diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/45944.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/45944.txt | 7668 |
1 files changed, 7668 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/45944.txt b/old/45944.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b61df5b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/45944.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7668 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Elsie Yachting with the Raymonds, by Martha +Finley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Elsie Yachting with the Raymonds + + +Author: Martha Finley + + + +Release Date: June 12, 2014 [eBook #45944] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ELSIE YACHTING WITH THE RAYMONDS*** + + +E-text prepared by David Edwards, MWS, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made +available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 45944-h.htm or 45944-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/45944/45944-h/45944-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/45944/45944-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + https://archive.org/details/elsieyachtingwit00finl + + +Transcriber's note: + + Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + + + + + +ELSIE YACHTING WITH THE RAYMONDS + + + * * * * * * + +A LIST OF THE ELSIE BOOKS. + +_Arranged in the order of their publication._ + + + ELSIE DINSMORE. + ELSIE'S HOLIDAYS AT ROSELANDS. + ELSIE'S GIRLHOOD. + ELSIE'S WOMANHOOD. + ELSIE'S MOTHERHOOD. + + ELSIE'S CHILDREN. + ELSIE'S WIDOWHOOD. + GRANDMOTHER ELSIE. + ELSIE'S NEW RELATIONS. + ELSIE AT NANTUCKET. + + THE TWO ELSIES. + ELSIE'S KITH AND KIN. + ELSIE'S FRIENDS AT WOODBURN. + CHRISTMAS WITH GRANDMA ELSIE. + ELSIE AND THE RAYMONDS. + + ELSIE YACHTING WITH THE RAYMONDS. + ELSIE'S VACATION. + ELSIE AT VIAMEDE. + ELSIE AT ION. + + * * * * * * + + +[Illustration (frontispiece)] + + +ELSIE YACHTING WITH THE RAYMONDS + +by + +MARTHA FINLEY + +Author of +"Elsie Dinsmore," "Elsie's Womanhood," "Elsie's Kith and +Kin," "Elsie and the Raymonds," "The Mildred +Books," "Wanted--a Pedigree," etc. + + + + + + + +New York +Dodd, Mead, And Company +Publishers + +Copyright, 1890 +By Dodd, Mead, and Co. + +All rights reserved. + + + + +PREFATORY NOTE. + + +The Author, having received many letters from young and interested +readers, has decided to acknowledge them in this way, because feeble +health and much work for the publishers make it impossible to write a +separate reply to each gratifying epistle. + +She also desires to freely acknowledge indebtedness for much +information regarding Revolutionary times and incidents, to Bancroft +and Lossing; and for the routine at West Point, to an article in +Harper's Magazine for July, 1887, entitled "Cadet Life at West Point," +by Charles King, U. S. A. + + M. F. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +The train, which for some hours had been running very fast and too +noisily to admit of much conversation, suddenly slackened its speed, +and Lulu turned upon her father a bright, eager look, as though some +request were trembling on her tongue. + +"Well, daughter, what is it?" he asked, with an indulgent smile, before +she had time to utter a word. + +"Oh, Papa!" she began in a quick, excited way, and quite as if she +expected her request would be granted, "I know we're going through New +York State, and I've just been thinking how much I would like to see +Saratoga,--especially the battle-field where the Americans gained that +splendid victory over the British in the Revolutionary War." + +"Ah! and would Max like it, too?" the Captain asked, with a smiling +glance at his son, who, sitting directly in front of them, had turned +to listen to their talk just as Lulu began her reply to their father's +query. + +"Yes, sir; yes, indeed!" Max answered eagerly, his face growing very +bright. "And you, Papa, would you enjoy it, too?" + +"I think I would," said the Captain, "though it would not be for the +first time; but showing the places of interest to two such ardent +young patriots will more than compensate for that.--And there have +been changes since I was there last," he continued, musingly. "Mount +McGregor, for instance, has become a spot of historic interest. We will +visit it." + +"Oh, yes! where dear General Grant died," said Lulu. "I would like to +go there." + +"So you shall," returned her father. "This is Friday; we shall reach +Saratoga Saturday night, should no accident detain us, spend Sunday +there resting, according to the commandment, then Monday and Tuesday in +sight-seeing." + +"How nice, Papa," Lulu said with satisfaction. "I only wish Mamma Vi +and Gracie could be there with us." + +"It would double our pleasure," he replied. "I think we must go again +some time, when we can have them along." + +"Oh, I am glad to hear you say that, Papa! for I am quite sure I shall +enjoy going twice to so interesting a place," said Lulu. + +"I, too," said Max. "I don't know of anything that would please me +better." + +"I am glad to hear it, and hope there will be no disappointment to +either of you," their father said. + +But the train was speeding on again, too fast and too noisily for +comfortable conversation, and they relapsed into silence, the Captain +returning to his newspaper, Max to a book which he seemed to find very +interesting, while his sister amused herself with her own thoughts. + +Lulu was feeling very happy; she had been having so pleasant a summer +out in the West with Papa and Maxie, and was enjoying the homeward +journey,--or rather the trip to the sea-shore, where the rest of +the family were, and where they all expected to remain till the end +of the season,--the prospect of seeing Saratoga and its historical +surroundings, and other places of interest,--a view of which could be +had from the boat as they passed down the Hudson; for she and Max had +both expressed a preference for that mode of travel, and their father +had kindly consented to let them have their wish. She thought herself a +very fortunate little girl, and wished with all her heart that Gracie +could be there with them and share in all their pleasures. + +Dear Gracie! they had never been separated for so long a time before, +and Lulu was in such haste for the meeting now that she could almost +be willing to resign the pleasure of a visit to Saratoga that they +might be together the sooner. But no, oh, no, it would never do to miss +a visit there! It would defer their meeting only a day or two, and she +should have all the more to tell; not to Gracie only, but to Evelyn +Leland and Rosie Travilla. Ah, how enjoyable that would be! Oh, how +full of pleasure life was now that Papa was with them all the time, and +they had such a sweet home of their very own! + +With that thought she turned toward him, giving him a look of ardent +affection. + +He was still reading, but glanced from his paper to her just in time to +catch her loving look. + +"My darling!" he said, bending down to speak close to her ear, and +accompanying the words with a smile full of fatherly affection. "I +fear you must be growing very weary with this long journey," he added, +putting an arm about her and drawing her closer to him. + +"Oh, no, not so very, Papa!" she answered brightly; "but I'll be ever +so glad when we get to Saratoga. Don't you think it will be quite a +rest to be out of the cars for a day or two?" + +"Yes; and I trust you will find them less wearisome after your three +days at Saratoga." + +"What time shall we reach there, Papa?" asked Max. + +"Not long before your bed-time, I understand," replied the Captain. + +"Then we cannot see anything before Monday?" + +"You will see something of the town in walking to church day after +to-morrow." + +"And we can start out bright and early on Monday to visit places of +interest," added Lulu; "can't we, Papa?" + +"Yes, if you will be careful to be ready in good season. We want to see +all we can in the two days of our stay." + +"And I don't believe we'll find Lu a hindrance, as some girls would +be," said Max. "She's always prompt when anything is to be done." + +"I think that is quite true, Max," their father remarked, looking from +one to the other with a smile that was full of paternal love and pride; +"and of you as well as of your sister." + +"If we are, Papa, it is because you have trained us to punctuality and +promptness," returned the lad, regarding his father with eyes full of +admiring filial affection. + +"And because you have heeded the lessons I have given you," added the +Captain. "My dear children, when I see that you are doing so, it gives +me a glad and thankful heart." + +They reached Saratoga the next evening more than an hour earlier than +they had expected; and as the moon was nearly full, they were, much +to the delight of Max and Lulu, able to wander about the town for an +hour or more after tea, enjoying the sight of the beautiful grounds +and residences, and the crowds of people walking and driving along the +streets, or sitting in the porches. They visited Congress Park also, +drank from its springs, strolled through its porches out into the +grounds, wandered along the walks, and at length entered the pavilion. + +Here they sat and rested for awhile; then the Captain, consulting his +watch, said to his children, "It is nine o'clock, my dears; time that +tired travellers were seeking their nests." + +He rose as he spoke, and taking Lulu's hand, led the way, Max close in +the rear. + +"Yes, Papa, I'm tired enough to be very willing to go to bed," said +Lulu; "but I hope we can come here again on Monday." + +"I think it altogether likely we shall be able to do so," he replied. + +"If we are up early enough we might run down here for a drink of the +water before breakfast on Monday," said Max. "Can't we, Papa?" + +"Yes, all three of us," replied the Captain. "Let us see who will be +ready first." + +They passed a quiet, restful Sabbath, very much as it would have been +spent at home; then, on Monday morning, all three were up and dressed +in season for a visit to some of the nearer springs before breakfast. + +They went to the Park together, took their drinks, returned after but a +few minutes spent in the garden, breakfasted, and shortly after leaving +the table were in a carriage on their way to Schuylerville. + +They visited the battle-ground first, then the place of surrender, with +its interesting monument. + +"We will look at the outside first," the Captain said, as they drew +near it. "It is called the finest of its kind, and stands upon the +crowning height of Burgoyne's intrenched camp." + +"I wonder how high it is," Max said inquiringly, as they stood at some +distance from the base, he with his head thrown back, his eyes fixed +upon the top of the shaft. + +"It is said to be more than four hundred and fifty feet above the level +of the river," replied his father. + +"Oh, I wonder if we couldn't see the battle-field from the top!" +exclaimed Lulu, excitedly. "I suppose they'll let us climb up there, +won't they, Papa?" + +"Yes, for a consideration," returned the Captain, smiling at her eager +look; "but first let us finish our survey of the outside." + +"What kind of stone is this, sir?" asked Max, pointing to the base. + +"Light granite," replied his father. "And the shaft is of dark granite, +rough hewn, as you will notice." + +"And there are gables," remarked Lulu,--"great high ones." + +"Yes; nearly forty feet high, and resting at their bases upon granite +eagles with folded wings. Observe, too, the polished granite columns, +with carved capitals, which all the cornices of doors and windows rest +upon." + +"And the niches over the doors," said Max, still gazing upward as they +walked slowly around the shaft, "one empty I see, each of the others +with a statue in it. Oh, they are the generals who commanded our troops +in the battle!" + +"Yes," said his father, "Generals Schuyler, Morgan, and Gates,--who +by the way was hardly worthy of the honour, as he gave evidence of +cowardice, remaining two miles away from the field of battle, all ready +for a possible retreat, while Burgoyne was in the thickest of the +fight. The fourth and empty one, do you not see, has the name of Arnold +carved underneath it." + +"Oh, yes, Arnold the traitor!" exclaimed Max. "How _could_ he turn +against his country? But, Papa, he did do good service in this battle +and some of the earlier ones, and it's such a pity he turned traitor!" + +"Yes, a very great pity!" assented the Captain, heaving an involuntary +sigh. "While detesting his treachery, I have always felt that he has +not received deserved credit for his great services in the earlier part +of the war,--the expedition to Canada, and besides smaller engagements, +the terrible battle of Valcour Island, Lake Champlain, in which he was +defeated only by the great superiority of the enemy in numbers of both +men and vessels. Though beaten, he brought away to Ticonderoga his +remaining vessels and surviving troops. His obstinate resistance so +discouraged the British general, Carleton, that he retired to Montreal +for the winter, which made it possible for the Northern army to spare +three thousand troops to help Washington in striking his great blows at +Princeton and Trenton." + +"And after all that, as I remember reading," said Max, "Congress +treated Arnold shamefully, promoting other officers over his head who +neither stood so high in rank nor had done half the service he had. I'm +sure his anger at the injustice was very natural; yet he still fought +bravely for his country,--didn't he, Papa?" + +"Yes; and all that occurred some months before this battle of Saratoga, +in which he did such service. Ah, if his career had ended there +and then, what a patriot he would now be considered! It is almost +certain that if he had been properly reinforced by Gates, he would +have inflicted a crushing defeat upon Burgoyne at, or shortly after, +the battle of Freeman's farm. But Gates was very jealous of Arnold, +disliking him as a warm friend of General Schuyler, and the two had a +fierce quarrel between that battle and the one of Saratoga, occasioned +by Gates, prompted by his jealousy, taking some of Arnold's best troops +from his command. Arnold then asked and received permission to return +to Philadelphia; but the other officers, perceiving that another and +decisive battle was about to be fought, persuaded Arnold to remain +and share in it, as they had no confidence in Gates, who was, without +doubt, a coward. He showed himself such by remaining in his tent while +the battle was going on, though Burgoyne was, as I have said, in the +thick of it. It was a great victory that crowned our arms on the 7th of +October, 1777, and was due more to Arnold's efforts than to those of +any other man, though Morgan also did a great deal to win it." + +"Wasn't Arnold wounded in this battle, Papa?" asked Max. + +"Yes, severely, in the leg which had been hurt at Quebec. It was just +at the close of the battle. He was carried on a litter to Albany, +where he remained, disabled, till the next spring. One must ever +detest treason and a traitor; yet I think it quite possible--even +probable--that if Arnold had always received fair and just treatment, +he would never have attempted to betray his country as he afterward +did. Now we will go inside, and see what we can find of interest there." + +The Captain led the way as he spoke. + +They lingered awhile in the lower room examining with great interest +the tablets and historical pictures, sculptured in bronze, _alto +rilievo_, which adorned its walls. + +"Oh, Papa, see!" cried Lulu; "here is Mrs. Schuyler setting fire to a +field of wheat to keep the British from getting it, I suppose." + +"Yes," her father said; "these are Revolutionary scenes." + +"Here is George III.," said Max, "consulting with his ministers how he +shall subdue the Americans. Ha, ha! they did their best, but couldn't +succeed. My countrymen of that day would be free." + +"As Americans always will, I hope and believe," said Lulu. "I feel sure +your countrywomen will anyhow." + +At that her father, giving her a smile of mingled pleasure and +amusement, said, "Now we will go up to the top of the shaft, and take a +bird's-eye view of the surrounding country." + +They climbed the winding stairway to its top, and from thence had a +view of not only the battle-field, but of other historic spots also +lying in all directions. + +Max and Lulu were deeply interested, and had many questions to ask, +which their father answered with unfailing patience. + +But, indeed, ardent patriot that he was, he keenly enjoyed making his +children fully acquainted with the history of their country, and there +was much connected with the surrounding scenes which it was a pleasure +to relate, or remind them of, as having happened there. + +From the scenes of the fight and the surrender they drove on to +the Marshall place, the Captain giving the order as they reseated +themselves in the carriage. + +"The Marshall place, Papa? What about it?" asked Max and Lulu in a +breath. + +"It is a house famous for its connection with the fighting in the +neighbourhood of Saratoga," replied the Captain. "It was there the +Baroness Riedesel took refuge with her children on the 10th of October, +1777, about two o'clock in the afternoon, going there with her three +little girls, trying to get as far from the scene of conflict as she +well could." + +"Oh, yes, sir!" said Max. "I remember, now, that there was a Baron +Riedesel in the British army,--a Hessian officer, in command of four +thousand men; wasn't he, Papa?" + +"Yes; and his wife seems to have been a lovely woman. She nursed poor +General Frazer in his dying agonies. You may remember that he was +killed by one of Morgan's men in the battle of Bemis Heights, or +Saratoga, fought on the 7th,--or rather, I should say, he was mortally +wounded and carried to the Taylor House, where the Baroness Riedesel +had prepared a dinner for the officers, which was standing partly +served upon the table. He lay there in great agony until the next +morning, and then died." + +"Oh, yes, Papa, I remember about him!" said Lulu; "and that he was +buried the same evening in the Great Redoubt, which was a part of the +British intrenchments on the hills near the river." + +"Yes, the strongest part," said Max. "I remember reading of it, and +that the Americans opened fire on the procession from the other side of +the river, not understanding what it was; so that while the chaplain +was reading the service at the grave, hostile shots were ploughing up +the ground at his feet, and covering the party with dust." + +"Oh, Papa, won't you take us to see his grave?" asked Lulu. + +"Yes, daughter, if we have time." + +"Here we are, sir. This is the Marshall place," announced the driver, +reining in his horses in front of a modest-looking farm-house; "and +here comes a lad that'll show you round, and tell you the whole story +of what happened in and about here in the time of the Revolution." + +The Captain quickly alighted, helped Lulu out, and Max sprang after +them. + +The lad had already opened the gate, and lifted his hat with a bow and +smile. "Good-morning!" he said. + +Captain Raymond returned the salutation, adding, "I would like very +much to show my children those parts of your house here connected with +Revolutionary memories, if--" + +"Oh, yes, sir; yes!" returned the boy, pleasantly. "I'll take you in +and about; it's quite the thing for visitors to Saratoga to come over +here on that errand." + +He led the way into the house as he spoke, the Captain, Max, and Lulu +following. + +They passed through a hall, and on into the parlour, without meeting +any one. + +"This," said the lad, "is the northeast room, where Surgeon Jones was +killed by a cannon-ball; perhaps you may remember about it, sir. The +doctors were at work on him, cutting off a wounded leg, when a ball +came in at that northeast corner and took off his other leg in its way +diagonally across the room. They gave up trying to save him, then, and +left him to die in yon corner," pointing to it as he spoke. + +"Poor fellow!" sighed Lulu. "I can't help feeling sorry for him, though +he was an enemy to my country." + +"No, Miss, it was a pity, and does make one feel