Year: 1870

secured"


d" But sir" urged the surprised mate
chow do you expect to do it? The brig
will not leave the mouth of the harbor
and it would be madness to think of run
ming out while she is there"


L have not exactly made up my mind
as to my course" returned the Captain
not at all moved by the fears of his mate
"but go out must, even if 1 have tt
fight my way!'


The manner in which Varney gave ut.
terance to the last part of his sentence
was proof conclusive that he meant it
and Hartman knew him too well to doubt
that he would be as good as his word SC
without further remark he turned his
steps toward the schooner, leaving his
captain to concoct his plans as best he
might"


No little excitement was produced on
board the privateer when the mate COM
municated to the men the determination
of the captain, but they had too much
confidence in Varney's good sense and
judgement to find jaut with the orders
and even had they been called upon to
face the Englishman openly and boldly,
they would not have hcsitated so long as
Sam Varney was at their head or by their
side. Consequently all hands set to work
with will, and ere nightfall everything
was ready for sea.


Meanwhile Captain Varney had not
been idle. As soon as Hartman left him
he commenced pacing up and down the
pier, and for nearly half an hour did he
walk backward and forward, revolving his
plans over in his mind. At length he
stopped. For moment he stood in deep
thought, and then, while a beam of salts
faction spread over his features, he started
off toward small cove where number of
fishing smacks were hauled up. At a
short distance from the shore lay the hull
of an old sloop, with her mast still stand
ing, which was kept nearly half full of wa
ter, and used by the fishermen as a receipt
acle for live bait Upon the shore, where
"a small fishing boat had just been hauled
up, stood four old fishermen, and as Cap
tain Varney approached one of them, an
old, weather-beaten son Of the ocean,
hailed him:


Well, Varney, the Englishman's S
bound ye, eh 2"


=" That depends upon circumstances,
replied Varney, as he came upon the spot
where the men stood.


"That is, suppose, whether the En-
glishman makes long stop or not" re-
turned the speaker


" Not quite" said Varney. There's
no danger but that the fellow'll stay there
as long as there is anything to stop for
but if you'll help me l think can run out
in spite of them"


Run out!" iteratcd all at breath.
" How can we help your


"I'll tell you," returned Varney 81
want to buy that old hull out there, and l
want you to lend me hand in getting her
out of the harbor. 1 have an old foresail
on board the schooner that'll fit her, and
if you let me have her on reasonable terms
I'll cheat the Englshman out of his prey"


Look here, Sam Varney," exclaimed
the man who had just addressed him, and
whose name was Perkins, ''if you run
your privateer out to might you shall have
the old sloop in welcome. She amt worth
more than her weight in firewood at any
rate; and what's more, I'll do what can
to help you"


" So will 1" burst spontaneously from
the lips of the others.


Then, if you'll bear hand and pump
her out, I'll go round to my vessel and
get the foresail and an old jib and have
some of my men come and help rig her,"
said Varney.


The matter was easily arranged, and
each went about his own share of the bus
lness-Narney to get once more into the
field of plivateering, and the fishermen to
enjoy the satisfaction of seeing the En-
glishman bamboozled


When night set in, it set in in earnest.
There was no moon, nor was there scarce
ly star to relieve che darkness of the
heavens. Quite fresh breeze blew off
from the land, offering a rare temptation
to any craft that might wish to put to sea.
The British brig evidently saw this, for as
the darkness began to contract the bounds
of vision, she came nearer into the harbor
and hove to.


Perkins aud his three companions were
all prepared for the mission, and at about
nine o'clock they pulled on board the old
sloop, secured the painter of their boat to
the stern, and then hoisted their sails.
The old craft was minus her bowsprit, but
a stay from the masthead to the stern an
swered very well for the jib, so take her
all in all she was in very good sailing trim.
The wind was from the westward, and as
the old sails were opened to the breeze
Perkins slipped the moorings, and away
started the dilapidated smack to the open
sea. Her ungainly proportions made con-
siderable surging and splashing in the wa
ter, and as she began to round the point
upon which stands the lighthouse the
commander of the brig discovered her.
Perkins stood by the rail watching the
Englishman through long night glass,
and just as the sloop's head had poked
round the point, he started back, exclaim-
ing:


:'They see us, boys; there she flies