faithful to him.


While these thoughts and a thousand
others were wildly rushing through my
mind, the Dorset passed on. I knew it
was my old friend, for all the lies they
had told in answer to my questions. 1
had no thought of conjecture on the
subject; but the ship was the Dorset, 1
knew just as we'll as 1 would have known
my own brothers. As the ship passed
on l saw face at one of the quarter
windows. 1 seized the glass and leveled
it. It was the face of Harry Bumstead,
as sure as fate! And he waved hand
kerchief toward LIE with the most frantic
gesticulations.


The sense of pain was just sinking
into my whole soul, when an idea flashed
across my mind that fairly caused me to
spring to my feet. All was now hope
and hustle in my brain, and as soon as
possible I got. my wits into working
order


"Put the ship upon her course again, !"
I ordered.


"We can do nothing ssid Beckett,
interrogatively.


s.Wnit said in roturn. s'It isn't too
late yet"


"But-"


''Stop. Wait until have shaped out
a plan, and then you shall know it.


1t was now quite late, for just as poor
Harry Bumstead waved his handkerchief
at me the last time, the sun was sinking
into the western waters. / watched the
Dorset until distance and gloom COM
bined to hide her from me, and [ knew
that she was bound for the Atlantic. 1
saw her take in her lofty sails in prepar
alton for the night and I felt my hopes
increase. The last could see she was
steering southwest.


AS soon as it was dark I had the helm
up, and ordered the ship to be worn
upon and around the other tack, and as
soon as this was done I set the course
due south and crowded on all sail. The
officers and men crowded around me and
wished to know what all this meant.


SIT MEANS" answered I, "that I will
have those fellows in irons again, if l
can"


"But how ?" came from dozen.


"I'll tell you. Our ship was by all
odds the best sailer, with every sail set;
but now that the Dorset had only top
gallant sails over double-reefed top-sails,
we can shoot ahead fast. By midnight
hope to be further south than she will
be, 50 I'll keep on this course until I'm
sure, and then I'll run to the west'rd
and lie in waiting for her. I can tell
you better when the time comes. But
I'm not afraid, for I won't get into dan
ger"


The breeze held fair and we carried
our royals and studding sails below and
aloft. At midnight knew we must be
considerably further south than the Dor
set; but, instead of running directly
west, I changed the course to west-sou'
west, knowing that we should come upon
the others track soon enough. At 8
o'clock made a careful reckoning of the
point the Dorset must strike if she kept
her course southwest, and felt sure we
were Jus. where We should be.


My first move was to heaYe to and
take in sail; and then I sent the top
gallant nasts on deck and housed the
top-masts. Next, l had all our arms
brought on deck, and found we had
more than enough for brace of pistols
and cutlass to each man. After this !
had the pumps rugged; and hadly had
this been accomplished, before the out
look reported a sail. 1 fastened forward
and could plainly see the outlines of the
top-hammer of a heavy ship looming up
darkly against the sky. 1 had the Ian
terms hoisted, and then set the men al
work at the pumps. Ere long the ship
came near enough to hail. She put
down her helm, and laid her course to
run under our stern.


''Sbip ahoy - came from the Dorset
for I could make out the drapery on the
fgure-head.


made nv mate answer at nv supDeg.