sorry; for I suppose +he really had no choice but to obey the orders of his king," returned +the lad. "Well, the ball passed on, broke through the plank partition +of the hall, and buried itself in the ground outside. They say eleven +cannon-balls passed through the house in just a little while. For my +part, I'd rather have been in a battle than keeping quiet here to be +shot at." + +"I certainly would," said the Captain. + +"I, too," said Max. "I should say there was very little fun in standing +such a fire with no chance to return it." + +"Yes; and our people would never have fired on them if they had known +they were women, children, and wounded men; but you see they--the +Americans--saw people gathering here, and thought the British were +making the place their headquarters. So they trained their artillery on +it, and opened such a fire as presently sent everybody to the cellar. +Will you walk down and look at that, sir?" addressing the Captain. + +"If it is convenient," he returned, following with Max and Lulu as +their young guide led the way. + +"Quite, sir," he answered; then, as they entered the cellar, "There +have been some changes in the hundred years and more that have passed +since that terrible time," he said. "You see there is but one partition +wall now; there were two then, but one has been torn down, and the +floor cemented. Otherwise the cellars are just as they were at the time +of the fight; only a good deal cleaner, I suspect," he added, with +a smile, "for packed as they were with women, children, and wounded +officers and soldiers, there must have been a good deal of filth about, +as well as bad air." + +"They certainly are beautifully clean, light, and sweet now, whatever +they may have been on that October day of 1777," the Captain said, +glancing admiringly at the rows of shining milk-pans showing a tempting +display of thick yellow cream, and the great fruit-bins standing ready +for the coming harvest. + +"Yes, sir; to me it seems a rather inviting-looking place at present," +returned the lad, glancing from side to side with a smile of +satisfaction; "but I've sometimes pictured it to myself as it must have +looked then,--crowded, you know, with frightened women and children, +and wounded officers being constantly brought in for nursing, in +agonies of pain, groaning, and perhaps screaming, begging for water, +which could be got only from the river, a soldier's wife bringing a +small quantity at a time." + +"Yes, a woman could do that, of course," said Lulu; "for our soldiers +would never fire on a woman,--certainly not for doing such a thing as +that." + +"No, of course not," exclaimed Max, in a scornful tone. "American men +fire on a woman doing such a thing as that? I should say not!" + +"No, indeed, I should hope not!" returned their young conductor, +leading the way from the cellar to the upper hall, and out into the +grounds. "Yonder," he said, pointing with his finger, "away to the +southwest, Burgoyne's troops were stationed; the German auxiliaries, +too, were resting from their fight, near Bemis Heights. Away to the +west there, Morgan's famous riflemen were taking up their position +along Burgoyne's front and flank, while Colonel Fellows was over +yonder," turning to the east and again pointing with his finger, +"bringing his batteries to bear upon the British. Just as the Baroness +Riedesel in her calash with her three little girls stopped before the +house, some American sharpshooters across the river levelled their +muskets, and she had barely time to push her children to the bottom of +the wagon and throw herself down beside them, before the bullets came +whistling overhead. Neither she nor the little folks were hurt, but a +soldier belonging to their party was badly wounded. The Baroness and +her children spent the night there in the cellar. So did other ladies +from the British army who followed her to this retreat that afternoon. +They were in one of its three divisions, the wounded officers in +another, and the common soldiers occupied the third." + +"It must have been a dreadful night to the poor Baroness and those +little girls," remarked Lulu, who was listening with keenest interest. + +"Yes, indeed," responded the lad; "the cries and groans of the wounded, +the darkness, dampness, and filth and stench of the wounds, all taken +together, must have made an awful night for them all. I wonder, for my +part, that the women and children weren't left at home in their own +countries." + +"That's where they ought to have been, I think," said Lulu. "Was it +that night Surgeon Jones was killed?" + +"No, Miss, the next day, when the Americans began firing again harder +than ever." + +"Where were they firing from then?" Lulu asked. + +"The other side of the river, Miss; probably from some rising ground a +little north of Batten Kil." + +"Well, sir, what more have you to show us?" asked the Captain, +pleasantly. + +"A plank cut and shattered at one end, probably by the ball that killed +the Surgeon. This way, if you please; here it is. And here is a rafter +which you see has been partly cut in two by a shell. It was taken out +of the frame of the house while they were repairing in 1868. Here are +some other bits of shot and shell that have been ploughed up on the +farm at different times. Ah! there are some things at the house I +should have shown you." + +"We will not mind going back so short a distance," said the Captain, +"and would be glad to see everything you have to show us." + +"Yes, sir; and I think you will say these things are worth looking at." + +He led them back into the house and exhibited, first, a gold coin with +the figure and inscription of George III. on one side, the British arms +and an inscription with the date 1776 on the other, then a curious +old musket, with bayonet and flint lock, which was carried in the +Revolutionary War by an ancestor of the family now residing there. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +"You may take us now to Frazer's grave," Captain Raymond said to the +driver as they re-entered their carriage after a cordial good-by and +liberal gift to their young guide. + +"Please tell us something more about Frazer, Papa, won't you?" +requested Lulu. + +"Willingly," returned her father. "Frazer was a brave and skilful +officer; made brigadier-general for America only, by Carleton, in June, +1776. He helped to drive the Americans out of Canada in that year. +Burgoyne chose him to command the light brigade which formed the right +wing of the British army, so that he was constantly in the advance. +In the fight of October 7th he made a conspicuous figure, dressed in +the full uniform of a field-officer, mounted on a splendid iron-gray +gelding, and exerting himself to encourage and cheer on his men. Morgan +saw how important he was to the British cause, pointed him out to his +sharpshooters, and bade them cut him off. 'That gallant officer,' he +said, 'is General Frazer. I admire and honour him; but it is necessary +he should die, because victory for the enemy depends upon him. Take +your stations in that clump of bushes, and do your duty!' They obeyed, +and in five minutes Frazer fell mortally wounded, and was carried from +the field by two grenadiers. Only a few moments before he was hit, the +crupper of his horse was cut by a rifle-ball, and directly afterward +another passed through the horse's mane, a little back of his ears. +Then his _aide_ said, 'General, it is evident that you are marked out +for particular aim; would it not be prudent for you to retire from this +place?' 'My duty forbids me to retire from danger,' Frazer answered; +and the next moment he fell. That is Lossing's account; and he goes on +to say that Morgan has been censured for the order by some persons, +professing to understand the rules of war, as guilty of a highly +dishonourable act; also by others, who gloat over the horrid details of +the slaying of thousands of humble rank-and-file men as deeds worthy +of a shout for glory, and have no tears to shed for the slaughtered +ones, but affect to shudder at such a cold-blooded murder of an officer +on the battle-field. But, as Lossing justly remarks, the life of an +officer is no dearer to himself, his wife, and children, than that of a +private to his, and that the slaying of Frazer probably saved the lives +of hundreds of common soldiers." + +"Yes, Papa," returned Max, thoughtfully; "and so I think Morgan +deserves all praise for giving that order to his men. If Frazer did +not want to lose his life, he should not have come here to help crush +out liberty in this country." + +"Papa, do you think he hated the Americans?" asked Lulu. + +"No, I presume not; his principal motive in coming here and taking +an active part in the war was probably to make a name for himself as +a brave and skilful officer,--at least, so I judge from his dying +exclamation, 'Oh, fatal ambition!'" + +"How different he was from our Washington," exclaimed Max. "He seemed +to want nothing for himself, and sought only his country's good. Papa, +it does seem to me that Washington was the greatest mere man history +tells of." + +"I think so," responded the Captain; "he seems to have been so entirely +free from selfishness, ambition, and pride. And yet he had enemies and +detractors, even among those who wished well to the cause for which he +was doing so much." + +"Such a burning shame!" cried Lulu, her eyes flashing. "Was Gates one +of them, Papa?" + +"Yes; to his shame, be it said, he was. He treated Washington with much +disrespect, giving him no report whatever of the victory at Saratoga. +It was not until early in November that he wrote at all to the +commander-in-chief, and then merely mentioned the matter incidentally. +In that month Gates was made president of the new Board of War and +Ordnance, and during the following winter he joined with what is known +as the 'Conway cabal' in an effort to supplant Washington in the chief +command of the army." + +"What a wretch!" exclaimed Lulu. "It would have been a very bad thing +for our cause if he had succeeded,--wouldn't it, Papa?" + +"Without doubt," answered the Captain; "for though Gates had some very +good qualities, he was far from being fit to fill the position held by +Washington." + +"He wasn't a good Christian man, like Washington, was he, Papa?" she +asked. + +"No, not by any means at that time, though it is said--I hope with +truth--that he afterward became one. He was arrogant, untruthful, and +had an overweening confidence in his own ability. Yet he had some noble +traits; he emancipated his slaves, and provided for those who were +unable to take care of themselves. Also, he was, it is said, a good and +affectionate husband and father." + +"Papa, wasn't it known whose shot killed Frazer?" queried Max. + +"Yes; it was that of a rifleman named Timothy Murphy. He was posted in +a small tree, took deliberate aim, and saw Frazer fall. Frazer, too, +told some one he saw the man who shot him, and that he was in a tree. +Murphy was one of Morgan's surest shots." + +"I should think he must always have felt badly about it, only that he +knew he did it to help save his country," said Lulu. + +"It seemed to be necessary for the salvation of our country," replied +her father; "and no doubt that thought prevented Murphy's conscience +from troubling him." + +"Didn't the Americans at first fire on the funeral procession, Papa?" +asked Lulu. + +"Yes; but ceased as soon as they understood the nature of the +gathering, and at regular intervals the solemn boom of a single cannon +was heard along the valley. It was a minute-gun, fired by the Americans +in honour of their fallen foe, the gallant dead. Ah, here we are at his +grave!" added the Captain, as horses and vehicle came to a standstill +and the carriage-door was thrown open. + +They alighted and walked about the grave and its monument, pausing to +read the inscription on the latter. + +"Though an enemy to our country, he was a gallant man, a brave and good +soldier," remarked the Captain, reflectively. + +"Yes, Papa; and I can't help feeling sorry for him," said Lulu. "I +suppose he had to obey his king's orders of course; he couldn't well +help it, and probably he had no real hatred to the people of this +country. It does seem hard that he had to die and be buried so far away +from all he loved." + +"Yes," said Max; "but he had to be killed to save our country, since he +would use his time and talents in trying to help reduce her to slavery. +I'm sorry for him, too; but as he would put his talents to so wrong a +use, there was no choice but to kill him,--isn't that so, Papa?" + +"I think so," replied the Captain; "but it was a great pity. Frazer was +a brave officer, idolized by his own men, and respected by even his +enemies." + +"It seems sad he should lie buried so far away from all he loved,--all +his own people; and in a strange land, too. But he could hardly lie in +a lovelier spot, I think," remarked Lulu; "the hills, the mountains, +the beautiful river, the woods, the fields, and these tall twin +pine-trees standing like sentinels beside his grave,--oh I think it +is just lovely! I think he showed excellent taste in his choice of a +burial-place." + +"Yes, nice place enough to lie in, if one could only be on top of the +ground and able to see what it's like," came in hollow tones, seemingly +from the grave. + +The Captain glanced at his son with a slightly amused smile. + +Lulu was startled for an instant; then, with a little laugh, as her +father took her hand and led her back to the waiting carriage, "Oh, +Maxie, that was almost too bad, though he was an enemy to our country!" +she exclaimed. + +"I wouldn't have done it if I'd thought it would hurt his feelings," +returned Max, in a tone of mock regret; "but I really didn't suppose +he'd know or care anything about it." + +"Where now, sir?" asked the driver as the Captain handed Lulu to her +seat. + +"To the Schuyler mansion," was the reply. + +"Oh, I'm glad we're going there!" exclaimed Lulu. "I've always liked +everything I've heard about General Schuyler; and I'll be ever so glad +to see the house he used to live in." + +"It isn't the same house that Burgoyne caroused in the night after the +battle of Bemis Heights, is it, Papa?" asked Max. + +"No; that was burned by Burgoyne's orders a few days later," replied +the Captain. + +"And when was this one built?" asked Lulu. + +"That is a disputed point," said her father. "Some say it was shortly +after the surrender in 1777; others, not until soon after the peace of +1783." + +"Anyhow it was General Schuyler's house, and so we'll be glad to see +it," she said. "Papa, is it on the exact spot where the other--the +first one--was? The one Burgoyne caroused in, I mean." + +"They say not, quite; that it stands a little to the west of where the +first one did." + +"But General Schuyler owned and lived in it, which makes it almost, if +not quite, as well worth seeing as the first one would have been," said +Max. + +"Yes," assented the Captain. "It was on his return from Bemis Heights +that Burgoyne took possession of the mansion for his headquarters; +that was on the evening of the 9th of October. His troops, who had +been marching through mud, water, and rain for the last twenty-four +hours, with nothing to eat, encamped unfed on the wet ground near +Schuylerville, while he and his cronies feasted and enjoyed themselves +as though the sufferings of the common soldiery were nothing to them." + +"Wasn't that the night before the day the Baroness Riedesel went to the +Marshall place?" queried Max. + +"Yes," replied his father. "Her husband, General Riedesel, and others, +urgently remonstrated against the unnecessary and imprudent delay, +and counselled hasty retreat; but Burgoyne would not listen to their +prudent advice. While the storm beat upon his hungry, weary soldiers +lying without on the rain-soaked ground, he and his mates held high +carnival within, spending the night in merry-making, drinking, and +carousing." + +"What a foolish fellow!" said Max. "I wonder that he didn't rather +spend it in slipping away from the Americans through the darkness and +storm." + +"Or in getting ready to fight them again the next day," added Lulu. + +"I think there was fighting the next day,--wasn't there, Papa?" said +Max. + +"Yes; though not a regular battle. Burgoyne was attempting a +retreat, which the Americans, constantly increasing in numbers, were +preventing,--destroying bridges, obstructing roads leading northward, +and guarding the river to the eastward, so that the British troops +could not cross it without exposure to a murderous artillery fire. At +last, finding his provisions nearly exhausted, himself surrounded by +more than five times his own number of troops, and all his positions +commanded by his enemy's artillery, the proud British general +surrendered." + +"And it was a great victory,--wasn't it, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"It was, indeed! and God, the God of our fathers, gave it to the +American people. The time was one of the great crises of history. +Before that battle things looked very dark for the people of this +land; and if Burgoyne had been victorious, the probability is that the +struggle for liberty would have been given up for no one knows how +long. Perhaps we might have been still subject to England." + +"And that would be dreadful!" she exclaimed with warmth,--"wouldn't it, +Max?" + +"Yes, indeed!" he assented, his cheek flushing, and his eye kindling; +"the idea of this great country being governed by that bit of an island +away across the sea! I just feel sometimes as if I'd like to have +helped with the fight." + +"In that case," returned his father, with an amused look, "you would +hardly be here now; or, if you were, you would be old enough to be my +grandfather." + +"Then I'm glad I wasn't, sir," laughed Max; "for I'd rather be your son +by a great deal. Papa, wasn't it about that time the stars and stripes +were first used?" + +"No, my son; there was at least one used before that," the Captain +said with a half smile,--"at Fort Schuyler, which was attacked by St. +Leger with his band of British troops, Canadians, Indians, and Tories, +early in the previous August. The garrison was without a flag when the +enemy appeared before it, but soon supplied themselves by their own +ingenuity, tearing shirts into strips to make the white stripes and +stars, joining bits of scarlet cloth for the red stripes, and using a +blue cloth cloak, belonging to one of the officers, as the groundwork +for the stars. Before sunset it was waving in the breeze over one of +the bastions of the fort, and no doubt its makers gazed upon it with +pride and pleasure." + +"Oh, that was nice!" exclaimed Lulu. "But I don't remember about the +fighting at that fort. Did St. Leger take it, Papa?" + +"No; the gallant garrison held out against him till Arnold came to +their relief. The story is a very interesting one; but I must reserve +it for another time, as we are now nearing Schuyler's mansion." + +The mansion was already in sight, and in a few moments their carriage +had drawn up in front of it. They were politely received, and shown a +number of interesting relics. + +The first thing that attracted their attention was an artistic +arrangement of arms on the wall fronting the great front door. + +"Oh, what are those?" Lulu asked in eager tones, her eyes fixed upon +them in an intensely interested way. "Please, sir, may I go and look at +them?" addressing the gentleman who had received them and now invited +them to walk in. + +"Yes, certainly," he answered with a smile, and leading the way. +"This," he said, touching the hilt of a sword, "was carried at the +battle of Bennington by an _aide_ of General Stark. This other sword, +and this musket and cartridge-box, belonged to John Strover, and were +carried by him in the battles of the Revolution." + +"Valuable and interesting souvenirs," remarked Captain Raymond. + +They were shown other relics of those troublous times,--shells, grape, +knee and shoe buckles, grubbing-hooks, and other things that had been +picked up on the place in the years that had elapsed since the struggle +for independence. But what interested Max and Lulu still more than any +of these was a beautiful teacup, from which, as