In Search Of The Tide

I Mr. Perkies laid down the newípaper and stirred the fire. 'Thore was a great tide last night," ho said; "the highesí; water known here for 10 years. I suppose the full moon and strong east wind we have had for the last week account for it." 'How high was it, father? asked Cliarlie, as ho buttered the tifth pioce of toast. Charlie wes 14.' and the other Perkins children looked up to him as tho head of the family. "Sixteenfeet." answeredMr. Perkins. Harry, who was not quite sevtn. and who was always trying to fiud out things for himself, looked thoughtfully out of the window. The cottage stood a stone's throw from the waier, and Harry could look türoDgh the open channel between the islands out to the wide sea that was tossing restlessly in the distance. "Father," he asked, "whero doos the tide come froni?" Mr Perkins sipped his tea before he replied. "Oh, from a long way out at sea." "But where does it start from?" persisted Harry. "I don'tthink it starts írom any particular pl&ce," said Mr. Perkins. "I should say the surface waters run :n from all over the sea." "But it must start somo where," said Harry. Mr. Perkins had not studied uP the subject of tides, and feeling tha& his answers had been rather vague, did not trv to say anything more. When supper was over thefamily went out on tho piazza which stretched across the front of the house. Mr. Perkins lighted a oigar, Mrs. Perkins brought out some pretty worsted thing she was knitting, Charley walked down to the beach and began skipping stones across the water, and Harry sat down on a rock and watched the tido running up and down the beach. The sun had gonc down, and left a few rosy clouds trailing after him, tho mountains were growing dim in the distance, and among the islands and the bay the water lay quiet and dark. It rao up the boach as if it meant to travel far inland, and then something stopped it and drew it back with a lont wasli that sounded as if all the wet stones on which it ran woro slipping back with it. Harry had often watched this advance and retreat of the tide. but it had never seemed to hiin as qaoer as now. "What sends it up to the beach? and why does t go back instead of going on?'" wero the questions he was trying to answer. The long, low wash of water along the line of shore as far as Harry could see grew more and more mysterious to hiru as it became darker, nnd the sights began to change into sounds. The great sea out beyond the island seemed to be sending its waves in, and then suddenly stopping thera, and the murmur of the waters seemed to be the many voices of the sea calling its waves back again. At last Mr. Perkins took out his watch and and looked at it by the light at the end of his cigar. "Why!" he oxclaimod ; "it's later than I thought; it's after nine." Mre. Perkins called to Harry, who very unwillingly left the shore and went to bis room. Wheh he had undressed and blown out the candle, he opened tho blinds and looked out. The moon had just risen, and was sending a silvery light over the sea where tho sky met it, and the trpes on the island stood out dark and motionless. Up to the window, in the stillness of the night, carne the murmur and splash of the rippliug lide, almost atitsflood. "Where does it start froni?" said Harry to himself as he feil asleep. It mighl havo been two hours--it was brobably more- whon Harry suddenly awoke. The moon was shining into the room, and tho cool splash of the sea on the beach carne in at the window. Where does it como f rom? said Harry to himself again, and then, quick as a flash the thought carne to him to go and seo. Why not? The sea was only a little way off, the night was almost as light as day, and at the little doek below the cottage Charlie's boat Sallie was tied. He slipped out of bod, and ran to tho window; the tido was falling, and this would be the very best t;me logo out and lind whero it came from. In fivo minutes Harry was drussed; and taking iiis slioes in his hands, ho crept softly down-stairs, openod the door into tho piazza, and shut it again so quietly thittno body heard a sound. Once on the grouud, ue sat down and put on his shoes, then ïan swiftly down to the little doek whore the Sallio was dancing on the water, slipped the rope off the iron rod, and jumpod into the boat. Harry had spent no end of time in tho boat, and knew more about sailing than many older boys. Tho tido was falling fast, and tho water along the shore was rough The Sallie danced up and down, and beforo Harry cotrid get an oar he was thrown over a seat into the bottom of the boat, which drifted