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THE OCEAN
The Subscription Price of the FIVE CENT VVIUE AVVAKE Ilrnirain‘ by the year i<
WOLF.
'5 per six months, post-paid. Address FRANK
TOUSEY, Publisher, 29 “’est Ztith Street, New York.
A STORY OF PRIVATEERING
IN 1812.
By GEORGE G. SMALL,
Author of “Young Capt. Perry, the Hero of 1812," etc., etc.
CHAPTER I.
A (‘I'RIOL'S Anvi2:."rt'i:s.
THE following story is taken from the private log of Frank Win-
throp, relating to the sensational incidents of his career while first
officer of the American privateer I<'irriiend, conimanded by Captain
George Hilton, the Ocean Wolf, as he used to be called in those days,
the mystery surrounding whose career has never been cleared up.
He was a remarkable man and a terrible tighter, as the history of
privateering during the war of 1812 most unmistakably shows, and
the glimpses we get of him in his narrative shows us once more that
truth is stranger than fiction in its wildest Ilights.
This log is a highly prized heirloon in the Winthrop iainily of New
England, and the author of this once had the pleasure of reading it,
which convinced him that such deeds of daring and patriotism should
be published to the world. '
I commence nearly at the beginning of the log, giving the story as
though it was being told by Winthrop himself.
In June 1813, I landed in Boston, a complete wreck financially.
Three months beforel had been in command and liali owner oi the
orig Franklin, engaged in the West India trade. livery centl had
in the world, and some money of my irieiids, was in the brig. But
luck was against me, and she was taken by an English cruiser and all
was lost.
I escaped with one of my oiiicers and several of my crew from the
cruiser and managed to reach Boston in the condition before men-
tloned.
Naturally enough I made my way down toward the shipping, for hy
it I had always lived since I was ten years old, and now that I was
penniless again why should I not turn to the broad and hearing
bosom of tho ocean once more for help and siiccor?
While making my way along Ann street, which was then, and for
many years aiterwaul, a great rvstirt for sailors, as well as worse
cliaracters, I noticed a crowd lzefore one of the low tax is, and there
was evidently much excitenicnt among the mixed ma, es both inside
and out.
Crowding up as near to the door as I could, I asked a man who
was in front of me what the troiililo was.
“ ’l‘li:it I don't know exactly," said he, “ but from what I can learn
there <ome sort of miscliief going on in there.”
“ Yes,” said another, “ they brought a beautiful young lady horn in
a carriage. but the driver someliow got frigliteiied and cleared out."
" Who is the young lady?" I11Sl(0ll.
“Hang me if I know, but there seems to he soinetliiiig wrong
somehow, for they: ' the has fainted dead away,” replied the man.
“The reason the coachlnan left so siidileiily, was liecanso the crowd
began to throw bricks at him," another of the spectators volunteered
The more I heard the more I becaino interested. Iu'lhowiii.<', iny w:
along, I iinally managed to get near the door, where I asked for more
inioriiiation.
“ Do you see that man standing there in the door at the foot of the
Stairs a sailor kml inc.
“ Yes, what of lnni?"
“Well, that is Andy Craig."
“ What, the fellow in the pay of the Eiiglisli government?”
’eY;]‘"'ve hearn say he war that, or a spy, or something to do with
“ And what is he doing hcre- -and what is the crowd al>oiit'."’ I aslmtl
eagerly, for I knew this Craig by rvputatioii, and in-lt sure that hein-
directly owed me the little fortune I had been stripped oi.
“ “ill, 113 Heat‘ as I can liiid out, he was in a carriage with .'inotlicr
man and a girl, and soiiiobody heard the girl cry for help, and :1
crowd started after the carriage. The driver whipped up his hors s,
but one of them fell somewhere about here, and they hroiight the faint-
ing girl hi liore."
.1 I'll bet there's miscliici in It if Andy Craig has got anything to do
Wm! lb." 8-"dd I, loud enough for everybody to hear.
“ Ayeay!" cried IIIIII a dozen voices.
“ Let's take the girl away iroin him and find out what business he
has with her!” I shouted.