the gentleman told +them, General Washington, while on a visit to General Schuyler, had +drunk tea made from a portion of one of those cargoes of Boston harbour +fame. + +"That cup must be very precious, sir," remarked Lulu, gazing admiringly +at it. "If it were mine, money couldn't buy it from me." + +"No," he returned pleasantly; "and I am sure you would never have +robbed us, as some vandal visitor did not long ago, of a saucer and +plate belonging to the same set." + +"No, no, indeed!" she replied with emphasis, and looking quite aghast +at the very idea. "Could anybody be so wicked as that?" + +"Somebody was," he said with a slight sigh; "and it has made us feel +it necessary to be more careful to whom we show such things. Now let me +show you the burial-place of Thomas Lovelace," he added, leading the +way out into the grounds. + +"I don't remember to have heard his story, sir," said Max, as they +all followed in the gentleman's wake; "but I would like to very much +indeed. Papa, I suppose you know all about him." + +"I presume this gentleman can tell the story far better than I," +replied the Captain, with an inquiring look at their guide. + +"I will do my best," he said in reply. "You know, doubtless," with a +glance at Max and his sister, "what the Tories of the Revolution were. +Some of them were the bitterest foes of their countrymen who were +in that fearful struggle for freedom,--wicked men, who cared really +for nothing but enriching themselves at the expense of others, and +from covetousness became as relentless robbers and murderers of their +neighbours and former friends as the very savages of the wilderness. +Lovelace was one of these, and had become a terror to the inhabitants +of this his native district of Saratoga. He went to Canada about the +beginning of the war, and there confederated with five other men +like himself to come back to this region and plunder, betray, and +abduct those who were struggling for freedom from their British +oppressors,--old neighbours, for whom he should have felt only pity +and kindness, even if he did not see things in just the same light +that they did. These miscreants had their place of rendezvous in a +large swamp, about five miles from Colonel Van Vetchen's, cunningly +concealing themselves there. Robberies in that neighbourhood became +frequent, and several persons were carried off. General Stark, then in +command of the barracks north of Fish Creek, was active and vigilant; +and hearing that Lovelace and his men had robbed General Schuyler's +house, and were planning to carry off Colonel Van Vetchen, frustrated +their design by furnishing the Colonel with a guard. Then Captain +Dunham, who commanded a company of militia in the neighbourhood, +hearing of the plans and doings of the marauders, at once summoned +his lieutenant, ensign, orderly, and one private to his house. They +laid their plans, waited till dark, then set out for the big swamp, +which was three miles distant. There they separated to reconnoitre, +and two of them were lost; but the other three kept together, and +at dawn came upon the hiding-place of the Tory robbers. They were +up, and just drawing on their stockings. The three Americans crawled +cautiously toward them till quite near, then sprang upon a log with a +shout, levelled their muskets, and Dunham called out, 'Surrender, or +you are all dead men!' The robbers, thinking the Americans were upon +them in force, surrendered at once, coming out one at a time without +their arms, and were marched off to General Stark's camp, and given +up to him as prisoners. They were tried by a court-martial as spies, +traitors, and robbers; and Lovelace, who was considered too dangerous +to be allowed to escape, was condemned to be hanged. He complained that +his sentence was unjust, and that he should be treated as a prisoner +of war; but his claim was disallowed, and he was hanged here amid a +violent storm of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning." + +"They hung him as a spy, did they, sir?" asked Max. + +"As a spy and murderer. He was both; and," pointing out the precise +spot, "after his execution he was buried here in a standing posture." + +"And his bones are lying right under here are they, sir?" asked Lulu, +shuddering as she glanced down at the spot the gentleman had indicated. + +"No," was the reply; "his bones, and even his teeth, have been carried +off as relics." + +"Ugh! to want such things as those for relics!" Lulu exclaimed in a +tone of emphatic disgust. + +"They are certainly not such relics as I would care to have," returned +the gentleman, with a smile. Then he told the Captain he had shown them +everything he had which could be called a souvenir of the Revolutionary +War, and with hearty thanks they took their leave. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +It was dinner-time when Captain Raymond and his children reached their +hotel, and at the conclusion of the meal they went immediately to the +station of the Mount McGregor road. There was just time for the buying +of the tickets and seating themselves comfortably in the cars before +the train started. + +"Papa, how long will it take us to go there?" asked Lulu. + +"Thirty-five minutes," he answered. "It is about ten miles to the +mountain; then we go up about eleven hundred feet above Saratoga +Springs." + +"Yes, sir," said Max; "and here on this time-table it says that in some +places the grade is as high as two hundred and forty-six feet to the +mile." + +"Set that down in your memory," returned his father, with a smile. +"Now look out of the windows, Max and Lulu; the country is well worth +seeing." + +The ride seemed very short,--it was so enjoyable,--and Lulu was quite +surprised when the car stopped and all the passengers hurried out. + +Every one went into the Drexel Cottage, which was close at hand. A man +showed them about, pointing out the objects of special interest,--the +bed where General Grant died, the candle he had extinguished but a few +minutes before breathing his last, and so on. + +They spent some time in the cottage, going quietly about, looking with +a sad interest at everything which had any connection with the dear +departed great man, then went on up to the mountain top, where stood a +large hotel. They passed it, and went on to the edge of the mountain, +which overlooks the Hudson River valley. + +"Oh, what a lovely view!" cried Lulu, in delight. "What mountains are +those, Papa?" + +"Those to the east," he replied, pointing in that direction as +he spoke, "are the Green Mountains, those to the north are the +Adirondacks, and those to the south the Catskills." + +"Oh, Lu, look yonder!" cried Max. "There's Schuylerville with its +monument, I do believe,--isn't it, Papa?" + +"Yes, you are right,--the place of Burgoyne's surrender, which we +visited this morning," the Captain answered. "Now suppose we go to the +observatory at the top of the hotel, and take the view from there." + +Max and Lulu gave an eager assent to the proposal. There were a good +many stairs to climb, but the view fully repaid them for the exertion. +They spent some minutes in gazing upon it, then descended and wandered +through the woods till the train was ready to start down the mountain. + +Max and Lulu were tired enough to go to bed at dark; and the next +morning they took an early train to Albany, where they boarded a fine +steamer, which would carry them down the Hudson River to West Point, +where, to the children's great delight, their father had promised to +stay a day or two, and show them all of historical interest connected +with the spot. + +It was the first trip on the Hudson that Max or his sister had ever +taken, and they enjoyed it greatly,--all the more because their father +was sufficiently familiar with the scenes through which they were +passing to call their attention to whatever was best worth noticing, +and give all desired information in regard to it, doing so in the +kindest and pleasantest manner possible. The weather was all that could +be desired,--cloudy, with an occasional shower, seldom heavy enough +to obscure the view to any great extent, and just cooling the air +pleasantly, as Lulu remarked with much satisfaction. + +It was not raining when they landed at West Point, though clouds still +veiled the sun. They took a carriage near the wharf, and drove to the +hotel. As they alighted, some gentlemen were talking upon its porch, +one of whom was in military uniform. + +"Raymond, this is a meeting as delightful as unexpected,--to me at +least!" he exclaimed, coming hastily forward with out-stretched hand. + +"Keith, I don't know when I have had a pleasanter surprise!" returned +Captain Raymond, taking the offered hand and shaking it heartily, while +his eyes shone with pleasure. "You are not here permanently?" + +"No; only on a furlough. And you?" + +"Just for a day or two, to show my children our military academy and +the points of historical interest in its vicinity," replied Captain +Raymond, glancing down upon them with a smile of fatherly pride and +affection. "Max and Lulu, this gentleman is Lieutenant Keith, of whom +you have sometimes heard me speak, and whom your mamma calls Cousin +Donald." + +"Your children, are they? Ah, I think I might have known them anywhere +from their remarkable resemblance to you, Raymond!" Mr. Keith said, +shaking hands first with Lulu, then with Max. + +He chatted pleasantly with them for a few minutes, while their father +attended to engaging rooms and having the baggage taken up to them. +When he rejoined them Keith asked, "May I have the pleasure of showing +you about, Raymond?" + +"Thank you; no better escort could be desired," replied the Captain, +heartily, "you being a valued friend just met after a long separation, +and also an old resident here, thoroughly competent for the task, and +thoroughly acquainted with all the points of interest." + +"I think I may say I am that," returned Keith, with a smile; "and it +will give me the greatest pleasure to show them to you,--as great, +doubtless, as you seemed to find some years ago in showing me over your +man-of-war. But first, let us take a view from the porch here. Yonder," +pointing in a westerly direction, "at the foot of the hills, are the +dwellings of the officers and professors. In front of them you see the +parade-ground: there, on the south side, are the barracks. There is the +Grecian chapel, yonder the library building, with its domed turrets, +and there are the mess hall and hospital." Then turning toward the west +again, "That lofty summit," he said, "is Mount Independence, and the +ruins that crown it are those of 'Old Fort Put.' That still loftier +peak is Redoubt Hill. There, a little to the north, you see Old Cro' +Nest and Butter Hill. Now, directly north, through that magnificent +cleft in the hills, you can see Newburgh and its bay. Of the scenery in +the east we will have a better view from the ruins of 'Old Put.'" + +"No doubt," said the Captain. "Shall we go up there at once?" + +"If you like, Raymond. I always enjoy the view; it more than pays for +the climb. But," and Mr. Keith glanced somewhat doubtfully at Lulu, +"shall we not take a carriage? I fear the walk may be too much for your +little girl." + +"What do you say, Lulu?" her father asked with a smiling glance at her. + +"Oh, I'd rather walk, Papa!" she exclaimed. "We have been riding so +much for the last week and more; and you know I'm strong and well, and +dearly love to climb rocks and hills." + +"Very well, you shall do as you like, and have the help of Papa's hand +over the hard places," he said, offering it as he spoke. + +She put hers into it with a glad look and smile up into his face that +almost made Donald Keith envy the Captain the joys of fatherhood. + +They set off at once. Lulu found it a rather hard climb, or that it +would have been without her father's helping hand; but the top of Mount +Independence was at length reached, and the little party stood among +the ruins of Fort Putnam. They stood on its ramparts recovering breath +after the ascent, their faces turned toward the east, silently gazing +upon the beautiful panorama spread out at their feet. + +It was the Captain who broke the silence. "You see that range of hills +on the farther side of the river, children?" + +"Yes, sir," both replied with an inquiring look up into his face. + +"In the time of the Revolution every pinnacle was fortified, and on +each a watch-fire burned," he said. + +"They had a battery on each, Papa?" queried Max. + +"Yes; but yonder, at their foot, stands something that will interest +you still more,--the Beverly House, from which Arnold the traitor fled +to the British ship 'Vulture,' on learning that Andre had been taken." + +"Oh, is it, sir?" exclaimed Max, in a tone of intense interest. "How I +would like to visit it,--can we, Papa?" + +"I too; oh, very much!" said Lulu. "Please take us there,--won't you, +Papa?" + +"I fear there will be hardly time, my dears; but I will see about it," +was the indulgent reply. + +"You have been here before, Raymond?" Mr. Keith said inquiringly. + +"Yes; on my first bridal trip," the Captain answered in a low, moved +tone, and sighing slightly as the words left his lips. + +"With our own mother, Papa?" asked Lulu, softly, looking up into his +face with eyes full of love and sympathy. + +"Yes, daughter; and she enjoyed the view very much as you are doing +now." + +"I'm glad; I like to think she saw it once." + +An affectionate pressure of the hand he held was his only reply. Then +turning to his friend, "It is a grand view, Keith," he said; "and one +that always stirs the patriotism in my blood, inherited from ancestors +who battled for freedom in those Revolutionary days." + +"It is just so with myself," replied Keith; "and the view is a grand +one in itself, though there were no such association,--a superb +panorama! The beautiful, majestic river sweeping about the rock-bound +promontory below us there, with its tented field; yonder the distant +spires of Newburgh, and the bright waters of its bay, seen through +that magnificent cleft in the hills," pointing with his finger as he +spoke,--"ah, how often I have seen it all in imagination when out in +the far West scouting over arid plains, and among desolate barren +hills and mountains, where savages and wild beasts abound! At times an +irrepressible longing for this very view has come over me,--a sort of +homesickness, most difficult to shake off." + +"Such as years in the ports of foreign lands have sometimes brought +upon me," observed the Captain, giving his friend a look of heartfelt +sympathy. + +"Dear Papa, I'm so glad that is all over," Lulu said softly, leaning +lovingly up against him as she spoke, and again lifting to his eyes her +own so full of sympathy and affection. "Oh, it is so pleasant to have +you always at home with us!" + +A smile and an affectionate pressure of the little soft white hand he +held were his only reply. + +"Ah, my little girl, when Papa sees a man-of-war again, he will be +likely to wish himself back in the service once more!" remarked Keith, +in a sportive tone, regarding her with laughing eyes. + +"No, sir, I don't believe it," she returned stoutly. "Papa loves his +home and wife and children too well for that; besides, he has resigned +from the navy, and I don't believe they'd take him back again." + +"Well, Lu," said Max, "that's a pretty way to talk about Papa! Now, +it's my firm conviction that they'd be only too glad to get him back." + +"That's right, Max; stand up for your father always," laughed Keith. +"He is worthy of it; and I don't doubt the government would be ready to +accept his services should he offer them." + +"Of course," laughed the Captain; "but I intend to give them those +of my son instead," turning a look upon Max so proudly tender and +appreciative that the lad's young heart bounded with joy. + +"Ah, is that so?" said Keith, gazing appreciatively into the lad's +bright young face. "Well, I have no doubt he will do you credit. Max, +my boy, never forget that you have the credit of an honourable name to +sustain, and that in so doing you will make your father a proud and +happy man." + +"That is what I want to do, sir," replied Max, modestly. Then hastily +changing the subject, "Papa, is that town over there Phillipstown?" + +"Yes; what do you remember about it?" + +"That a part of our Revolutionary army was camped there in 1781. And +there, over to the left, is Constitution Island,--isn't it, sir?" + +"Yes," answered his father; then went on to tell of the building of the +fort from which the island takes its name, and its abandonment a few +days after the capture by the British of Forts Clinton and Montgomery, +near the lower entrance to the Highlands, in 1777. + +"Such a pity, after they had been to all the expense and trouble of +building it!" remarked Lulu. + +"Yes, quite a waste," said Max; "but war's a wasteful business anyway +it can be managed." + +"Quite true, Max," said, Mr. Keith; "and soldier though I am, I +sincerely hope we may have no more of it in this land." + +"No, sir; but the best way to keep out of it is to show ourselves +ready for self-defence. That is what Papa says." + +"And I entirely agree with him. Shall we go now, Raymond, and see what +of interest is to be found in the buildings and about the grounds of +the academy?" + +The Captain gave a ready assent, and they retraced their steps, he +helping Lulu down the mountain as he had helped her up. + +Keith took them, first, to the artillery laboratory to see, as he said, +some trophies and relics of the Revolution. Conducting them to the +centre of the court, "Here," he remarked, "are some interesting ones," +pointing, as he spoke, to several cannon lying in a heap, and encircled +by some links of an enormous chain. + +"Oh," exclaimed Max, "is that part of the great chain that was +stretched across the Hudson, down there by Constitution Island, in the +time of the Revolution?" + +"Yes," replied Keith. "And these two brass mortars were taken from +Burgoyne at Saratoga; this larger one, Wayne took from the British at +Stony Point. I dare say you and your sister are acquainted with the +story of that famous exploit." + +"Oh, yes, sir!" they both replied; and Lulu asked, "Is that the English +coat-of-arms on the big cannon?" + +Her look directed the query to her father, and he answered, "Yes." + +"And what do these words below it mean, Papa,--'Aschaleh fecit, 1741'?" + +"Aschaleh is doubtless the name of the maker; '_fecit_' means he +executed it, and 1741 gives the time when it was done." + +"Thank you, sir," she said. "Is there any story about that one?" +pointing to another cannon quite near at hand. + +"Yes," he said; "by its premature discharge, in 1817, a cadet named +Lowe was killed. In the cemetery is a beautiful monument to his memory." + +"Here are two brass field-pieces, each marked 'G. R.,'" said Max. "Do +those letters stand for George Rex,--King George,--Papa?" + +"Yes; that was the monogram of the king." + +"And the cannon is fourteen years younger than those others," remarked +Lulu; "for, see there, it says, 'W. Bowen fecit, 1755.'" + +"Oh, here's an inscription!" exclaimed Max, and read aloud, "'Taken +from the British army, and presented, by order of the United States, +in Congress assembled, to Major-General Green, as a monument of their +high sense of the wisdom, fortitude, and military talents which +distinguished his command in the Southern department, and of the +eminent services which, amid complicated dangers and difficulties, he +performed for his country. October 18th, 1783.' Oh, that was right!" +supplemented the lad, "for I do think Green was a splendid fellow." + +"He was, indeed!" said the Captain; "and he has at last been given such +a monument as he should have had very many years sooner." + +"Where is it, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"In Washington. It is an equestrian statue, by Henry Kirke Brown." + +"Yes; and very glad I am that even that tardy act of justice has been +done him,--one of the bravest and most skilful commanders of our +Revolutionary War," remarked Mr. Keith. Then he added, "I think we have +seen about all you will care for here, Raymond, and that you might +enjoy going out upon the parade-ground now. The sun is near setting, +and the battalion will form presently, and go through some interesting +exercises." + +"Thank you!" the Captain said. "Let us, then, go at once, for I see +Max and his sister are eager for the treat," he added, with a smiling +glance from one brightly expectant young face to the other. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +They reached the parade-ground just in time to see the battalion +forming under arms, and Max and Lulu watched every movement with +intense interest and delight,--the long skirmish lines firing +in advance or retreat, picking off distant imaginary leaders of +a pretended enemy in reply to the ringing skirmish calls of the +key-bugles, deploying at the run, rallying at the reserves and around +the colours. + +That last seemed to delight Lulu more than anything else. "Oh," she +exclaimed, "isn't it lovely! Wouldn't they all fight for the dear old +flag if an enemy should come and try to tear it down!" + +"I'm inclined to think they would," returned Mr. Keith, smiling at her +enthusiasm. "Now look at the flag waving from the top of the staff +yonder." + +The words had scarcely left his lips when there came the sudden bang of +the sunset gun, and the flag quickly fluttered to the earth. + +Then followed the march of the cadets to their supper, and our little +party turned about and went in search of theirs. + +On leaving the table they went out upon the hotel porch and seated +themselves where the view was particularly fine, the gentlemen +conversing, Max and Lulu listening, both tired enough to be quite +willing to sit still. + +The talk, which was principally of ordnance and various matters +connected with army and navy, had greater interest for the boy than for +his sister, and Lulu soon laid her head on her father's shoulder, and +was presently in the land of dreams. + +"My poor, tired, little girl!" he said, low and tenderly, softly +smoothing the hair from her forehead as he spoke. + +At that she roused, and lifting her head, said coaxingly, "Please don't +send me to bed yet, Papa! I'm wide awake now." + +"Are you, indeed?" he laughed. "I think those eyes look rather heavy; +but you may sit up now if you will agree to sleep in the morning when +Max and I will probably be going out to see the cadets begin their day. +Would you like to go, Max?" + +"Yes, indeed, sir!" answered Max, in eager tones; "it's about five +o'clock we have to start,--isn't it?" + +"Yes, Max. Lieutenant Keith has kindly offered to call us in season, +and become our escort to the camp." + +"Oh, Papa, mayn't I go too?" pleaded Lulu, in the most coaxing tones. +"I won't give you the least bit of trouble." + +"You never do, daughter, in regard to such matters; you are always +prompt, and ready in good season." + +"Then do you say I may go, Papa?" + +"Yes, if you will go to bed at once, in order to secure enough sleep by +five o'clock in the morning." + +"Oh, thank you, sir! Yes, indeed, I will," she said, hastily rising to +her feet, and bidding good-night to Mr. Keith. + +"I too," said Max, following her example. + +"Good children," said their father; then noticing the longing look in +Lulu's eyes, he excused himself to his friend, saying he would join him +again presently, and went with them. + +"That is a beautiful, bright, engaging, little girl of yours, +Raymond,--one that any father might be proud of," remarked Keith when +the Captain had resumed the seat by his side. + +"She seems all that to me; but I have sometimes thought it might be +the blindness of parental affection that makes the child so lovely and +engaging in her father's eyes," returned the Captain, in tones that +spoke much gratification. + +"I think, indeed I am sure, not," returned Keith. "About how old is +she?" + +"Thirteen. Actually, she'll be a woman before I know it!" was the added +exclamation in a tone of dismay. "I don't like the thought of losing +my little girl even in that way." + +"Ah, you'll be likely to lose her in another before many years!" +laughed his friend. "She'll make a lovely woman, Raymond!" + +"I think you are right," answered the father; "and I confess that the +thought of another gaining the first place in her heart--which I know +is mine now--is far from pleasant to me. Well, it cannot be for some +years yet, and I shall try not to think of it. Perhaps she may never +care to leave her father." + +"I don't believe she will if she is wise. You are a fortunate man, +Raymond! Your son--the image of his father--is not less attractive than +his sister, and evidently a remarkably intelligent lad. He will make +his mark in the navy; and I dare say we shall have the pleasure of +seeing him an admiral by the time we--you and I--are gray-headed, old +veterans." + +"Perhaps so," returned the Captain, with a pleased smile; "but +promotion is slow in the navy in these days of peace." + +"Quite true; and as true of the army as of the navy. But even that is +to be preferred to war,--eh, Raymond?" + +"Most decidedly," was the emphatic reply. + +"You leave for home to-morrow evening, I think you said?" was Keith's +next remark, made in an inquiring tone. + +"That is my plan at present," replied the Captain, "though I would stay +a little longer rather than have the children disappointed in their +hope of seeing everything about here that has any connection with the +Revolution." + +"They seem to be ardent young patriots," said Keith. "It does one good +to see their pride and delight in the flag. How their eyes shone at the +sight of the rally round the colours." + +"Yes; and they feel an intense interest in everything that has any +connection with the Revolutionary struggle. They get it in the blood; +and it has been their father's earnest endeavour to cultivate in them +an ardent love of country." + +"In which he has evidently been remarkably successful," returned Keith. +"I am much mistaken if that boy does not do you great credit while in +the Naval Academy, and, as I remarked a moment since, after fairly +entering the service." + +"A kind and pleasant prediction, Keith," the Captain said, giving his +friend a gratified look. + +"How many children have you, Raymond?" was the next question. + +"Only five," the Captain said, with a happy laugh,--"five treasures +that should, it seems to me, make any man feel rich; also, a sweet, +beautiful, young wife, who is to her husband worth far more than her +weight in gold. 'Her price is above rubies.' And you, Keith,--you have +not told me whether you have yet found your mate." + +"No, not yet. I sometimes think I never shall, but shall soon become a +confirmed old bachelor," Keith replied. Then, after an instant's pause, +"I wonder if Lulu's father would give her to me should I wait patiently +till she is old enough to know her own mind in such matters, and then +succeed in winning her heart?" + +"Ah, Keith, is that a serious thought or a mere idle jest?" queried the +Captain, turning a surprised and not altogether pleased look upon his +friend. + +"A sort of mixture of the two, I believe, Raymond," was the laughing +reply; "but I haven't the least idea of putting any such mischief into +your daughter's head,--at least, not at present. But if I ask your +permission half a dozen years hence to pay my court to her, I hope it +will not be refused." + +"Well, Keith," the Captain said, after a moment's silence, "I should +be very loath to stand in the way of your happiness,--still more of +that of my dear daughter; but the time is so far off that we need not +discuss the question now. My little girl seems still the merest child, +with no thought of the cares, pleasures, and duties of womanhood; +and I wish to keep her so as long as I can. That is one reason why +I rejoice in being able to educate her myself in our own home; and +thus far the loves of the dear ones in it have seemed all-sufficient +for her happiness. And I own to being particularly pleased with her +oft-repeated assurance that she loves Papa better than she does any one +else in all the wide world." + +"Ah, I do not wonder that she does, for her father is altogether worthy +of all the love she can give him!" Keith said, with a half-sigh, +thinking of the loneliness of his lot compared with that of the Captain. + +"Keith," the Captain said, after a moment's silence, "you tell me your +furlough will not expire for some weeks yet. Can you not spend them +with us at the sea-shore?" + +Donald demurred a little at first, saying he had made other plans; and +besides, his going might interfere with his cousins' arrangements. + +"Not the slightest danger of that," the Captain averred; "and I am +certain that one and all will be delighted to see you." + +"And I own to being fairly hungry for a sight of them," laughed Donald. +"So, Raymond, your invitation is accepted, and on your own head be the +consequences." + +"No objection to that; I'm delighted to have you on any terms, +reasonable or otherwise," the Captain said, with his pleasant smile. + +Max and Lulu had an hour or more of good refreshing sleep before the +two gentlemen separated for the night. + +Captain Raymond went very softly into Lulu's room, and stood for a +moment by the bedside looking fondly down into the rosy, sleeping face, +then, bending over her, kissed her tenderly on cheek and lip and brow. + +Her eyes opened wide and looked up into his, while a glad smile broke +over her face. + +"You dear, good Papa, to come in and kiss me again!" she said, putting +her arm round his neck and returning his caresses. "Oh, I do think I +have just the very dearest, kindest, best father in the whole wide +world!" + +"That's rather strong, isn't it?" he returned, laughing, but at the +same time gathering her up in his arms for a moment's petting and +fondling. Then, laying her down again, "I did not mean to wake you," +he said; "and I want you now to go to sleep again as fast as you can, +because, though to-morrow will, I hope, be a very enjoyable day to you +and Max, it is probable you will find it quite fatiguing also." + +"Yes, sir; but I don't mean to think about it now, else I'd be wide +awake presently, and maybe not sleep any more to-night," Lulu answered +drowsily, her eyes closing while she spoke. + +He was turning away, when she roused sufficiently to ask another +question. "Papa, will you please wake me when the time comes to get +up?" + +"Yes, daughter," he replied. "Do not let the fear of not waking in +season rob you of a moment's sleep. I think you may safely trust to +your father to attend to that for you." + +It seemed to Lulu that but a few moments had passed when her father's +voice spoke again close to her side. + +"Wake up now, little daughter, if you want to go with Papa and Max to +see what the cadets will be doing in their camp for the next hour or +so." + +"Oh, yes, indeed, I do!" she cried, wide awake in an instant. +"Good-morning; and thank you ever so much for calling me, dear Papa!" +and with the words her arms were round his neck, her kisses on his +cheek. + +He gave her a hearty embrace in turn; and then, with a "Now, my +darling, you must make haste, we have only ten minutes; but I +shall bring you back to rearrange your toilet before going down to +breakfast," he released her and went back to his own room. + +Lulu made quick work of her dressing, and when her father tapped at her +door to say it was time to go, was quite ready. + +They found Mr. Keith waiting on the porch, exchanged a pleasant +"good-morning" with him, and at once started for the camp. + +Max and Lulu were in gayest spirits, and were allowed to laugh and talk +till the little party drew near the camp, when their father bade them +be quiet, and amuse themselves for the present by looking and listening. + +He spoke in a kind, pleasant tone, and they obeyed at once. + +Down by the guard-tents they could see a dim, drowsy gleam, as of a +lantern; the gas-jets along the way seemed to burn dimly, too, as the +daylight grew stronger, and up about the hill-tops on the farther side +of the river the sky was growing rosy and bright with the coming day. +But all was so quiet, so still, where the tents were that it seemed +as if everybody there must be still wrapped in slumber; and Lulu was +beginning to think Mr. Keith must have called for them a little earlier +than necessary, when a sudden gleam and rattle among the trees almost +made her jump, so startled was she, while at the same instant a stern, +boyish voice called out, "Who comes there?" and a sentry stood before +them wrapped in an overcoat,--for the morning was very cool up there +among the mountains,--and with the dew dripping from his cap. + +"Friends, with the countersign," replied Mr. Keith. + +"Halt, friends! Advance one with the countersign," commanded the +sentry; and while the Captain and his children stood still where they +were, Mr. Keith stepped up to the levelled bayonet and whispered a +word or two in the ear of the young sentinel which at once caused a +change in his attitude toward our party,--respectful attention taking +the place of the fierce suspicion. "Advance, friends!" he said, +bringing his heels together and his rifle to the carry, then stood like +a statue while they passed on into the camp he guarded. + +Max and Lulu, remembering their father's order to them to keep quiet, +said nothing, but were careful to make the very best use of their eyes. + +Down by the tents, on the south and east sides, they could see sentries +pacing their rounds, but there was as yet no sound or movement among +the occupants. + +Some drummer-boys were hurrying over the plain toward the camp, while a +corporal and two cadets were silently crossing to the northeast corner, +where stood a field-piece dripping with dew. + +Max motioned to Lulu to notice what they were doing, and as he did so +they had reached the gun, and there was a dull thud as they rammed home +their cartridge. + +The drummer-boys were chattering together in low tones, glancing now +and again at the clock in the "Academic" tower over on the other side +of the plain. Suddenly a mellow stroke began to tell the hour, but +the next was drowned in the roar of the gun as it belched forth fire +and smoke, while at the same instant drum and fife broke forth in the +stirring strains of the reveille. + +Lulu almost danced with delight, looking up into her father's face +with eyes shining with pleasure. His answering smile was both fond and +indulgent as he took the small white hand in his with a loving clasp; +but it was no time for words amid the thunder of the drums playing +their march in and about the camp. + +Lulu could see the tent-flaps raised, drowsy heads peering out, then +dozens of erect, slender lads, in white trousers and tight-fitting +coatees, coming out with buckets, and hurrying away to the water-tanks +and back again. + +Presently the drums and fifes ceased their music; there was a brief +interval of silence, while the streets of the camp filled up with gray +and white coated figures. Then came another rattle of the drums like a +sharp, quick, imperative call. + +"Fall in!" ordered the sergeants; and like a flash each company sprang +into two long columns. + +"Left face!" ordered each first sergeant, while the second sergeant, +answering to his own name, was watching with eagle eye a delinquent who +came hurrying on, and took his place in the ranks too late by a full +half-second. + +"Ah," exclaimed Keith, "that poor lad will be reported as too late at +reveille!" + +Lulu gave him a look of surprise. "Dear me," she said to herself, "if +Papa was that strict with his children what ever would become of me?" + +But the first sergeant was calling the roll, and she listened with +fresh astonishment as he rattled off the seventy or eighty names +without so much as an instant's pause, using no list, and seeming to +recognize each lad as he answered "Here." + +It took scarcely a minute; then at a single word the ranks scattered, +the lads hurrying away to their tents, while the first sergeant made a +brief report to the captain, who stood near, then the captain to the +officer of the day. + +Our little party had now seated themselves where a good view of the +camp might be obtained, and Max and Lulu watched with great interest +what was going on there. They could see the lads pull off their gray +coats, raise their tent-walls to give free circulation through them to +the sweet morning air, pile up their bedding, and sweep their floors. + +Lulu gave her father an inquiring look, and he said, "What is it, +daughter? You may talk now, if you wish." + +"I was just wondering if you had to do such work as that at Annapolis," +she said in reply. + +"I did," he responded, with a smile, "and thought you had heard me +speak of it." + +"Maybe I have," she said, with a tone and look as if trying to recall +something in the past. "Oh, yes, I do remember it now! And I suppose +that's the reason you have always been so particular with us about +keeping our rooms nice and neat." + +"Partly, I believe," he returned, softly patting the hand she had laid +on his knee; "but my mother was very neat and orderly, and from my +earliest childhood tried to teach me to be the same." + +"And I think I'll find it easier because of your teachings, sir," +remarked Max. + +"I hope so," the Captain said; "you'll find you have enough to learn, +my boy, without that." + +"A good father is a great blessing, Max, as I have found in my own +experience," said Mr. Keith. + +But the roll of the drums began again, now playing "Pease upon a +Trencher;" again the ranks were formed, rolls called; the sergeants +marched their companies to the colour line, officers took their +stations; first captain ordered attention, swung the battalion into +column of platoons to the left, ordered "Forward, guide right, march!" +and away they went, to the stirring music of the fifes and drums, away +across the plain till the main road was reached, down the shaded lane +between the old "Academic" and the chapel, past the new quarters, and +the grassy terrace beyond. Then each platoon wheeled in succession to +the right, mounted the broad stone steps, and disappeared beneath the +portals of the mess hall. + +Our party, who had followed at so slight a distance as to be able to +keep the cadets in sight to the door of entrance, did not attempt +to look in upon them at their meal, but hurried on to the hotel to +give attention to their own breakfasts,--the keen morning air and the +exercise of walking having bestowed upon each one an excellent appetite. + +Max and Lulu were very eager to "get back in time to see everything," +as they expressed it, so began eating in great haste. + +Their father gently admonished them to be more deliberate. + +"You must not forget," he said, "that food must be thoroughly +masticated in order to digest properly; and those who indulge in +eating at such a rapid rate will be very likely soon to suffer from +indigestion." + +"And we may as well take our time," added Mr. Keith, "for it will be an +hour or more before anything of special interest will be going on among +the cadets." + +"What do they do next, sir?" asked Max. + +"Morning drill, which is not very interesting, comes next; then the +tents are put in order." + +"That must take a good while," remarked Lulu. + +"From three to five minutes, perhaps." + +"Oh!" she cried in surprise; "how can they do it so quickly? I'm sure I +couldn't put my room at home in good order in less than ten minutes." + +"But, then, you're not a boy, you know," laughed Max. + +"I'm quite as smart as if I were," she returned promptly. "Isn't that +so, Papa?" + +"I have known some boys who were not particularly bright," he answered, +with an amused look. "Perhaps you might compare quite favourably with +them." + +"Oh, Papa!" she exclaimed; "is that the best you can say about me?" + +"I can say that my daughter seems to me to have as much brain as my +son, and of as good quality," he replied kindly, refilling her plate +as he spoke; "and I very much doubt his ability to put a room in order +more rapidly than she can, and at the same time equally well," he +concluded. + +"Well, it's a sort of womanish work anyhow,--isn't it, Papa?" queried +Max, giving Lulu another laughing look. + +"I don't see it so," replied his father. "I would be sorry to admit, +or to think, that women have a