rapidly out into the bay. It was a still night, and a light mist had spread over the sky, making the stars dim and faint. The ïslands looked strange and vague to Harry, and tho sea was whito and wierd. Things did nol look at all as they did by dalight: everything was quocr and ghostly. Not a sound came from the cottages scattered along the shoe as the boat driftfid away from them; not a liglit was buruing in a window anywhere; tho wholo world had gone to sloep except tho sea, and a strango dream had come over that. When the tido falls as far as it did in this bay it malíes a good deal of comtnoüoii, and there are swift onrrents between the islands. In one of them the Saltie was caught, and swiflly oarried seaward. Soon cottages and islands lay behind, growing dimmer and dimmer every minute, and tho sea was close at hand. The water alona; the beach was white and foaming, and around the roeuy head at, the ontrance ofthebaythe sea rushed and roared niigbtily. It ran in as if it meant to tear the rocks from their foundations, and swept foaming back, loaving the lower rocks uncovered and dripping with countless little water falls. Harry wasnotallfrightened; heloved tho water, and had not so much as thought that ho might havo trouble in getling home again. Tho tido was running swiftly out, and if he foilowed it ho would suroly find where it came from. On anl on, out into the strango lonely soa, tho littlo boat drifted; once in a while the moon would look out for a moment betwoou tho clouds, but most of the timo she was hiddon by fchem. Someiimes the foam on the cresta of tho little waves would flash in sudden points or lines of üre; sometimcs a quick gleam would show itself at a distauce, and Harry would wonder if it were not the fin of sotne great fish cutting tho surfaco of the soa. He had left the little silvor watch which his fatlier had given him on his last birthday, hanging on tho head oj nis bed, and so he eould not teil what time it was; butho noticed af ter a while that the staTs began to grow palo, and tho great wide heavens a little less dark. A frosh broeae had sprung up, and went singlng over tho sea; nately it was a light wind, and did no harm boyond makios Harry a little chilly. The boat drifted whërever the waters carried it, and they carried it straight out to sea. Whon the sun rose, and the morning mists had curli.nl up nnd rolled tbemselves out of sigbt, Harry saw far behind tho island froni wliioti he had aailed, its mountain staoding out green aDd solenm against the sky ; far ahead were tho barren rooks from which at night a light-house sent its solitary beain over the sea. Breakf ast-time carne, but no breakfast, and no sign of a breakfast. The sun marched steadily up tho stoep circlo of tho sky, and found it such a hard climb that ho not only got vory warm himself, but put everybody else into a profuso perspiration. On Harry he fairly pourcd his heat, until tho poor little fellow's head buzzed and ached, and he bt'gan to wish himself safe at home. tide or no tide. Dinner-time canie, but no dinnor: and fiaallv, after a long hot afternoon, lime, but no tea. Tho boat had floated furthur and furt'ier, but Harry hacl not jet found where the tide started from; tho further he went the wider tho sea spread out, and thero was no sigí? oí a beginning or an end anywhere. Harry began to think he had passed tho place where the tide startod: certainly, if it got out as far as this, it would lose itself and nevor get anywhere. The sun, tired with his long day's work, went down hot and red; by-and-by, one by one, the stars bogan tosteal out from the places where thoy had hidden away from him. Harry, tired, hungry, and a little frightened, had fallen asleep in tho bottom of the boat, and was drearuing of sitting down to a very nice dinner, when the moon canio up and found him lying thero, far out to sea, when he ought to be in hia bed at home. II. Capt. Peleg Waters was coming home jyith a goodly load of fresh mackerel; wind and tido boing favorable, ho expeuted to make Rockland sotno time the next afternoou. Capt. Peleg was rather a rough-looking oíd fellow, but he had the kindest heart in the world. At the time when he sailed into thi3 story he was taking his turn at the tiller, and wasoujoying about equally the beauti full süll moon-lit night and the short pipe from which ho blew occasional puffi of tobáceo smoke. "This is the purtiest nignt we'vo had this trip," he said to himself as he looked up at the full moon sailing sorsnely through the clouds, and at the silvery sea whispering toitself asif in a dream. Ju3t then something