The Boy Captain of the Black Swallow — page 5: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MINIATURE CRAFT, hands in his; “ [have my senses at this moment quite as soundasever. But I have been deeply reflecting of late, Causes, as yet unknown to you, have inspired me with new feelings, I haye been led to arouse myself from the lethargy into which this war has thrown us, and to think, It makes one sober, and often sad, to think of our present condition—ours and our country ’s—for we are not the only ones that suffer.” “What has moved you to think, Arthur ? What has made this cliange in you °” * You shali know by-and- by,” he answered, With a meaning smile; ‘perhaps I will tell you to-morrow. I might now, if 1t were not so late already.” “ What is it?” she asked still, with the deep earnestness of a mother who loves and fears for an only sen. “I cannot explain ajl now. But have come to the resolution to put to sea in the sehooner, as soon as I can get her ready.” “Put to sea! You are indeed erazed, Arthur! Do you know that five British men- of-war are constantly eruising between Cape Elizabeth and Penobscot, and one or the other always, and sometimes they say two or three, are blockading the mouth of the river ?” *T know it, dear mother, but have made uy my mind to lie here and siarve no longer, and fifteen days hence yeu shall ace with the ‘ Black Swallow’ Jaden with fish. shall reap a rich harvest, and then—— nevermind; I will not tell you now what ainiont slipped from my tongue.” The mother of the young fisherman stood for a moment gazing upon him with surprise anda look of alarm. “ Arthur, are you serious P You are but trifling with my fears.” “Heaven forbid, mother!” he answered, warmly. “ What I have spoken I have spoken soberly and upon due refiection. It is cowardice to remain here picking up a precarious liveli- hood, while the deep grea opens wide with its riches to our lines.” “ But you talk, boy, as ifthere were no enemy to fear. Do you not know that they will cap- ture you, and impress yeu andthe men who are mad enough to go with you?” “JT do not fear capture. The‘ Black Swallow’ sails like her namesake. [ will have the barnacles and sea-slime worked off, and make her as good and fleet as ever. ‘The En glish vessels are heavy sailers. I could laugh at “them.” “ But their shot fly far, boy.” “T shall take care to keep out of their range. Say not a word, dear mother. Ilove you, you wellknow. But in this matter I cannot obey you. I am ashamed of myself for lying idle here so long. I have now come to my senses, instead of having lost them. You shall see me come back successful; never fear, my brave, good mother. Good-nigk t.” “But wherefore do you go to town ae You are dressed in your best, too. This is new freak; you have scarcely given any heed 3 to your appearance the last six months, What does this sprucing-up mean, child ?” she asked, with an air of curiosity, The young man coloured and held his head down for an instant, as if a little embarrassed, and then replied: ‘“ There are fine-dressed people up in the town one meets, you know, mother, and I have taken a fancy to be as brave as the rest. In these times of war, people hare not anything else to a0 but to dress up and play Sunday of a week- day,” - © And sure enough it looks all the week like Sunday in the town,” said his mother. “How sorrowful the ships laid up over there look, and then the streets seem all asleep. I was glad to get back again here, for though we see only your father and Jerry here, yet we have lived here so long, every stick, stone, and cranny seems like an old friend.” “Good-bye, mother,” said Arthur, descending the steps. “ You are not deceiving me, my son, and are not coming back again ?” she said. ‘No, mother : I am only going up to the town to get men to go with me, I shall be back by nine or ten o’cloek,” ed CHAPTER II, THE MINIATURE CRAFT, \ RTHUR DENWOOD, the hero of our a tale, though only a fisherman, by oc- = cupation, and the son of a fisherman, was & young man of no ordinary intelligence and excellences of heart and head. He sprang from a good stock, both on the mother’s and father’s side. His grandfather had been a brave captain in the revolution, and his father had been a successful sea-captain in his younger years, when he married Ma argaret Neill, the daughter of a once opulent merchant of Bath, but at the time of her marriage reduced to bankruptcy. Margaret’s only portion was her heauty and virtues. Beautiful she was, but it was of that stately kind that was more imposing to the eye than winning. Her husband, Captain William Denwood, was a man, in personal ap- pearance, worthy of her, for he was six feet high and had an air of manly nobility that rendered him one of the best-looking men of his day. But intemperance marked him for a victim, and having, in a state of inebriation, run his ship on Bantum Ledge as he was making the mouth of the river, he was discharged by his owners, and was unable to obtain another eommand, This increased his habit of drink- ing, and gradually he reduced his family to indigence. At length he took to fishing to keep from starving. Arthur at this period wasa lad of seven, and scarcely of an age to feel the change from comparative opulence to penury, for his mother was with him, and a young child’s home and joys are where its mother is. At first, William Denwood left his wife and child in a poor lodging reom in the town, and oO (EO) booksteo im Cc