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Kit Grale

Kit Grale image
Parent Issue
Day
14
Month
December
Year
1888
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

rCopyrlsht.] IV. The wind was fresh from tho east; she ha to beat ont all the way to tue light. The tide was past the full, the ebb setting ou strongly helped her on. Coming to the inle Bnally, tho wind was dead ahead, and tha tide running out swift as a mili race. Run ning for the middle of tbe passage she pu the Foam up straight into the wind, drewthe Eail f ore and aft and drif ted out slowly on the tide, in the teeth of the fresh breeze, The light keeper gave her a "goodday" as Bhe passed; his great black Newfoundlanc bounded and barked on the shore, then plunged in and swam off to the boat. The; all knew and liked Kit. She patted the driping head that looked at her so friendly out o the waves. But she drove him off. "Off, Tower, off, sir! I've no time for play. Poor boy, you'd help me if you eould!" She put the helm to starboard, slipped the sheet, then, bringing the boat up close to the wind, stood off half a mile on the port tack. Groing about then, she ran down straight for the other inlet, worked through slowly against the ebb, and then went bowling ou ap Hilbury harbor, with a stiff breeze on tha port beain. Coming to the head of the harbor, she tiec lip ber boat to the landing place, letting the sail fly out. A strange boat lay close by, mth "Bess Maynard" painted on the stern. Kit bought a few groceries at the shop near by, engaged Clif Crackel to take the Foaia back home, and then walked up the road. By this time it was half-past 1. Hearing voiees, she looked forward. Two men sat on & bench by the door of Mark Callowell's ittle ïhop ; she knew them both. The great unwieldy, red faced and jolly loolring fellow on the right was Capt. Tacitus Marlin. Few in Hilbury, however, knew him by that name. He had somehow got the nickname of "Whaler," and it stuck to him as such things mil. Everybody in Hilbury called him Cap'n Tass or Cap'n Tass Whaler. He had lived thero ail his life, off and ou, until a couplo of years back, becoming too anwieldy for active life, he had gone to live with his married Bon, across the sound. Kit had known him as long as she could remembcr, and the old fellow had always been fond of the daring, wayward Dhild. She went up to him now, and held DUt her hand. "How do you do, Cap'n Tass?' she said. He took his pipe from his niouth, stared a minute, then got up and gave her both his great paws. "Shirks an' finbacksl" he said, shaking with & great inward laugb. "If it ain't little Kit gone an' growed a womanl How d'ye do, Kit? How d'ye do? Y lookin' thiii, little un. That'll never do. Ye didn't nerer used to look thin, when you used to cut up 'round the oíd Kingfisher. What a wild un you was, though, Kit! Glad to see ye, anyhow; glad to seo ye." She bad eaten nothing since morning, little then. She feit faint. She would go in and buy somo biscuits. She passed in. The two men went on with their talk. Kit could hear every word. "Seen this hare, Cap'n Tass?" It was Pofcter's voice. "What? That poster? No, hain't looked at it partiekler. Let'ssee. 'Thousan' dollars reward.' Helio I Guess X hev seen it Got over here, eh, bas it? Let's hear it, Tom, an' I'U teil ye 'bout it." " 'Ono thousand reward. The above reward will be paid by the subscriber to any person who shalr give such infonnation as shall lead to the diseovery of the schooner Onwarrl, which was sunk by the steamer Tioonderoga, in a fog, on the morning of the 12th of Maren last, supposed at the time to beabout four miles off Clerken light, bearing B. E. half R Information must be given personally to Garrett Ingram, High street, Rutherby.' " "Ho, ho, hol" laughed Marlin. "Ho, ho, ho! That's the stunnin'est joke f ever see. Ho. bo, bol Ain't it a good un, Tom? ] never told ye. did I? Well, look here. J could take tbat there thousand if 1 liked, an' 1 won't hev it. I know where to put my Öngor on that schooner, but 1 won't. Know why V 'Cause if 1 make one thousan' out of it Gat lngram'11 make ten. An' ruther'n that I'd give a thousan' to keep him f rom findin' her. Me an1 Gat Ingram ain't no frien's, we ain't He sarved me a scaly trick on the banks once that Kil never forgive liim. But that's a good un, that is- 'off Clerken light, four mile sou'east half east.' Haw, haw, haw! The fact is, Tom, they didn't nary one on 'em know where they was- the fog was so thick. 