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BORN TO BE A MIDDY.
“take this pass. If you are. challenged by the Tripolitan
gunboats, show it, and they will allow you to proceed.”
Jack Shaddock bent to his work, and sent the boat flying
through the water. Moses gazed after him an instant, and
then hurried away. : .
With a movement of his oars that was almost noiseless, so
skilfully did he handle them, Jack Shaddock passed through
the fleet of Tripolitan gunboats unchallenged, and headed his
little boat directly for the American fleet.
He drew up under the bow of the “Argus,” secured his boat,
and jumped aboard.
“‘ By the Eternal! it is Jack Shaddock!” exclaimed Lieu-
tenant Decatur, who happened to be upon deck when the old
sailor appeared.
«Yes, your ’onor,” replied Shaddock, removing his cap and
making a low, awkward bow; ‘a hold barnacle as his a hout-
‘and-hout deep-water sailor. I’m scuddin’ haround hunder
poles now, your ’onor, for hage will make an ’ulk of the best
of hus.”
‘You certainly must have had some object in making this
visit. Speak quickly,” exclaimed Decatur.
“ They're goin’ to throw Hisaacs and his daughter hinto
the sea to-morrow hat sunrise, your ’onor, and Doctor Moses
wants you come hin hand ’elp to save them.”
‘Esther Isaacs to be cast into the sea?” exclaimed Decatur.
“tShe sold her necklace to enable Middy James to purchase
the mastico with which we recaptured the “ Philadelphia.” By
the Eternal! it shall not be, if every man in this fleet shall
perish in the attempt to rescue her.”
“Tar and turpentine! may I never taste ’ops hagain, if
those words hain’t made me feel ten years younger, your
7onor. Those Harabs are agoin’ to bring the prisoners hout
ina gunboat. Rake them fore and haft! Is Middy James
harrived?”
‘‘Middy James? What do you know concerning him?”
“When I saw him last, your ’onor, he was swimming for
the ‘Hargus.’”
“Swimming for the ‘Argus? He has not arrived yet.” -
**Not harrived yet? Tar and turpentine! I rowed hover
the course he should have taken,'and my heyes never saw
him. May I never taste ’ops hagain, if I don’t believe ’e’as
gone down to Davy Jones’ locker.” :
‘Drowned? Middy James drowned! I fear it is too true
~ —J fear it is too true!”
The shock to Decatur was so great that he spoke not an-
other word.
Jack Shaddock entered his boat, and slowly and cay Te-
_ turned to Tripoli. | :
CHAPTER XVI.
THE SENTENCE OF DEATH. .
Tue last bombardment of Tripoli by the American fleet was
attended with considerable loss,’ botli of life and property, to
the Tripolitans. This excited: their. hatred to an‘ intense
degree, and when the death of Mahmet and his companions
‘was announced threats of revenge upon the American Prison-
ers were uttered on every hand.’ °
Upon old Isaacs the hatred of the Arabs seemed to be con.
centrated. Although theythad been the aggressors on every
occasion, they blamed the poor old Israelite and’ his daughter
Esther for the terrible repulse they had received at the hands
of Bainbridge and his crew when the attack was made upon
the prison. - ,
After dark, and when the bombardment had’ ceased, stray
parties of vicions-looking Arabs were discovered prowling
around the outside of the prison. :
. Their presence did not escape the vigilant eye of Achbar,
and, fearing that they contemplated another attack upon the
prison to revenge themselves by the murder of Isaacs and his
daughter, he determined to thwart them by removing the con-
demned prisoners to the gun-boat at once.
It was near the hour of midnight when he approached the
cell for that purpose, and summoned them. forth into the
corridor.
‘Come forth, Isaacs; we must leave the place forever,”
said Achbar.
‘Father Abraham! has dawn come so soon ?”
‘Tt is but the hour of midnight. Thou shalt live until sun-
rise; but unless thou leavest this prison now, I would not
give a piaster for thy life for a fraction of that time.”
“IT will: go with thee, Achbar. Save me—oh, save me
from those Arabs! they will murder a poor old man,” ex-
claimed Isaacs, as the voices of the Arabs, who were now
congregating in large numbers outside of the prison walls,
fell upon his ears.
‘* We will go hence, father,” said Esther, as she placed his
arms in hers. ‘‘ We will let the crime of our deaths be on the
head of the Bey of Tripoli.”
“Death? What mean you, daughter? Have we got to
die, then? Save us, Achbar, and I will give thee gold—aye!
I will give thee silver and jewels.: I will give thee all my
wealth!”
‘By Allah! thou hast no wealth, for it has been confiscated
Thou hast not a piaster left, Isaacs.”
Isaacs gave a loud shriek as he listened to these words,
and fell heavily upon the stone floor of his cell.
-'The ‘loud cries of the Arabs, who were clamoring for ad-
mittance, stimulated both Achbar and Esther Isaacs to vig-
orous action. They chafed his old and withered limbs, and
brought back a faint flicker of consciousness.
‘We must fly, father. Come; Achbar will lead the way-
If we must die, let it be under the forms of law, and not by
the merciless hands of those butchers who are thirsting for
our blood without!”
Achbar led them to the secret gate. Isaacs followed with
feeble steps, but Esther’s eréct form and flashing eye be
tokened a brave and unyielding spirit.
They passed out ‘of the prigon and into ‘the deep shadows
‘| of the night. -
The distance to the bay was not reat, ‘and thither, through
a secluded cave; they took their way.
They arrived upon the ‘dock,’but.the gunboat was not
there. A report having been circulated that the Americans
would renew the bombardment: of the’ city and the fortifica-
tions under the cover of night, the gunboat, with others of
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