monopoly of the good qualities of order +and cleanliness." + +"I, too, sir," said Max; "and I'm quite resolved to do my father credit +in that line as well as others, at the academy and elsewhere." + +"Are we going at once, Papa?" Lulu asked as they left the table. + +"No; but probably in ten or fifteen minutes. Can you wait so long as +that?" he asked, with a humorous smile, and softly smoothing her hair +as she stood by his side. + +"Oh, yes, sir!" she answered brightly. "I hope I'm not quite so +impatient as I used to be; and I feel quite sure you'll not let Max or +me miss anything very interesting or important." + +"Not if I can well help it, daughter," he said. "I want you and Max +to see and hear all that I think will be instructive, or give you +pleasure." + +A few moments later they set out; and they had just reached the grove +up by the guard-tents, and seated themselves comfortably, when the drum +tapped for morning parade, and the cadets were seen issuing from their +tents, buttoned to the throat in faultlessly fitting uniforms, their +collars, cuffs, gloves, belts, and trousers of spotless white, their +rifles, and every bit of metal about them gleaming with polish. + +"How fine the fellows do look, Lu!" remarked Max, in an undertone. + +"Yes," she replied; "they couldn't be neater if they were girls." + +"No, I should think not," he returned, with a laugh. "Oh, see! yonder +comes the band. Now we'll soon have some music." + +"And there come some officers," said Lulu; and as she spoke the sentry +on No. 1 rattled his piece, with a shout that re-echoed from the hills, +"Turn out the guard, Commandant of Cadets!" and instantly the members +of the guard were seen hastily to snatch their rifles from the racks, +form ranks, and present arms. + +"Oh, Maxie, isn't that fine!" whispered Lulu, ecstatically. "Wouldn't +you like to be that officer?" + +"I'd ten times rather be captain of a good ship," returned Max. + +"I believe I'd rather be in the navy, too, if I were a boy," she said; +"but I'd like the army next best." + +"Yes, so would I." + +But the drum again tapped sharply, the cadets in each street resolved +themselves into two long parallel lines, elbow to elbow, and at the +last tap faced suddenly outward, while the glistening rifles sprang up +to "support arms;" every first sergeant called off his roll, every man +as he answered to his name snapping down his piece to the "carry" and +"order." + +That done, the sergeant faced his captain, saluting in soldierly +fashion, and took his post; the captain whipped out his shining sword; +the lieutenants stepped to their posts. + +"This is the morning inspection," Mr. Keith said in reply to an +inquiring look from Max and Lulu. + +"Are they very particular, sir?" queried Max. + +"Very; should a speck of rust be found on a cadet's rifle, a single +button missing from his clothing, or unfastened, a spot on his +trousers, a rip or tear in his gloves, or dust on his shoes, it +is likely to be noted on the company delinquency-book to-day, and +published to the battalion to-morrow evening." + +"I wonder if they're as strict and hard on a fellow as that at +Annapolis," thought Max to himself. "I mean to ask Papa about it." + +The inspection was soon over. + +"Now," said Mr. Keith, "there'll be a moment's breathing spell, then +more music by the band while the cadets go through some of their +exercises, which I think you will find well worth looking at." + +They did enjoy it extremely,--the music, the manoeuvres of the cadets +under the orders now of the adjutant, and again of the officer in +command. + +There followed a half-hour of rest, in which Mr. Keith introduced his +friend, Captain Raymond, to some of the other officers, and they all +had a little chat together. + +But as the clock struck nine the cadets were again in ranks. + +"What are they going to do now, Mr. Keith?" asked Lulu. + +"This is the hour for battery drill," was the reply. + +"Ah, I'm glad we're going to see that!" said Max. "I'd rather see it +than anything else." + +"The cadets are dividing and going in different directions," said Lulu. +"Some of them seem to be going down by the river." + +"Yes; some members of the senior class. They are going to what is +called the 'sea-coast battery' at the water's edge, and presently you +will hear the thunder of great guns coming from there." + +"Oh, can we go and look at them?" asked Lulu, excitedly. "May we, +Papa?" turning to him. + +"I think we shall have a finer sight up here," he replied. "Am I not +right, Mr. Keith?" + +"Yes; I think we would better remain where we are. I would like you +to see what daring horsemen these youngsters are. See yonder are the +seniors in riding-dress, with gauntlets and cavalry sabres. Watch how +easily they mount, and how perfectly at home they are upon their +steeds." + +With intense interest and no little excitement Max and Lulu watched and +listened to all that followed,--the rapid movements of column, line, +and battery, the flash of sabres, the belching of flame and smoke, +accompanied by the thundering roar of the great guns, the stirring +bugle blasts, the rearing of the horses when brought to a sudden +halt. Even the gentlemen showed unmistakable symptoms of interest and +excitement. + +The hour of battery drill passed very quickly. When it was over the +Captain called a carriage, and he, Mr. Keith, Max, and Lulu drove from +one point of interest to another, occupying in this way the time till +the hour for the boat from Albany to touch at the point. They took +passage on it to New York City, where they left it to board a Sound +steamer,--a few hours' journey in which would take them to that part +of the sea-coast of Rhode Island which had been selected as the summer +resort of the family connection. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +Early the next morning our party landed at Newport, where they took +a carriage for their sea-side home. It was early when they arrived, +but they found everybody up, and ready with a joyful welcome, in both +that house and the next two, occupied by the Dinsmores, Travillas, and +Lelands. The delight of all the Raymonds, from the Captain down to the +baby boy, was a pretty thing to see. + +The occupants of the other cottages were present, and rejoiced with +them; and from one and all Cousin Donald received a very warm welcome. +They were evidently much pleased to see him, and soon made him feel +quite at home among them. + +They all sat down to breakfast together, almost immediately upon the +arrival of the travellers, and lingered over the table in pleasant +chat, talking of what had occurred to one and another during the +absence of the Captain, Max, and Lulu, questioning Cousin Donald in +regard to loved ones more nearly related to him than to themselves, and +laying plans for his and their own entertainment during his stay among +them. + +"I hope," remarked the Captain, "that some naval vessel will come +within reach, so that we may have a chance to visit her in your +company, Donald." + +"Thank you; I would greatly enjoy so doing," Donald answered. "I +suppose a visit from such a vessel is by no means rare in these parts +at this time of year." + +"No," the Captain replied, glancing through a window looking upon the +sea, as he spoke. "Why, there is one in plain view at this moment!" he +cried, starting to his feet. + +They all hastily left the table and gathered upon a porch which gave +them a good view of the sea and the man-of-war, hardly a mile away. + +"My spy-glass, Max, my son," the Captain said. + +"Here, Papa," answered Max, putting it into his father's hand. "I knew +it would be wanted." + +"Good boy," returned the Captain. "Ah, yes," looking through the glass, +"just as I thought. It is the 'Wanita,' Captain Wade, an old friend of +mine; we were boys together in the Naval Academy." His face shone with +pleasure as he spoke. "We must visit her," he added, passing the glass +to Donald. + +Max and Lulu exchanged glances of delight,--Papa was so kind and +indulgent they were almost sure he would take them along if he knew +they wished to go. + +"Not to-day, Levis? I am sure you must be too much fatigued with your +long journey," Violet said, with a look into her husband's eyes that +seemed to add, "I could not be content to part from you for an hour +just yet." + +His answering look was as fond as her own. + +"No, dearest," he said, low and tenderly, "nor do I intend to go at all +without my little wife, unless she absolutely refuses to accompany me; +we will stay quietly at home to-day, if you wish, and perhaps visit the +'Wanita' to-morrow." + +It was a bit of private chat, the others being quite engrossed with the +'Wanita,' taking turns in gazing upon her through the glass. + +The next moment Lulu was by her father's side, asking in eager +beseeching tones, "Papa, if you go on board that war vessel won't you +take Max and me with you?" + +"I think it highly probable, in case you should both wish to go," he +said, smiling at the look of entreaty in her face and its sudden change +to one of extreme delight as she heard his reply. + +"Oh, Papa, thank you ever so much!" she cried, fairly dancing with +delight. "There's nothing I'd like better; and I hope we can all go." + +"You would enjoy it, my dear?" asked the Captain, turning to his wife. + +"I would enjoy going anywhere with you, Levis; and your company is +particularly desirable on a man-of-war," Violet answered with a happy +laugh. + +"Thank you," he returned, with a bow and smile. "We must have +them--Wade and his officers--here too. It will be a pleasure to +entertain them." + +"Oh, Papa, how delightful!" cried Lulu, clapping her hands. + +"Ah, my child, let me advise you not to be too much elated," laughed +her father; "they may have or receive orders to leave this port for +some other before our plan can be carried out." + +"What plan is it?" "To what do you refer, Captain?" asked several +voices; for nearly every one had now taken a look at the man-of-war, +and was ready to give attention to something else. + +The Captain explained. + +"Oh, how delightful!" exclaimed Zoe. "Will it be a dinner, tea, or +evening party, Captain?" + +"That question remains open to discussion, Sister Zoe," he returned, +with a twinkle of fun in his eye. "What would you advise?" + +"Oh," she said laughingly, "I am not prepared to answer that question +yet." + +Then the others joined in with proposals and suggestions, but nothing +was positively decided upon just at that time. + +The day was spent restfully in wandering along the shore, sitting on +the beach or the cottage porches, chatting and gazing out over the +sea, or napping,--most of the last-named being done by the lately +returned travellers. + +The little girls of the family, occasionally joined by Max Raymond +and Walter Travilla, spent much of the day together, rather apart +from their elders,--Lulu most of the time giving an account of her +trip out West and weeks of sojourn in the town of Minersville, the +acquaintances she had made, and all that had happened during the stay +there, especially of the sad occurrence which so seriously marred the +enjoyment of the last days of their visit, Max now and then taking part +in the narrative. + +Both had a great deal to tell about West Point and Saratoga, and the +places of historical interest in their vicinity. Evidently the trip to +the far West and back again, with their father, had been one of keen +enjoyment to both of them. + +So the day passed and evening drew on. The little ones were in bed, the +others all gathered upon the porches enjoying the delicious sea-breeze, +and the view of the rolling waves, crested with foam, and looking like +molten silver where the moonbeams fell full upon them. + +Every one seemed gay and happy, and there was a good deal of cheerful +chat, particularly on the porch of the Raymond cottage, where were +Grandma Elsie, Edward Travilla, Donald Keith, the Captain, with Violet +and his older children, and some of the other young persons. + +The sound of approaching wheels attracted their attention. A carriage +drew up in front of the house, and from it alighted a gentleman in the +uniform of a captain in the navy. + +"Wade!" exclaimed Captain Raymond, hurrying out to meet him. "My dear +friend, this is very kind in you. I had hardly hoped to see you until +to-morrow, and not then without hunting you up. You are as welcome as +this delicious sea-breeze." + +"Thanks, Raymond, that's quite a compliment," laughed the other, +shaking hands heartily; "but I deserve no thanks, as I came quite as +much for my own satisfaction as for yours. I understand you have been +here for some weeks, but I only heard of it accidentally this morning." + +"But it was only this morning I arrived," Captain Raymond said in a +tone of amusement; then, as they had stepped into the midst of the +group upon the porch, he proceeded to introduce his friend to the +ladies and gentlemen composing it. + +There followed an hour of lively, pleasant chat, during which Captain +Wade made acquaintance with not only the grown people, but the younger +ones also, seeming to take a great deal of interest in them,--Max +especially,--listening with attention and evident sympathy as Captain +Raymond told of his son's prospect of soon becoming a naval cadet. + +"You have my best wishes, Max," said Captain Wade. "I hope to live to +see you a naval officer as brave, talented, and as much beloved as your +father was, and still is." + +Max's eyes sparkled, and turned upon his father with a look of deepest +respect and affection as he replied, "I could ask nothing better than +that, sir, I am sure." + +"And I could wish you nothing better than that you may prove a son +worthy of such a father," returned Captain Wade. "I have known him +since he was a boy of your age, and never knew him to be guilty of a +mean or dishonourable act." + +"Thank you, sir," said Max, his cheeks flushing, and his eyes again +seeking his father's face with a look of reverence and filial love; "it +is very kind in you to tell me that, though it's no news to me that I'm +so fortunate as to be the son of a man any boy might be proud to own as +his father." + +"Bravo, Max!" exclaimed Mr. Keith, with a pleased laugh. "I like to +hear a boy talk in that way of his father, and certainly you have a +good right to do so." + +"No boy ever had a better right than Max has to speak well of his +father," remarked Violet, lightly, but with an earnest undertone in +her sweet voice, "and no one is more capable of judging of that than I, +who have lived with them both for years." + +"And no one could speak too well of Papa," said Lulu, with impulsive +warmth, "for there couldn't be a better man than he is." + +"I should be sorry to believe that, little daughter," he said, putting +an arm round her as she stood close at his side. Then he changed the +subject of conversation. + +A few minutes later Captain Wade took leave, giving all a cordial +invitation to return his call by a visit to the "Wanita." + +"We had talked of giving you a call to-morrow," said Captain Raymond, +"but that would be a very prompt return of your visit." + +"None too prompt," returned Wade. "Our time here together, Raymond, is +likely to be all too short, and we would better make the most of it." + +"So I think," returned the person addressed; "and I hope we shall have +the pleasure of seeing you here frequently." + +"I think he's just as nice as he can be," remarked Rosie Travilla, as +the carriage drove away with Captain Wade, "and I hope he'll visit us +again soon." + +"So do I," said Lulu, "I believe naval officers are the very nicest +gentlemen in the world." + +"That's rather strong, isn't it?" laughed her father; "and as you have +made the acquaintance of only two or three in the course of your life, +I fear you are hardly a competent judge." + +"And what of army officers, my little lady?" asked Donald Keith, with a +good-humoured laugh. "Have you nothing to say for them?" + +"Oh, yes, sir!" she said. "I forgot them at the moment, and I do really +think they are _almost_ equal to the naval ones." + +"Almost!" he repeated. "Well, even that is saying a good deal for us if +your father is a fair sample of those belonging to the navy." + +But it was growing late, and the little party soon separated for the +night. + +Lulu was nearly ready for bed when her father came to her room to +bid her good-night in the old way she liked so much. He took her in +his arms with a fond caress, asking, "Does it seem pleasant to be at +home--or with the home folks--again?" + +"Yes, indeed, Papa," she answered, putting an arm about his neck and +laying her cheek to his, "but you are always a great deal more than +half of home to me. Oh, I do love you so dearly!" + +"And I you, my own darling," her father replied, caressing her again +and again. + +"I'd rather have you to love me, Papa, than have all the money in the +world without you, or with a father that didn't care much about me," +she continued. + +"Dear child," he said in tender tones, "I value you, and each one of my +children, more than words can express. Now I must bid you good-night, +for you need all the sleep you can get between this and sunrise." + +"Oh!" she exclaimed, "I do hope to-morrow will be clear, so we can go +to see the 'Wanita;' or at least that it won't rain. Perhaps it would +be all the pleasanter for a few clouds to keep the sun from being so +hot on us." + +"No doubt," he replied; "but we must take the weather our heavenly +Father sends, and be content and thankful." + +"Yes, sir, I'll try to do so; but I do hope it will be such that we can +go." + +"I hope it will, daughter; but if you should have to give up the trip +for the time, I hope and expect to see you do so pleasantly,--which +you well may, considering that we are very likely to have other +opportunities." + +"Well, if anything should happen to keep me at home, and I'm cross or +sulky about it, I just hope you'll punish me well for my naughtiness," +she said so earnestly that he could scarcely refrain from smiling. + +"I'm sure that in that case I should punish myself quite as much as +you," he said, giving her another hug. "My dear child, if you care at +all for Papa's happiness,--as I am sure you do,--try to be so good that +he will never have the pain of inflicting any kind of punishment upon +you." + +Then he bade her good-night, and left her to her rest. + +Lulu's head was scarcely on the pillow before she was fast asleep. When +she woke, it was already broad daylight. She sprang up and ran to the +window to take an observation of the weather. + +"Cloudy, but not raining," she said, half-aloud. "Just as I'd like to +have it, if only it will keep so, and not turn to actual rain." + +With that she began making a rapid toilet, thinking she would like to +take a little run on the beach before the summons to breakfast; but +when she reached the porch below, the rain was falling pretty fast. + +"Oh, dear!" she sighed, "why couldn't it keep off for a few hours +longer?" + +"What, daughter,--the rain?" asked her father's voice close at her +side, while his hand was laid caressingly upon her head. + +"Oh, good-morning, Papa!" she returned, lifting to his a sorely +disappointed face. "I didn't know you were here. Yes, sir, it is the +rain I'm mourning over,--I do so want to visit that man-of-war to-day; +it's really a great disappointment!" + +"I'm sorry you should feel it so!" he returned in a sympathizing tone; +"but we won't despair yet. I think this is but a passing shower, which +will make the trip all the more enjoyable by cooling the air nicely for +us. However, should it prove too inclement for our contemplated little +jaunt, we must try to remember that our kind and loving heavenly Father +orders all these things, and to be patient and content,--more than +content, thankful for whatever He sends!" + +"I'll try to be content and thankful, Papa; I certainly ought, when I +have so many, _many_ blessings, and don't really deserve any of them," +she answered, putting her hand into his, and letting him lead her back +and forth along the porch, which they had to themselves for the time. + +"No; that is true of each one of us," he said. "Did you sleep well?" + +"Just as well as possible, Papa," she answered, smiling