1 was out in the Bess that same arternoon, takin' a look at things, ye know. I cruised roun' a little au', takin' 'count of wind an' tide, an' the pint where the Ticondrogy run ashore, I made up my mind the schooner wasn't sunk 'off Clerken light, sou'east half east.' I waited till dead low water, an' then ruu the Bess down where I thought was about the spot Well, sir, ye wouldn't believe it, but 1 wasn't twenty foot out o' the Una It was more luck than anything, I've allus said, but, howsever, it was her an' no mistake. 1 didn't let on to nobody, though. Says 1, I'U let 'em hunt for her awhile, then I'll get fifty dollars out of 'em for showin' where she lays. 1 put my mark on to her, ye see. Well, they scratched roun', dragged high and low, an' never got near her. I went out an' watched 'em every day. Bcratch away, my hearties, says I; bime-by I'U put in my oar. WeU, I'd just about made up my mind to speak to the company that owned her, when I ueerd how Gat Ingram had bought out thcir right in her on a spec. He offored fifty dollars reward right away, an' he's been huntin' fur her ever since, The reward's been a growin' bigfrer 'n bigger till it's got to what ye see. But it'll grow to ten thousan' afore Tass Marlin shows Gat Ingram where the schooner lays in eightoen fathom at dead low water." Kit Irad beard every word. She listened intently, unconscious of all else. There was hope in the words, only a faint gleam, a merest chance, but stül hope, bopel The 6hopman was speaking to her. She started, she t&d oot heard him. "Your crackers, miss. Ten cents." She paid him and passed out. "Cap'n Tass, will you walk with me?" she said. "1 want to speak to you." "1 ain't just built for walkin', Kit, he said. But he g)t up and carne with ber. She led him down along the water side. "Cap'n Tass," she began, "I heard you speaking about the On ward. Don't you mean to show them where she isT' He shook his head, gravely. "No, Kit, I can't do it I've had aU my dealin's along of (Jat Ingram. He don't deserve it, Kit, no more he don't." "You oughtnt to bear malice, Cap'n Tass. It isnt like you. Tisn't Christian." "Well, 1 d'know, Kit. That's what my Jane says, an' she reads me a piece out o' the Book where it says how't a man 'd oughter cut up to a feller same's be'd be done by. An' I know tamal well how I'd be done by if Gat Ingram was to hev the doin' on't. Leastways 1 can't do it, and ther' ain't no uso Jawin' about it. It goes agin me to say no to ye. Kit, it allns did. An' yoVo got enough to fret ye, anyway 'fchout that. Tve heerd how ye've come through the hards, little un, an' Fm sorry 'nough - ye know I'd he sorry fur yo, Kit ljord knows I'd help ye f 1 could! Poor Jackl I know'd him afore yon was born, Kit - afore George (Jladwin was drowned on Gull raef. Ne ver see two tellers take to'ther like thein. Jack never got right over it - nerer been the same man since, though it:s tweuty-one yoar. Lord, how tirae flies, Kitl 'Pears sometimee it just flinders. It's a qucer world - mighty queer. D'ye think 1 could belp ye, little uu? Poor Kit! Poor Kitl" And he laid his big hand kindly on her bead, and looked pityingly iuto her thin woru face. They were standing apart, in the shade of a tall old tree. She looked in his face and spoke- tbere was a gleam of hope in her eyes, a tremor of eagerness in her words. She told him the sad story, their troubles, her father's gloom, her owa anxiety, her terrible fears. "I feel there's no hope from the lawyer," she finished. "He's a hard, merciless man. And 1 can't go back without some help. Oh, I can't - I cau'tl I'm af raid, Cap'n Tass, I'm afraid. You know what I mean, I can't say it - it's too horrible. Oh, Cap'n Tass, you can help me, you can save him, if you will. Will you do it? Will you? Will you?" "How can I, girl? Teil me how?" She grasped his arm in her eagerness. Her face flushed hot Her heart beat hard. There is help, there is hope, it cried; he will, he can't refuso. She could hardly speak the words, between fear and hope. "Teil me how 1 can find the schoonerl" He shrank as if she had struek him. He had not guessed