ahead caught the captain's eyo. "Wa'al, I declare," he said aloud, "if there ain't a boat' What's she doin' 20 miles out to aea?" In 10 minutes Capt. Peleg had hrought the scaooner alongsido the little boat and was looking down at tho buiall boy still fast asleep. "Wa'al, 1 vow." said the captain, "if that isn't tho littlest crew and the sleepiest I ever see afloat." Capt. Peleg whistled to himself, as ho always did when puzzled ; then he leanod over and called out softly, 'Ahoy, there!' Harry opened his eyes wide, and jumped up in a second. Ho was a bright honest boy, and the captain kcew it the minute he laid eyes on hirn. "Where you from?" ho asked, as gently as he could, for a voico tnat gots used to the bawling in the teoth of all sorts of wind, isn't very soft. "Bar Harbor," atswered Harry promptly. Capt. Peleg1 s eyes twinklod. ïhis was the queerest craft hehad ever fallen in with on the soa. "Whero you bound?" he continued. "I want to find where the tide comes from, sir." was the quick reply. Capt. Peleg whistfod long and loud. "What you go!, in your loekerP" he said, looking quizzically at the boy. "Nothing," said Harry dolefully for ho knew this was the weak point of the voyage.' "HowloDg have you been ou tl"' Harry hesitated for a moment, for he was rather confused by the absence of dinners, teas, and clocks; finally he said ho thought he had been out a day and a mght. "Anything to eatP" asked Capt. Peleg. "Nothing," answered Harry, inourufully, for he was becoming very weak, and thero was a strange fceliDg in his storaach. Tho captain whistled again. "Hi, thero, Jim," ho called out in a vory loud voico. In ,i minuto Jim carne stumbling up ftom the little cabic, looking very frouzy and sleepy. "Jus!: you take this tiller,'' said Capt. Peleg. Jim took the tiller. ■iNow," said tho captain to Harry, "throw me that rope." Hany throw tho ropo and the captain m:ido tho little boat fast to the big one. Then ho held oat his rough habd, and with one vigorous pull tho boy was on tte sclioouer, acd the little boat was floating behind. Meanwhile the captain had disappoared. When he carne back he handed Harry somo big slices of bread well buttered. "Just stow that away in tho hold," he said. Harry noeded no second invitation, and tho bread spnedily disappoarod. "Now," said Captain Peleg, as the last piece of bread went out of sight, 'you turn in, and in tho mornin' we'll tane our bearin's." Harry was thereupon slippod into the captain's bunk, and within a few minutes he was fast asleep. When he awoko it was aftor 10 tho next ruorniug. He found Capt. Peleg on deck, with his short pipe :n h8 mouth. Thore was a fresh breezo blowing, p.nd tho schooner was dashing along, sendin$ little showers of spray right and left from her prow. "Mornin'," said Capt. Pelog, when ho spied Harry. "Hopo jou slept woll?" Harry thought ho had never s'.ept botter. 'Well," said tho captain, "I've followed the sea goin' on 45 years, and tny advice is, eive up this 'ere voyago of yours and put fer home." Capt. Peleg's eyes twinklod, but his face was perfectly sober. 'Til tako ycr inter Ruckland, and then y er kin telegraph to yer folks." Harry thought this was the wisest plan, and 'vas quite willing to give up the matter of the tides if he could only get home. Aboul throe o'clock in the afternoon the schooner camo up to the doek, and Capt. Pelog went straight to to the tolegraph oflioe, and sent tbis dispatch: RocKLAND, Aug. S, 1884. George Perklnf, Bar Harbor, Mt. Desert, Mc. : Boy Ilarry and smnl! boat Sallio picked up at sea. Send directions. Peleo (Vatbbs. The little piece of papor which bore this good news fillod the Perkin family with jov. Thoy had found the little boat gone, had guessed what had happoned, and had tolegraphed in every direction without gotling any news of the lost boy. Mr. Perkins ran down to the office and sent this message in repiy; Bak Harhok, Aug. 3, 1884. Pelee Waters, Rockland, Me.: Heartfeb thanks. Send boy and baat by stoamer to-morrow. Geokge Perkins. The noxt day about 1 o'clock the steamer camo along tho doek at Bar Harbor, and Harry ran off the gangplank among tho tirst, and was kissed and hugged and criod over to his heart's content. Charlie got into the Saliie and rowed home, but Harry had onough of boats for the present and prefeired to walk. About a week later Captain Waters was suiprised by the arrival of a small and vory nicely tied package. He opened it cautiously, and discovered a very substanUal watch, with the "grateful rogards of George Perkins and family." riarry lias not yot found out whero the tide starts from.