up into his +face. "I didn't know anything from the time my head touched the pillow +till I woke to find it broad daylight." + +"That is something to be very thankful for, daughter, as you will +discover should sickness and pain ever give you long hours of +wakefulness, such as fall to the lot of many a poor sufferer." + +"I hope that time will never come to either of us, Papa," she said; +"but I'd rather it would come to me than to you. Oh, it was so hard to +see you suffer that time you were sick here, and that other time, when +Thunderer threw you!" + +"Ah, I shall never forget how tenderly affectionate and helpful my +children were to me then," he said, with a look and smile that made her +heart bound. + +Now others of the family began to join them. Mr. Keith came out upon +the porch too, and after exchanging a good-morning with those who had +preceded him, remarked that it seemed doubtful if they would be able to +take their proposed trip to visit Captain Wade and his man-of-war. But +by the time breakfast and family worship were over, the clouds began to +scatter; and in another hour the carriages were at the door ready to +convey them to the wharf, whence a boat would take them to the "Wanita." + +Every one did not care to go that day; the party consisted of Grandma +Elsie, Edward, Zoe, Rosie Travilla, Evelyn Leland, Mr. Keith, and the +Raymonds, not including the very little ones, who were left at home in +the care of their nurse. + +It was pronounced by all a most enjoyable little excursion. The weather +proved favourable, clouds obscuring the sun, but no rain falling; the +officers of the "Wanita" were very polite and attentive, taking them +about the vessel, and showing them everything likely to interest ladies +and children. + +They, particularly Grandma Elsie and Violet, were charmed with the +perfect neatness everywhere noticeable; the decks, the store-rooms, +the magazine and shell rooms, the passages, the engine and fire rooms +(into which they took a peep),--indeed, all parts of the vessel shown +them,--were most beautifully neat and clean. + +The battery, which contained some new guns, seemed to interest Captain +Raymond and Mr. Keith more than anything else, while the ladies and +little girls greatly admired their brilliant polish. + +When they returned to the shore there was still time for a delightful +drive before dinner, which they took,--the best hour for bathing coming +in the afternoon. + +Captain Wade and his officers took dinner and tea with them the next +day by invitation. A great interest in the navy had been aroused in the +breasts of the young people, and they watched the officers furtively, +and listened with attention to all they said that had any bearing upon +that subject. + +Max was more and more in love with the prospect before him, and quite +resolved to make the very best of his opportunities should he be so +fortunate as to gain admission to the Naval Academy. + +His father had told him he might have this week entirely for +recreation, but on the coming Monday must begin to review his studies +preparatory to the examination he would be called upon to pass through +at Annapolis. + +"I'm very willing, Papa," he replied. "I've had a long and delightful +vacation already out West with you; and as I'm very anxious to pass +as good an examination as possible, I want to study hard to get ready +for it. And I think it's ever so kind in you to help me by hearing my +lessons." + +"Well, my boy," the Captain said, with a pleased look, "make the most +of your holidays while they last, though I do not mean that it shall be +all work and no play even after this week; a couple of hours given to +study each day will probably be all-sufficient." + +"And may I get up early and take them before breakfast when I choose, +sir?" Max asked in an eager tone, that told how delightful he would +esteem it to be ready to join in the pastimes of the rest of their +party,--driving, boating, fishing, bathing, and strolling along the +beach and through the woods. + +"Yes, my son, if you can manage to get enough sleep in season for +that," the Captain replied in an indulgent tone. + +"I think I can, sir," said the boy. "I'll take an afternoon _siesta_ if +I don't get enough sleep without." + +"That will do," said his father. "Remember health and study must be +well attended to, and the more fun and frolic you can manage to get +besides, the better I shall be pleased." + +Bent on carrying out his plan, Max went early to bed Sunday night, +and was up at his books working hard for a couple of hours before +breakfast. It still wanted fifteen or twenty minutes of that time when +he went down to the porch with his book in his hand. + +His father was alone there, looking over the morning paper. + +"Good-morning, Papa," Max said. "I am ready to recite whenever you want +to hear me." + +"Ah! are you, indeed?" the Captain said, taking the book; "then I shall +hear this lesson at once." + +Max recited very creditably. His father commended him kindly, then +said, "I am going in to the city directly after we have had breakfast +and family worship, and shall take you with me if you would like to go." + +"Thank you, sir; indeed I would!" returned Max, his eyes shining, for +he esteemed it one of his greatest pleasures and privileges to be +permitted to go anywhere with his father. + +"Yes, I think you will enjoy it," the Captain said, smiling to see how +pleased the boy was; "I have an errand which I shall tell to no one but +Cousin Donald and you. See here," pointing to an advertisement in the +paper he had been reading. + +"A yacht for sale!" exclaimed Max; "Oh, Papa, are you going to buy it?" + +"That is a question I am not prepared to answer till I have seen it, my +boy," replied his father. "I shall take you and Cousin Donald, if he +will go, to look at it and help me to decide whether to buy it or not." + +Mr. Keith joined them at that moment, and was greeted with a pleasant +good-morning and shown the advertisement, the Captain telling him that +if the yacht proved such as he would like to own, he meant to buy it, +and if the plan was agreeable to his wife, to spend the rest of the +summer on board, taking his family and friends with him, making short +voyages along the coast and perhaps some distance out to sea. + +"Taking the opportunity to give my son some lessons in navigation," he +added, with a smiling glance at Max. + +"Papa! I couldn't ask anything better!" exclaimed Max, hardly able to +contain his delight. + +"I'm glad to hear it, my boy," his father said. "But now remember that +our errand is a secret between us three until we return from the city." + +"Then you'll tell Mamma Vi and the rest, sir?" asked Max. + +"If I have made the purchase, yes." + +The call to breakfast came at that moment and was promptly obeyed. + +Max could hardly eat, so excited was he over the prospect of going to +the city with his father on so delightful an errand, but he said not a +word on the subject. + +The coachman had been given his order in good season, and by the time +family prayers were over the carriage and horses were at the gate. + +"My dear," Captain Raymond said to Violet, "a business matter calls me +to the city, but I hope to return in season to take my wife in bathing, +or out driving, or wherever she may wish to go." + +"Thank you, sir," she said, smiling up into his eyes; "I'll try to be +ready for either by the time you return. But is not this a sudden move? +I had heard nothing of it before." + +"Yes, my dear; but as I am in some haste, I must defer my explanation +until I get home again." + +"Oh, I don't ask for an explanation," she returned laughingly, as he +gave her a hasty good-by kiss; "you have always been so good since my +first acquaintance with you, that I am quite sure you may be trusted." + +"Ah! I'm much obliged for your good opinion," he answered, with a +twinkle of fun in his eye, as he hastily kissed the children, then +hurried with Donald and Max to the carriage. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +The "Dolphin" proved a trim little craft, beautifully finished and +furnished, a schooner-rigged sailing-yacht, gracefully modelled and +nearly new; but her former owner had died, and the yacht was to be sold +as a necessary measure for the settling of the estate. + +Max went into raptures over her; and the Captain was evidently pleased, +though he said very little as he went about examining every part of her +with keen scrutiny. + +"Isn't she all right, Papa?" Max at length ventured to ask. + +"I think she is, my son," was the prompt, pleasant-toned reply. "What +is your opinion, Keith?" + +"It exactly coincides with yours, Raymond; and if I wanted, and could +afford so expensive a luxury, I think I shouldn't hesitate to make an +offer for her." + +"We seem to be quite agreed in our estimate of her," said Captain +Raymond; "and I shall take your advice." + +"You are quite sure of her speed?" queried Keith. + +"Yes; I have seen accounts of her in the papers, showing that she is a +fine sailer, as I should feel confident she would be, judging merely +from her appearance. She is a beautifully modelled, well-built little +craft." + +"Looks rather small to you after the naval vessels you were wont to +command?" queried Donald Keith, with a good-humoured laugh. + +"Yes; but quite captivating to a lover of the sea, nevertheless, and +as I see she is such to Max, and have no doubt that she will be to the +rest of my family, I am about decided to make the purchase." + +Max drew a long breath, while his eyes sparkled with pleasure. + +They at once sought the agent whose business it was to attend to the +sale of the vessel. It did not take long for him and the Captain to +come to an agreement; and the "Dolphin" quickly changed owners. + +Max was enraptured, his cheeks glowing, his eyes fairly dancing with +delight. He managed, with some difficulty, to keep quiet till they were +in the carriage again on the way home, then burst out, "Papa, I think +it's just splendid that you're the owner of such a beautiful vessel! +And I hope to learn a great deal about the proper management of one +while we're sailing round in her." + +"I shall try to teach you all I can, my boy," was his father's smiling +reply; "and your pleasure in the purchase doubles my own." + +"Thank you, sir," said Max. "I intend to pay good heed to your +instructions, and learn as much as possible, so that I may pass a good +examination at Annapolis, and do my father credit." + +"But, Max, you might do him as much credit in the army as in the navy; +and how you could resist the fascinations of West Point, I don't see," +remarked Donald Keith, with a twinkle of fun in his eye. + +"Well, sir, I suppose it's because I am the son of a seaman; love for +the sea runs in the blood,--isn't that so, Papa?" + +"Altogether likely," laughed the Captain. "I have been supposed to +inherit it from my father, and he from his." + +Violet, and the other members of the family, with some of the relatives +from the adjacent cottages, were all on the porch as the carriage drew +up in front of the house, and its occupants alighted. + +"Papa! Papa!" shouted little Elsie and the baby boy, running to meet +him. + +"Papa's darlings!" the Captain said, stooping to caress and fondle +them; then, taking them in his arms, he followed Donald up the +porch-steps, Max close in his rear. + +"Take a seat, Cousin Donald," said Violet. "We are glad to see you all +back again. I have been wondering, my dear, what important business +you had to keep you so long away from me and your children." + +"It was rather important," returned the Captain, pleasantly. "Max," +with an indulgent smile into the lad's eager face, "you may have the +pleasure of telling where we have been and what we have done." + +"Oh, thank you, sir!" cried Max, and proceeded to avail himself of the +permission, going into an enthusiastic description of the beautiful +"Dolphin," and winding up with the news that Papa had bought her, and +expected to take their whole party--or, at least, as many of them as +would like to go--coasting along the shores of all the Atlantic States +of New England, and for some distance out to sea. + +Lulu was dancing with delight, hugging and kissing her father in a +transport of joy, before Max's story came to an end. + +"Oh, Papa, how good,--how good and kind you are!" she exclaimed. "I +don't think anything could be pleasanter than such a trip as that. +It'll be the greatest fun that ever was. And you'll command the vessel +yourself, won't you? I do hope so; for I am sure nobody else could do +it half so well." + +"What a flatterer my eldest daughter can show herself to be!" he +said, with a good-humoured laugh. "Yes, I do expect to take command +of the dainty little craft,--a small affair, indeed, compared with a +man-of-war. My dear," turning to Violet, "we have yet to hear from you +on this subject. I hope you approve of your husband's purchase." + +"Entirely, Levis. In fact, I am quite as much delighted as Lulu seems +to be," she answered, smiling up into his face. "What could be more +enjoyable than sailing about in such a vessel, with a retired naval +officer in command? When am I to see your 'Dolphin'?" + +"Yours quite as much as mine, my dear," he replied. "You have only to +say the word at any time, and I will take you over to look at her." + +"Oh, will you?" she exclaimed. "Then suppose we all go over this +afternoon, and see what she is like." + +"Agreed!" the Captain said; then glancing round at the eager faces, +"How many of you would like to go with us?" he asked. + +He was answered by a prompt and unanimous acceptance of his invitation. +They all wanted to see that beautiful "Dolphin;" and after a little +discussion of the matter, it was decided that they would give up the +bath for that day, and start for Newport harbour immediately upon +leaving the dinner-table. + +They made a very jovial party, and were delighted with the vessel and +the prospect of sailing in her under the command of one so kind and +competent as her new owner. + +For the next few days Captain Raymond was busy with his preparations +for the voyage,--engaging a crew and getting everything on board that +would add to the comfort and enjoyment of his family and guests; the +ladies also were occupied with theirs, which were not sufficiently +great to interfere with the usual pleasures of a sojourn by the +sea-side; then one bright morning saw them all on board,--a merry, +happy party. + +"Where are we going first, Papa?" asked Lulu, when they were fairly +under way. + +"On a little trial trip along the coast," he answered. + +"And then coming back to Newport?" questioned Gracie. + +"Possibly," he said, with a smile into the bright, eager face. + +"I think I know, though I'm not right sure," Max said, looking at his +father with a rather mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "what Papa is +thinking about." + +"Do you, indeed?" laughed his father. "Well, what is it?" + +"Well, sir, I overheard Captain Wade telling you he expected the +rest of the squadron would be in soon,--in a day or two, I think he +said,--and I have a notion it would be a fine sight for us all, and +that my father kindly means to give it to us." + +"Ah, indeed! you seem to have a great deal of confidence in your +father's desire to give pleasure to you all," laughed the Captain. +"Well, my boy, events may perhaps show whether you are right." + +The three had followed their father to a portion of the deck at some +little distance from the rest of the party, so that their talk was not +overheard by them. + +"A squadron?" repeated Grace. "What is that? Oh, it's a good many ships +belonging together,--isn't it, Papa?" + +"That will answer very well for a definition, or description," he +replied. + +"Oh, how glad I am!" exclaimed Lulu, clapping her hands in delight. +"And will they go through all their manoeuvres, Papa?" + +"As I am not the admiral whose orders are to be obeyed, I cannot say +exactly what will be done, my child," the Captain replied. "I can only +say I intend to have you in the vicinity in season to see all that may +be done. Does that satisfy you?" + +"Oh, yes, sir! and I thank you very, very much!" she said, taking his +hand in both of hers and squeezing it affectionately. + +"I too, Papa," said Grace. "I'm sure we'll enjoy it ever so much." + +"I hope so," he answered. "And now can you three keep the secret from +the others, that they may have a pleasant surprise?" + +"If we can't, or don't, I think we ought never to be told a secret +again," exclaimed Lulu, in her vehement way. + +"Perhaps you would not be intrusted with one very soon again," her +father said; "but," he added, with a look from one to the other of +mingled pride and affection, "I feel quite safe in trusting a secret to +the keeping of the eldest three of my children. I am quite sure no one +of you would tell anything you knew your father wished kept secret." + +"No, indeed, Papa!" said Max. "We would certainly deserve to be +severely punished, and never trusted by you again, if we should ever so +abuse your confidence." + +"Just what I think," said Lulu. + +"I too," added Grace. "And, Papa, it's so nice and kind in you to trust +us!" looking up into his face with a loving smile as she spoke. + +"Is it?" he asked, smoothing her hair with fond, caressing hand. "Well, +my pet, it is a very great pleasure to me to be able to do so." + +At that moment they were joined by Mr. Keith. The two gentlemen entered +into conversation; the two little girls ran down into the cabin to see +that the maid was making such disposition of their effects as they +desired; while Max, joined by Walter Travilla, made the tour of the +vessel for perhaps the fiftieth time,--for ever since the purchase, +he had spent at least half of every week-day there, learning from +his father and others all he could of her different parts and of her +management. + +Walter, too, had been there again and again, spending hours at a time +in climbing about with Max, who took much pleasure in handing over to +him the lessons just learned by himself. + +The rest of the party were seated on deck enjoying the breeze and the +beauties of sea and land,--for the latter was not yet out of sight, +though fast receding. + +The weather was lovely, every one in the best of spirits, the younger +ones full of fun and frolic, and the day passed most enjoyably to all. +The evening was enlivened by music from a very sweet-toned piano in +the cabin, by singing, conversation, promenading the deck, and gazing +out over the water, watching the rise and fall of the waves, and the +passing of ships and steamers. + +But the day had been an exciting one, especially to the children, and +they were willing enough to retire at an early hour. They gathered on +deck, each repeated a verse of Scripture, after which they united in +singing a hymn, and Mr. Dinsmore led in prayer. Then the good-nights +were said, and all the young people, with some of the older ones, +retired to their pretty, cosey state-rooms and their berths. + +Great was the surprise of nearly everybody when, coming on deck the +next morning, they discovered that they were again in Narragansett Bay. +There were many exclamations and questions, "How did it happen?" "Whose +mistake was it that instead of being away out at sea, we are back at +our starting-point again?" These and other like queries were propounded +to the owner and commander of the yacht. + +He pointed, with a good-humoured smile, to a number of war-vessels +lying quietly at anchor at no very great distance. + +"The squadron is in, you see; and I thought my passengers would not +like to miss the sight of its evolutions, so brought them back to view +them. There will be time afterward for a pleasant little voyage along +the coast, or where you will." + +The explanation was entirely satisfactory to every one, and there was +great rejoicing among the lads and lasses. + +"What is it they're going to do, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"I have not been let into that secret, daughter," he answered; "but +we may find out after awhile by keeping a close watch upon their +movements." + +"Oh, Papa, you can read their signals, and tell us what's coming, +can't you? Won't you?" exclaimed Lulu. + +"Yes, my child, I can and will," he replied. "But there is the call to +breakfast, and you needn't hurry through your meal; for they are not +likely, for some hours yet, to begin anything you would want to see." + +Encouraged by that assurance, no one cared to make undue haste in +eating all that appetite called for of the excellent breakfast +presently set before them. But an hour later found them all on deck, +young and old keeping a sharp watch on every movement of the vessels +composing the squadron, several spy-glasses being constantly turned in +their direction. + +"Ah!" exclaimed the Captain, at length, while at the same instant Max +asked eagerly, "Papa, what is it they are doing there on the 'Wanita'?" + +"Getting ready for inspection by the Admiral," was the reply. "See, the +men have donned their uniforms and are taking their places on the deck. +And yonder--do you see?