Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
14 a THE LIBERTY BOYS
AND PAUL JONES.
Sealing himself, Dick took the oars and rowed out of. the
little cove.
As he did so he nodded his head to his friends, and
~ they waved their hands.
‘“There goes a brave and noble- hearted young fellow,”
said the lieutenant, enthusiastically.
You are right, lieutenant,” replied one of the sailors.
There are not many who would do what he is going to
do,” said another.
Then they watched the youth in silence.
The Liberty Boy headed out into the bay, and rowed
steadily onward, till he was almost opposite the prison-
ship, and then he paused, and rested on his oars.
’ He was playing a part, and wished to do it in such a
manner as would result in his being taken aboard ‘the
prison-ship and held there, a prisoner.
After he had rested on his oars a few minutes, with his
head turned toward the prison-ship, as though eyeing the
vessel intently, Dick again began rowing.
He now headed in such a manner as would take the boat
around on the north side of the prison-ship. -
When he had reached this position he again paused and
rested onthe oars.
He was now not more than a quarter of a mile from the
vessel. ,
He could see men standing on the deck of the prison-
ship.
“There seemed to be two hundred, at least, on the low
main deck, and these, he decided, were the prisoners. On
the quarter-deck at the stern were perhaps twenty men,
and these were the officers and guards.
All seemed to be watching Dick.
This was what he wanted, of course.
‘He wished to arousa the suspicions of the officers and
' get them interested sufficiently to capture him.
Presently Dick headed hjs boat toward the prison-ship,
and rowed to within one hundred yards of the vessel.
Here he again stopped, and resting on his oars, looked
at the ship and the men on the decks with interest.
The prisoners, Dick could now see, were ragged, and
some of them staggered as they walked slowly and list-
lessly about.
“Hello, there!” suddenly called out an officer, from
the quarterdeck. “Who are you?”
“Oh, I’m nobody in particular,” replied Dick.
“What do-you want?” in a stern, angry voice. It was
evident that the officer did not like the way Dick hed an-
swered.
“Nothing.”
“What do you mean by sitting there, staring at us?*
“Nothing, sir.’ .
“That won’t do, young fellow. You have some reason n for
doing as you are doing.”
“T am just looking at the ship, and at the men on the
deck; there isn’t any harm in that, is there?”
“Well, I don’t know about that. Why are you looking
at the ship and the men?”
“Oh, just out of curiosity.”
“Oh, that’s it, ch??
“Yes.” .
“You are interested in the ship; ch?”
“Well, yes, a little.” *
“Then come aboard; we will show you around.? ”
“Don’t you do it, young fellow,” ‘called out one of the
prisoners, from the main deck. “Don’t you come aboard
this old hulk. If you do.you will rue it. Get away, and
stay away, if you know when you are well off!”
“You shut up!” roared the officer, leveling a pistol in
the direction of the.speaker. “If you open your mouth
again I will put a bullet through you!”
“Say, don’t shoot that man!” called cut Dick.
a mana right to talk if he wants to??-
“Not: on this ship!” cried a voice, from away down
toward the forward end of the ship. As the officer could
not single out the speaker, he could do nothing. :
He therefore turned his attention to Dick, and called —
out: ‘
“Come aboard; I want to talk to you.”
“Vd rather not,” replied Dick.
“Oh, come aboard.. What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing; but I think I had better be going.”
“Don’t be in a hurry,” as Dick made a pretense of
starting to row away. “I want to have a few words with
you. Come up closer to the ship, anyway.”
The Liberty Boy pretended to hesitate, and then he
rowed forward, slowly, until within perhaps thirty yards
of the side of the ship.
“Stay away!” called a voice from a porthole in the
ship’s side. “Stay away, young man. Nothing but dis-
ease and death lurks in this old hulk.” .
“Who are you?” the officer called out. He stood, lean-
ing against the rail, and beside him were two more officers,
while the guards who were not watching the prisoners
were looking at Dick, from where they stood, farther back
on the quarter-deck.
“Oh, it doesn’t matter who Iam,” said Dick.
body in particular.
all.”
“Oh, that’s all, ehé ?” with a sinister look on his face.
“Ves. > .
The officer said something in a low voice to one of the
other officers, who turned away. This officer motioned to
some of the guards, and four followed’ him across the
deck, disappearing from Dick’s view. ~
“Well, how do you like the looks of this ship?” the
officer asked, and Dick guessed, from the tone ‘of his
voice, that he was merely talking to kill time. Dick was
a shrewd youth, and he was sure ‘that the officer and men
who had disappeared from his sight were going to lower
a boat and row around and make hima prisoner. As this’
was just what he wished them to do, howev er, Dick did not
attempt to row away.
“Oh, I can’t say that I like the, looks of the ship very
well,” was Dick’s reply. “What is it, anyway—a prison-
ship?”
“That’s just what it is
“Hasn’t
“Pm no-
I was just looking at the ship, that’s
» my boy.”