" Yes, yes, let's!” '
“ You had better mind your own business, or it will be worse for
you." said Craig, pointing to me.
Reckless as I was, and having the feeling I did against this man, I
cared not what I did. Could I have killed him, it would not have hurt
my feelings much.
" Ilow many friends has he?” I asked.
“ There appears to be about a dozen of them, and all English.”
“ Iiow many will volunteer to take the lady iroin them, and, if she
has been wronged, right her?" I asked.
“ But they are well armed, and hold the head of the stairs."
“What of it? Who will follow me?”
Not a soul volunteered.
“Are you Americaiis?” I demanded, after waiting a moment and
receiving no reply.
“ Wall, we don't want. our heads shot oil, whatever we are," growl-
ed one, at which the others laughed as though that excused them.
At that instaiit a powerful, dark-coniplexioned man, about forty
years of age, forced his way toward me, the crowd falling back.
“ Messmate, I am with you," said he, handing me a pistol and re-
serving one for himself.
So niadilened had I become by this time that I should have gone
alone had not this stranger come to my assistance, but the inoinent I
saw him I felt that I had a lion on my side.
“ ’l‘hanks; come on and we'll clean out that nest of liritisliers in a
half or no time,” said I, making abound for Craig, who stood at the
footoi the stairs.
lie attempted to shoot me, but I knocked the pistol iroin his timid
and seizing him, 1 hurled him into the crowd, who, seoiiig him down
and disarnied, coininonced to kick him as he deserved, while lny strati-
gor friend lleiv up the stairs, two steps at it time, and I close at his
lieols.
A pistol shot rang tlirongli the house, and then illl(7llli'i' rpiinkly iol<
lowed. I reached the room where the shots were lirod just in time to
see the stranger in the act of throwing a man bodily tliruugli one of
the chamber windows, while one lay wonn-led on the iloor and two
others were about juinping from il.il()l,ll<‘l‘ window.
A man sprang froni behind a door and (‘.llilll‘.lUl‘ me with a sword.
The bullet iroiii my pistol sliaitteiwl his sword arm, and seizing him, I
llniig him upon the floor and [>lllCl‘tl my foot on him.
The battle was won thus qiiickly, and we tzirned our zittention to
the young lady who had occasioiied the ll‘(llIllll,‘, and IUIIIIII that shi-
had i'ecovoi'etl from her iaint and had tied into it lll‘.IlI'l)0lII adjoining
the cliaiiilier.
The ilO(7l' was not iastciied, hut she was holding it with all her
might, evidently ioaring further UlllI‘.'l‘,.‘fl'.
I‘ Let us in, please," said I, in a irit-iidly tone of voice, while my
mysterious companion tool; my piano with his foot on the man I had
thrown.
" Who are you?” I hezird hor ask, in a. voice iiill of terror and sits-
picion.
" Frioiids at all eveiits.
I‘len;<c open the door.”
“ But tl.ose inen e
“ They are powerl "
H Guess you think so, don't you?” I heard my friend ask of the man
whom he held down.
“ Curse you. I illli'reilll(‘.l">-let me up," said the man,
“ One inonicnt, pit-iiso," was the chilling reply.
Mi-aiitiino the hodrooin door had l)(‘l‘ll opened a few inches and a
iriglitc-ni-d, beautiful iaou, lookod out upon me.
“ Were you in tluiigt-i"!" l nHki‘(l. lint she did not appear to under-
stand my i1llt‘.‘ll0Il, so dazed was she. “ Wore you hroiiglit llt’l‘n3
against your will?" ‘
“ Yes, 3'03"-iVllt’rt? are tlioso iiihlll” she asked, throwing open the
door still inrtlii-r. ’
“ Tlil!r(! are two of tlioni," I replied, pointing to the two wounded
Tlllllillls “P0” ll”? HOW. “'l'lio other.-i have uscaiindy and You are
safe."
“ Oh, take me from this place and let me go home. 'I‘hey took me
from the street and plans-rl lno in a. carriage, and lei forgot the rust."
“ Ah! a case of abduction, eiii Where is a const.ahle?" the myster-
You shall have protection if you need it.