her meaning- it took him by surprise. He sat down on a log, took off hiscap, wiped his wet forehead, looked at her doubtingly a minute, then he spoke "I'm taken all aback, Kit I dun' know what to say. I ean't do it - it's too much, it's too hard. You didn't ought to ask me, Kit, it ain't right. I can't put money in that man's pocket - he don't deserve it. Ye wouldn't ask me if ye knowed. Tain't Hke ye, girl, tain't hke ya Ask me anything else - I can't do that. What's more, I dun' know't 1 could find her now. She may 'a heeled over, tides may 'a shiftedher, she may 'a settled deeper, somebody may 'a run over her and broke off her topm'st." "Cap'n Tass," she said, pleading, as for her life. "Cap'n Tass, remember your old messmate. Do ye think John Grale would have let his pride stand in the way, if you were in deadly peril and he could save you by any means? Are you going to send me back to him to see him going day by day, till one day we'll miss him, and God knows what we'll fiödl" She shuddered and wrung her hands. "Oh, Cap'n Tass, you won't, you can 'tl" He stood up bef ore her, rubbed his forehead thoughtfully a minute, then tbrew his handkerchief into his cap and put it on tight. There was settled purpose in his face and gesture. "God forgive mei" he said. "I didn't look atitso. PoorJackl PoorJackl We'll save him yet, Kit, you an' me - we'll save him yet. There's no time to spare. We'll go now. it is low water at four fifteen. We'll need uur tima Go down to the Bess, Kit, and wait ior me." He went over to the house whre he was rtaying. ETit unfurled the Bess' sail, run it up and set it taut. Then Marlin carae down witb a jng of water and a brown paper parcel, a shawl and a couple of coats over his arm. He stowed them under the deck, forward, and threw off the Una The boat drifted off, swayed round before the wind. "Take the tiller, Kit," he said. "Tuis is your cruise. You're cap'n, I'm only pilot." Tbe wind had hauled into the southeast, still veering southward. The clouds had clearer! away, the sun shone bright and warm. The breeze was fresh, the boat filled away before it, went bowling down the har'bor with the wind on her starboard quarter. The green hills dropped behind - dark woods, houses here and there, projecting points and little shaded coves. Kit steered, old Tass trimined sheet. ft o trouble in the inlet now, wind and tide astern. Kit sees the light on the bar, the long reach of water stretching away toward home. She wonders how things are getting on there. The worrying thought frets her sorely. "Let her stan' close for Goose Neck Pint, Kit," says Tass, and trims sheet a little closer. On, across the broad bay, breezüy now along the shore of the point; then the neck drops behind; they are dear of the land. The boat rises and falls on the tumbling waves of tbe open sound. "Luff, Kit, luff a littla There, stiddy, keep her so," says Marlin. "Kun your eye along the line o' the keel. Ye see that white 6pire on the north shore, east of the little village, on the hill, with the woods behind it? Keep her nose to that meetin' house." The wind veered steadily round through he soutbem quarter, blowing fresh and teady. On went the Bess before it, crowdmg ahead dancingly, making way swiftly, Irawiug the northern shore ou nearer and )lainer. . They ran in to within a couple of miles of he jnore; the wind very nearly west, the ky clear. "Hard a-port!" called Marlin, then. "Let ïer go about." The boom swayed over, Tass slipped the heet. "So, Kit- keep her there. Square afore ihe wind." They ran down the coast a mile or so. "Port again, Kit - hard a-port- therel "int her up a leetle more- stiddy - so-ool You see Goose light, Kit? Keep her nose quare for the tower. It's nigh onto dead ow tide now. We keep the line'tween the hurch an' the light, au' if were lucky we'll ight about four foot o' yeller spar. Ther1 ain't much of any drift, an' I think we'll hit t. Ther' aiu't no need to look out till that ere clump o' eedars on the rocky p'int there to the west, bears square abeam to wind'ard. Arter that, look sharp." They held on half a mile or so, on the same course, sailing close on the wind Then the cedars drew on, gradually, until they stood ff rigbtabreast. ÍO BE COXTINTrED.I

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News