--the Admiral and his staff are pushing off from +the flag-ship." + +The boatswain's whistle and the roll of a drum were now heard coming +from the "Wanita." + +"Oh, and is that the executive officer on the bridge of the 'Wanita,' +Papa?" asked Max, excitedly. "And what is he doing?" + +"Giving an order to the gunner, doubtless to fire a salute in honour of +the Admiral." + +Before the words had fairly left the Captain's lips, the loud boom of +the first gun burst upon the ear. + +"Oh, Max, wouldn't you like to be in that Admiral's place?" queried +Walter Travilla; "I would." + +"Oh, our Maxie means to be an admiral one of these days; and I'm sure I +hope he will," said Rosie. + +"Very good in you, Rosie," returned Max, smiling and blushing; "but I'm +afraid I'll be an old man before that happens, if it ever does." + +"But you may comfort yourself that you can be very useful in +maintaining your country's honour without waiting to be made an +admiral," remarked Evelyn Leland, smiling pleasantly at Max. + +"Yes," he said, returning the smile, "and it _is_ a comfort. We'd any +of us feel it an honour to be useful to our country." + +"I'd like to be," remarked Gracie, "if little girls could do anything." + +"Little girls are sometimes a very great blessing and comfort to +their fathers," the Captain said, smiling down into her eyes while he +laid his right hand tenderly on her pretty head, with its sunny curls +streaming in the wind. + +In the mean while the firing of the salute had gone on, the Admiral and +his staff had reached the deck of the "Wanita," the marines presenting +arms, and-- + +"There, what is he going to do now, Papa?" queried Lulu,--"the Admiral, +I mean." + +"Inspect the ship," replied her father. + +"What for, Papa?" asked Grace. + +"To see that every part of it is in perfect order." + +"I'm sure he will find it so," said Lulu; "for when we were there and +were taken all over it, every part was as clean and neat as any lady's +parlour." + +Captain Raymond now turned away and began talking with Mr. Keith on +some subject that did not interest the children, but they continued a +close watch of the "Wanita." + +The Admiral presently disappeared from the deck, but at length they saw +him there again, talking with Captain Wade and his officers; then, in a +few moments he and his staff re-embarked and returned to the flag-ship. + +"What's going to be done now?" asked one and another. + +"Watch, and you will see presently," said Captain Raymond. "If you do +not wish to miss something, I advise you to keep both eyes and ears +open." + +The advice seemed to be promptly followed. All eyes gazed intently in +the direction of the "Wanita" and the flag-ship. + +Presently a signal was shown by the flag-ship which Captain +Raymond promptly interpreted for the enlightenment of those about +him,--"Abandon ship." + +"What does that mean, Papa?" asked Grace. + +"Look and see if you can't find out for yourself," he answered in a +pleasant tone. + +The signal seemed to have caused a commotion on the deck of each vessel +belonging to the squadron. Then there was a great splashing of boats +into the water, and of other craft which the Captain explained were +life-rafts and catamarans; while at the same time men and boys were +scampering about with various articles which he said were provisions, +nautical instruments, etc., such as would be needed if the ships were +really abandoned out at sea. + +"But why would they ever do that, Papa?" Grace asked wonderingly. "I +should think it would always be better to stay in their ships, wouldn't +it?" + +"Not always, daughter. The ship might be on fire, or leaking so badly +that she would be in danger of sinking." + +"Oh, yes, sir! I didn't think of that," she responded. + +"Oh, see!" said Rosie; "they've all pushed off away from their ships, +and the 'Wanita's' boats are ahead of all the others." + +"Now what are they going to do, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"I can tell that only when I see the flag-ship's next signal," he +replied. "Ah, there it is, and tells them to go round the harbour under +sail." + +The children watched with interest and delight as the order was obeyed. +It was a very pretty sight, but soon came another signal from the +flag-ship, which the Captain told them was one of recall; and the boats +returned to their ships. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +The squadron steamed out to sea, the "Dolphin" keeping most of the time +within sight of the naval vessels, its passengers being anxious to see +more of the evolutions of the men-of-war, and their commanding officer +very willing to indulge their wish. They were out simply for pleasure, +and were free to turn in any desired direction. + +The weather was all that could possibly be wished; and in the evening +everybody was on deck except the very little ones, who were already in +their nests. The vessels of the squadron were in sight, and all eyes +turned frequently in their direction. + +"Do you think they'll do anything to-night, Papa?" asked Grace, taking +possession of her father's knee, for at the moment he was sitting among +the others. + +"Who, daughter?" he asked, smoothing her hair with caressing hand. + +"Oh, the Admiral and the rest of them on those war-ships. What do they +do at such times when they seem to be sailing around just for pleasure?" + +"I rather think it is for profit too," he said. "'In time of peace +prepare for war.'" + +"But how do they prepare for war, Papa?" + +"By having sham fights: going through the motions in a way to do harm +to no one; firing what we call blank cartridges,--powder but no balls; +getting the men so familiar with their guns that they can handle them +rapidly and without making mistakes even in the dark. Ah, see! there +it comes!" as at that instant a signal-light from the flag-ship shot +up several hundred feet into the air, speedily followed by another and +another, till the whole sky seemed bright with them; while Captain +Raymond, the only one on the yacht who understood the messages, read +them off to the others and called their attention to the movements of +the ships in prompt obedience to the orders. + +"What is that they're doing, Papa?" asked Grace, presently. + +"Arranging themselves in different orders of battle," he replied, and +proceeded to explain each movement as it was made. + +"It's ever so nice to see them," she said, "though I do hope they won't +ever have to do any real fighting." + +"I hope not, indeed," her father said; "but in this wicked, quarrelsome +world the only way to secure peace is to show that we are ready for +self-defence in case of attack." + +"How beautifully and promptly every signal is obeyed!" remarked Grandma +Elsie. "It is a sight worth coming a long distance to see." + +"Yes, Mamma," said Violet; "and I'm proud of our navy, even though it +is so inferior in size to that of England." + +"Inferior in size, but in nothing else, I believe, Mamma Vi," said Max, +speaking with some excitement. "You know we've whipped the British +twice on the sea in spite of their navy being so very much larger than +ours." + +"Yes, Maxie, I believe I'm as proud of that fact as even you can be," +laughed Violet, while his father gave him a look of mingled amusement +and pride. + +"I think," remarked Edward Travilla, "that from the beginning of our +national life our navy has been one to be proud of." + +"In which I entirely agree with you," said the Captain. "But the +exhibition seems to be over for to-night, and the hour is a late one to +find our young people out of bed." + +"Must we go now, Papa?" Lulu asked in a coaxing tone which seemed to +add, "I hope you will let us stay at least a little longer." + +"Yes," he said; "my little girls may say good-night now and go at once." + +They obeyed promptly and cheerfully, and before long the others +followed their example, till Mr. Keith and the Captain had the deck to +themselves. + +They lingered there for quite a long while, seeming to have fallen +upon some very interesting topic of conversation; but it was suddenly +broken in upon by the sound of the flag-ship's drum, instantly followed +by those of all the other vessels of the squadron. + +"Ah, what is the meaning of that, Raymond?" asked Keith, gazing toward +the war-ships with keen interest and excitement. "It sounds to me like +a call to battle." + +"So it is," replied the Captain,--"a night exercise at the great guns, +training the men so that they may be ready for all the surprises of a +time of war." + +Even as he spoke his passengers came hurrying from the cabin, the +ladies and young girls wrapped in dressing-gowns and shawls, hastily +thrown on to conceal their night-dresses, one and another asking +excitedly what was going to be done now. But even as the words left +their lips the thunder of cannon burst upon their ears, drowning the +Captain's voice when he would have replied. + +"Oh, is it war, brother Levis, _really_ war?" queried little Walter, in +great excitement. + +"No, my boy; only a playing at war, I am thankful to be able to say. +You may look and listen without fear that any one is to be killed, or +even wounded, unless through carelessness." + +But the cannon were thundering again, ship after ship firing off whole +broadsides at some imaginary foe. At length, however, it was all over, +and the passengers of the "Dolphin" returned to their berths to stay +there for the remainder of the night. + +"Why, we are anchored, are we not, Levis?" Violet asked of her husband +on awakening the next morning. + +"Yes, my dear," he answered; "we are riding at anchor in Gardiner's +Bay. I suspected that would prove the destination of the squadron, it +being about the best place for naval exercises in our Northern waters; +and it seems I was right. The squadron is at anchor now at no great +distance from us." + +"And what do you suppose they will do here?" + +"Probably fight some sham battles on sea and land. Do you care to +witness such?" + +"Oh, very much! I should greatly prefer witnessing a sham battle to a +real one. But they won't be likely to begin it immediately, I suppose?" + +"No; I presume we shall have time for a hearty breakfast first," +replied her husband, with a slight look of amusement. "Don't allow the +prospect of witnessing a battle to spoil your appetite for your morning +meal, little wife." + +"Oh, no," she answered, with a pleasant laugh. "I really am not now so +much of a child as all that would come to." + +It was not long before she and nearly every other passenger had sought +the deck to take a look at their surroundings. + +They found Gardiner's Bay a beautiful body of water bounded by islands +on nearly every side, that forming its eastern shore bearing the same +name. There were a large number of vessels in the bay,--several sloops, +schooners, and a yacht or two beside the "Dolphin," to say nothing of +the squadron of war-ships. But all were lying quietly at anchor, and +our friends willingly responded to the call to breakfast. + +Yet no one cared to linger at the table; and when all had finished +their repast they quickly repaired to the deck to watch the movements +of the squadron. But for a while there seemed to be none, the vessels +all riding quietly at anchor. + +"Dear me!" Rosie at length exclaimed, "I wish they'd begin to do +something!" + +"I think they are going to," said Max. "See, there's a boat leaving the +flag-ship; I suppose to carry a message to one of the others." + +"Oh, I'll go and ask Papa about it!" exclaimed Lulu. + +"About what, daughter?" asked the Captain's voice close at her side. + +"That boat that has just left the flag-ship, sir," she answered. "Do +you know where it's going, and what for?" + +"I can only conjecture that it carries some message, probably from the +Admiral to the commander of one of the other vessels." + +"It's pulling for the 'Wanita,'" said Max; "and see, there are other +boats going about from one vessel to another." + +"Yes," his father said, "and see yonder are several boats filled with +marines, pulling for the shore of Gardiner's Island. Evidently there is +to be a sham fight." + +"I'm ever so glad it won't be a real one, Papa," said Grace. "It would +be so dreadful to see folks killed." + +"It would indeed," he answered. "But you may enjoy the show as much as +you can, for no one will be hurt unless by accident." + +"All the ships seem to be getting boats ready packed with things," +remarked Lulu; "I wonder what they are." + +"Quite a variety," replied her father,--"great guns, baggage, arms, +provisions, and boxes that doubtless contain materials and tools for +repairs, compasses, and other articles too numerous to mention. There! +the vessels are signalling that they are ready." + +"They are getting into the boats!" exclaimed Max, clapping his hands in +delight; "and the other fellows that went first to the island seem to +be waiting and all ready to fight them." + +Every one on the "Dolphin" was now watching the embarkation with +interest, the children in a good deal of excitement; it was like a +grand show to them. + +"Oh, it's a beautiful sight!" said Eva. "How bright their guns and +bayonets are, with the sun shining on them! And there are the beautiful +stars and stripes flying from every boat. But they are all in now,--at +least I should think so; the boats look full,--and why don't they +start?" + +"They are waiting for the Admiral's inspection and order," replied +Captain Raymond. "Ah, see, there he is on the bridge of the flag-ship, +with his field-glass, looking them over. And now the signal is given +for them to proceed." + +The boats moved off at once in the direction of the island where the +marines had preceded them. Captain Raymond's explanations making all +their movements well understood by the young people around him, who +thought they had never witnessed so fine a sight as the mimic fight +that presently ensued, opened by the marines firing a volley of blank +cartridges from the shore, which was immediately replied to by the +approaching boats with musketry, howitzers, and Gatling guns. + +Soon they reached the shore and landed, the marines meanwhile pouring +forth an unceasing fire from behind their breastworks. + +A fierce battle followed; there were charges and counter-charges, +advances and retreats, men falling as if wounded or killed, and being +carried off the field by the stretcher-men. + +That last-mentioned sight brought the tears to Gracie's blue eyes, and +she asked in tremulous tones, "Are they really hurt or killed, Papa?" + +"No, darling," he said, pressing the small hand she had put into his, +"it is all pretence, just to teach them what to do in case of actual +war." + +"Oh, I hope that won't ever come!" she exclaimed, furtively wiping away +a tear. "Do you think it will, Papa?" + +"Hardly," he said; "but it would be the height of folly not to prepare +for such a contingency." + +"Hurrah!" cried Max, throwing up his cap, "our side's whipped and the +other fellows are retreating!" + +"Which do you call our side? And do you mean it _is_ whipped, or _has_ +whipped?" asked Rosie, with a laughing glance at the boy's excited face. + +But the Captain was speaking again, and Max was too busy listening to +him to bestow any notice upon Rosie's questions. + +"Yes," the Captain said, "the marines are retreating; the battle +is about over. Our side, as Max calls it, you see, is throwing out +advance-guards, rear-guards, and flankers." + +"What for, brother Levis?" asked Walter. + +"To make sure that they have taken the island." + +"And what will come next, Captain?" asked Grandma Elsie, who was +watching the movements of the troops with as much interest as the +children. + +"Fortification, doubtless," he replied. "Ah, yes; they are already +beginning that work. They must fortify the island in order to be able +to hold it." + +"How, Papa?" asked Grace. + +"By throwing up breastworks, digging rifle-pits, planting guns, and so +forth. If you watch closely, you will see what they do." + +The children--to say nothing of the older ones--watched closely and +with keen interest all the movements of the troops until interrupted by +the call to dinner. + +They had scarcely returned to their post of observation on the deck, +having had barely time to notice the completed fortifications, the +tents pitched, and the troops at their midday meal, when a tiny strip +of bunting was seen fluttering at the flag-ship's main. + +Captain Raymond was the first to notice it. "Ah!" he said, "the fun +on the island is over,--at least for the present,--for there is the +Admiral's signal of recall." + +"I'll bet the fellows are sorry to see it!" exclaimed Max; "for I +dare say they were going to have some fun there on the island they've +taken." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +Things were rather quiet for the rest of the day, much to Max's +disgust, though at his father's bidding he tried to forget the +disappointment in study. + +Toward evening Captain Raymond learned something of the Admiral's +plans. Two of the vessels were to take possession of a part of the bay +set off as a harbour, the others to blockade the entrance. + +In reporting the matter to his passengers, "Now," he said, "the +preparations will take them two or three days, and the question is, +shall we stay to see it all, or turn about and seek entertainment +elsewhere? Let us have the opinion of all the older people, beginning +with Grandpa Dinsmore," looking pleasantly at the old gentleman as he +spoke. + +"My preference would be rather for going at once," replied Mr. +Dinsmore; "yet I am entirely willing to have the matter decided by +your younger people. I shall be quite content to stay on if it seems +desirable to the rest of the company." + +The vote of the ladies and gentlemen was then taken, when it appeared +that the majority were in favour of immediate departure; and the +children, though at first disappointed, grew quite reconciled when a +little time had been spent in considering what might be seen and done +in other quarters. + +"I think, Ned," Zoe said to her husband, "that we would better go back +to our cottage, because Laurie and Lily are growing fretful,--tired of +the sea, I think." + +"Very well, my dear, we will do so if you wish it," was the +good-natured reply. "Strange as it may seem, I too am quite desirous +to make our twin babies as comfortable as possible," he added, with a +pleasant laugh. + +"I am sorry you should miss the sight of further operations here, +Cousin Donald," remarked Grandma Elsie, turning to her kinsman. + +"Thank you, Cousin Elsie," he replied; "but though that would be an +interesting sight to me, I expect to find almost if not equal enjoyment +in a run out to sea or along shore with my friend Raymond in command of +the vessel." + +"Oh, I think that'll be just splendid," exclaimed Max, "and that before +we get back, Cousin Donald, you'll be ready to own up that the navy is +a more desirable place to be in than the army." + +"Perhaps he wouldn't own up even if he thought so," remarked Rosie, +with a merry look at her cousin; "I don't believe I should if I were in +his place." + +"Possibly I might," he returned, laughingly, "but I certainly do not +expect to fall quite so deeply in love with a 'life on the ocean wave,' +though I hope to be always willing and anxious to serve my country +wherever and whenever I may be needed. I think both army and navy +always have been, and always will be, ready to defend her on land or +sea." + +"Yes, sir, I believe that's so," said Max. "And if ever we should have +another war, I hope I'll be able to help defend her." + +"I hope so, my boy," the Captain said, regarding the lad with an +expression of fatherly pride and affection. + +An hour later the "Dolphin" was sailing out of the bay, all her +passengers gathered on deck, taking a farewell look at the vessels +belonging to the squadron, and on awaking in the morning they found +themselves lying at anchor in Newport harbour. + +They returned to their cottages for a day or two; then the Raymonds, +Grandma Elsie, with the youngest two of her children, and Donald Keith, +again set sail in the "Dolphin." + +The weather was all that could be desired, every one well and in the +best of spirits. + +Max was required to devote a part of each day to study, and recitation +to his father, but did not grumble over that, and took great delight in +the lessons in practical navigation given him daily by the Captain. + +"Papa," he asked one day, "what's the need of a boy going to the Naval +Academy when he can learn everything he needs to know on shipboard with +a father like you?" + +"But he can't," replied the Captain; "how to sail a ship is by no means +all he needs to know to fit him to be an officer in the navy." + +"Why, what else is necessary, sir?" asked Max, with a look of surprise. + +"A number of things which you saw done at Newport and at Gardiner's Bay +are quite necessary. He must know how to fight a battle, take charge of +an ordnance foundry, and conduct an astronomical observatory; must have +a good knowledge of history, be an able jurist and linguist, and a good +historian,--besides knowing how to manage a ship in calm or storm." + +"Whew! what a lot of things to cram into one head!" laughed Max, with a +slightly troubled look on his bright young face. + +"Isn't yours big enough to hold it all?" asked his father, with an +amused smile. + +"I dare say it is, sir," replied Max, "but the difficulty is to pack it +all in right. I presume the teachers will help me to do that, though." + +"Certainly; and if you follow their directions carefully you will have +no need to fear failure." + +"Thank you, sir. That's very encouraging," said Max; "and I am fully +determined to try my very best, Papa, if it was only not to disgrace my +father." + +"My dear son," the Captain said, a trifle huskily, and taking the boy's +hand in a warm clasp, "I don't doubt that you intend to do as you have +said; but never forget that your only safety is in keeping close to Him +who has said, 'In Me is thine help.'" + +It was Saturday evening,--the first that had found them on the broad +ocean, out of sight of land. They were all on deck, enjoying the +delicious evening breeze and a most brilliant sunset. + +"Papa," Gracie said, breaking a momentary silence, "what are we going +to do about keeping the Lord's Day to-morrow? We can't go to church, +you know, unless you can sail the 'Dolphin' back to land in the night." + +"I cannot do that, daughter," he answered; "but I can conduct a service +here on the deck. How will that do, do you think?" + +"I don't know, Papa," she replied, with some hesitation, blushing and +looking fearful of hurting his feelings; "I s'pose you couldn't preach +a sermon?" + +"Why not?" he asked, smiling a little at her evident embarrassment. + +"Because you're not a minister, Papa." + +"Why, Gracie! Papa's as good as any minister, I'm sure," exclaimed +Lulu, half reproachfully, half indignantly. + +"Of course he is; I didn't mean that!" returned Gracie, just ready to +burst into tears; "I didn't mean he wasn't as good as anybody in this +whole world,--for of course he is,--but I thought it was only ministers +that preach." + +"But I can read a sermon, my pet," the Captain said, "or preach one if +I choose; there is no law against it. And we can pray and sing hymns +together; and if we put our hearts into it all, our heavenly Father +will be as ready to listen to us as to other worshippers in the finest +churches on the land." + +"That is a very comforting truth," remarked Grandma Elsie; "it is very +sweet to reflect that God is as near to us out on the wide and deep sea +as to any of his worshippers on the dry land." + +"You will hold your service in the morning, I suppose, Captain?" Mr. +Keith said inquiringly. + +"That is what I had thought of doing, sir," was the reply. "Have you +any suggestions to make?" + +"Only that we might have a Bible class later in the day." + +"Yes, sir; that was a part of my programme,--at least I had thought of +teaching my own children, as is customary with me at home; but if the +suggestion meets with favour, we will resolve ourselves into a Bible +class, each one able to read taking part. What do you all say to the +proposition?" + +"I highly approve," said Grandma Elsie; "I am sure the day could not be +better spent than in the study of God's Holy Word." + +"Nor more delightfully," said Violet. + +"I think we would all like it, Captain," Evelyn remarked in her quiet +way. + +"I'm sure I shall," said Lulu; "Papa always makes Bible lessons very +interesting." + +"That's so," said Max; "I was never taught by any minister or +Sunday-school teacher that made them half so interesting." + +"It is quite possible that your near relationship to your teacher may +have made a good deal of difference, my children," the Captain said +gravely, though not unkindly. "But who shall act as teacher on this +occasion is a question still to be decided. I propose Grandma Elsie, as +the eldest of those present, and probably the best qualified." + +"All in favour of that motion please say ay," added Violet, playfully. +"I am sure no better teacher could be found than Mamma, though I +incline to the opinion that my husband would do equally well." + +"Much better, I think," Grandma Elsie said; "and I would greatly +prefer to be one of his pupils." + +"I can hardly consider myself wise enough to teach my mother," said the +Captain, colouring and laughing lightly, "even though she is far too +young to be own mother to a man of my age." + +"But you may lead a Bible class of which she forms a part, may you +not?" queried Donald Keith. + +"I suppose that might be possible," the Captain replied, with a +humourous look and smile. + +"I'm sure you can and will, since such is your mother's wish," Grandma +Elsie said in a sportive tone, "and so we may consider that matter +settled." + +"And Mamma's word having always been law to her children, we will +consider it so," Violet said. "Shall we not, Levis?" + +"As good and dutiful children I suppose we must, my dear," he returned +in the playful tone she particularly liked. + +Sunday morning dawned clear and beautiful, a delicious breeze filling +the sails and wafting the vessel swiftly onward over the sparkling +water. + +An hour or so after breakfast, captain, passengers, and crew, +except the man at the helm, gathered on deck, every one in neat and +appropriate dress. The ladies, gentlemen, and children sat on one side, +the crew on the other, Captain Raymond standing between. A Bible and a +pile of hymn-books lay on a stand before him, and Max was directed to +distribute the latter. They were a part of the supplies Captain Raymond +had laid in for the voyage. + +A melodeon also stood near the stand, and Violet, seating herself +before it, led the singing with which the service opened. + +The Captain then offered a short prayer, read a portion of Scripture, a +second hymn was sung; then he gave them a short discourse on the text, +"They hated Me without a cause." + +With much feeling and in simple language that the youngest and most +ignorant of his hearers could readily understand, he described the +lovely character and beneficent life of Christ upon earth,--always +about His Father's business, doing good to the souls and bodies of +men,--and the bitter enmity of the scribes and Pharisees, who "hated +Him without a cause." Then he went on to tell of the agony in the +garden, the betrayal by Judas,--"one of the twelve,"--the mockery of a +trial, the scourging and the crown of thorns, the carrying of the cross +and the dreadful death upon it. + +"All this He bore for you and for me," he concluded in tones tremulous +with emotion; "constrained by His great love for us, He died that +dreadful death that we might live. And shall we not love Him in return? +Shall we not give ourselves to Him, and serve Him with all our powers? +It is a reasonable service, a glad service,--a service that gives rest +to the soul. He says to each one of us, 'Take My yoke upon you, and +learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest +unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.' + +"Ah, do not refuse or neglect His invitation, for the only choice is +between His service and that of Satan,--that malignant spirit whose +fierce desire and effort is to drag all souls down to his own depths of +sin and misery; and Jesus only can save you from falling into his cruel +hands. But He--the Lord of Life and Glory--invites us all to come and +be saved, and 'now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation.' +Delay is most dangerous; life is very uncertain. We are sure of no time +but now." + +He closed the Bible and sat down; and Violet, again seating herself +before the melodeon, softly touched the keys and sang in sweet, +low tones, but so distinctly that every word reached the farthest +listener,-- + + "Come to Jesus, come to Jesus; + Come to Jesus just now, just now; + Come to Jesus, come to Jesus just now." + +Then, at a sign from the Captain, Mr. Keith followed with an earnest +prayer; and with another hymn in which all united, the services closed. + +Among the crew was one young man in whom the Captain and Grandma +Elsie had both come to feel a peculiar interest. He was evidently an +American, and possessed of more intelligence and education than the +average sailor before the mast. He had listened with close attention +to the Captain's discourse, and with a troubled countenance, as Mrs. +Travilla had noticed. + +"The Holy Spirit is striving with him, I have little doubt," she said +to herself. "Ah, if I could but help him to find Jesus, and to know the +sweetness of His love!" + +It was not long before the desired opportunity offered. The young man +was at the wheel and no one near, while she paced the deck slowly and +alone. Gradually she approached, and when close at his side made some +pleasant remark about the vessel and the course they were steering. + +He responded in a polite and respectful manner. + +Then she spoke of the service of the morning, said she had noticed the +attention he paid to the Captain's short sermon, and asked in kindest +words and tones if he, like herself, was one who loved Jesus, and +trusted in Him for salvation from sin and eternal death. + +He sighed deeply, then said with emotion, "No, madam, but--I wish I +were." + +"But what is to hinder, my friend, since He says, 'Him that cometh to +me I will in no wise cast out'?" she asked gently, feelingly. + +He was silent for a moment, evidently from emotion, then said, rather +as if thinking aloud than addressing her, "If I only knew just how!" + +"He is very near, and His omniscient eye reads the heart," she said low +and feelingly. "Speak to Him just as if you could see Him,--as if you +were kneeling at His feet,--and He will hear. + +"The Bible says. 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to +forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' Do +you want that cleansing, my friend?" + +He bowed a silent assent. + +"Then go to Jesus for it," she said. "He, and He alone, can give it. +He shed His blood for us that 'God may be just and the justifier of +him that believeth in Jesus;' for 'the blood of Jesus Christ His Son +cleanseth us from all sin.'" + +There was a moment's silence; then, "I'd like to be a Christian, +ma'am," he said, "such as I see you and the Captain are, but--" + +The sentence was left unfinished; and after a moment's pause. "I should +like you to be a better one than I am," she said, "but Jesus only can +make you such. The work is too difficult for any human creature; but +Jesus is all-powerful,--'able to save them to the uttermost that come +unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.' +Is not that a precious assurance?" + +"It is indeed, ma'am, if--if I only knew it meant me." + +"You certainly will be one of those of whom it speaks if you 'come unto +God by Him;' and He invites you to come: 'Come unto Me all ye that +labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'" + +"Could you tell me just how, ma'am,--as if you were pointing out the +right road to a traveller, for instance?" + +"I will try," she said. "You must remember that He is always +near,--close to us, though we cannot see Him; and you may speak to Him +as readily, and with as much assurance that you will be heard, as you +have been speaking to me. + +"He is full of love and compassion,--love so infinite, compassion so +great that He was willing to endure all the agony of death upon the +cross, and the far greater suffering caused by the burden of the sins +of the world and the consequent hiding of His Father's face; therefore +He will not cast you out, will not turn away from you, if you come in +true penitence and faith. + +"Make confession of your sins and plead for pardon and acceptance as +you would if you could see Him while kneeling at His feet; and He will +grant it, will forgive all your transgressions and adopt you into His +family to be His own child forever." + +But others of the passengers were now drawing near, and he had only +time to thank her for her kindly interest in him, and promise to think +of what she had been saying, before Walter and Max were at her side, +calling her attention to a passing vessel. + +A very interesting Bible lesson filled up most of the afternoon, both +adults and children taking part; and in the evening hymns were sung and +conversation held such as was suited to the sacredness of the day. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +A few days longer the "Dolphin" kept on her eastward course, then was +headed for the shore of Massachusetts, bound for Boston, where Mr. +Keith must leave her, his furlough having now nearly expired. He and +his cousins would be sorry to part; but there was no help for it, as +Uncle Sam's orders must be obeyed. + +The young folks of the party had particularly enjoyed the little trip +out to sea, but expected to find a sail along the coast of the New +England States quite as much to their taste, particularly as it would +give them an opportunity to look upon some of the scenes of incidents +in the two wars with England. + +They had come in sight of the coast and were all gathered upon the deck. + +"That is Scituate, is it not, Captain?" asked Grandma Elsie, indicating +a town that had just come into view. + +"Yes," he replied, "and I presume you remember the story of the last +war with England, connected with it?" + +"I do," she answered; "but I presume it would be new to some at least +of these young people." + +Then entreaties for the story poured in upon her and the Captain from +both boys and girls. + +"It is but a short one; and I would prefer to have the Captain tell +it," Mrs. Travilla replied. + +"Oh, Papa, please do!" exclaimed Lulu; and he complied. + +"It was, as I have said, during the last war with England that the +occurrence I am about to tell of took place. At that time there was a +light-house in the harbour kept by a man named Reuben Bates, who had a +family of grown-up sons and daughters. + +"He and his sons were members of a militia company of the town, and one +day during the war they were all absent from home on that business, +leaving the light-house in charge of the daughters, Abigail and Rebecca. + +"The girls, who were no doubt keeping a vigilant watch for the approach +of the enemy, saw a British ship entering the harbour, and conjectured +that it was the design of those on board of her to destroy the +fishing-boats in the harbour and perhaps burn the town, or at least rob +its inhabitants. + +"They must have been brave girls, for at once they began to consider +what they could do to drive away the would-be invaders. + +"I presume Abigail exclaimed, 'Oh, if we could only make them think +there were troops ready to defend the town, and so frighten them +away!' And very likely Rebecca replied, 'Perhaps we can. If you can +play the fife, I'll beat the drum; and if we are hidden from sight they +may think there are troops ready to receive them if they come ashore, +and so be afraid to land.' + +"So they went around behind some sand-hills and played 'Yankee Doodle' +in a lively way that had exactly the desired effect. + +"The British ship had sent out boats filled with armed men who were +pulling for the shore; but on hearing the music of the drum and fife, +they evidently concluded that there might be a large force of American +soldiers ready to receive them, and thinking 'discretion the better +part of valour,' turned about and pulled back to their ship again +without attempting to land." + +"Oh, wasn't that good?" exclaimed Lulu; "I think the fathers and +brothers of those girls must have been proud of them." + +"Yes, I dare say they were," said Max. + +"I wonder what became of them--those girls--afterward?" said Rosie. "Of +course they must have been dead and gone long before this." + +"No," replied the Captain, "Abigail died only recently at the advanced +age of eighty-nine." + +"Papa, won't you stay awhile in Boston and take us to see some of +the places connected with Revolutionary times,--Bunker Hill and its +monument, and maybe some others?" asked Max. + +"I shall be pleased to do so, my son, if nothing happens to prevent," +was the pleasant-toned reply. "It is my strong desire to have my +children well-informed in regard to the history of their own country." + +"And ardent patriots too, Papa, ready to defend her to the utmost of +their ability should she be attacked by any other power?" queried Max, +looking smilingly up into his father's face. + +"Yes, my son; particularly the boys," replied the Captain, smiling in +his turn at the lad's enthusiasm. + +"Well, there's one of your girls that I am sure would find a way +to help, Papa,--nursing the wounded soldiers perhaps, or carrying +despatches or something," said Lulu; "perhaps giving information of an +intended attack by the enemy, as Lydia Darrah did." + +"I have no doubt you would do all you could, daughter, and might +perhaps be of more assistance than many a man," her father answered +kindly. + +"I'm afraid I shouldn't be brave enough to do such things as that," +remarked Grace, with a look that seemed to say she felt herself quite +inferior to her braver sister; "but I could pray for my country, and +I know that God hears and answers prayer,--so that would be helping, +wouldn't it, Papa?" + +"Yes, my dear child; the Bible tells us a great deal about the power of +prayer; 'Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and +thou shalt glorify Me,' is one of its promises." + +"Yes," said Grandma Elsie, "a cry to God, the Ruler of the universe, +for help, may accomplish more than any effort on the part of man to do +for himself." + +"But people must help themselves too, Mamma?" Walter said, half in +assertion, half inquiringly. + +"Yes, my son, if they can; 'Faith without works is dead,' the Apostle +says. The right way is to do all we can to help ourselves, at the same +time asking God's blessing upon our efforts." + +"As General Washington did," remarked Mr. Keith. "He was a man of both +works and prayer,--a blessing to his country, and to the world; in my +estimation the greatest mere man that ever lived. 'First in peace, +first in war, first in the hearts of his countrymen.'" + +"Yes," assented Grandma Elsie, "I like the toast given by some one,--I +have forgotten who it was,--'Washington: Providence left him childless +that his country might call him father.' He seems to me to have been as +nearly perfect as one of the sinful race of man could be!" + +"Yes," responded Captain Raymond; "thoroughly unselfish, just, +generous, modest, self-denying and self-sacrificing, charitable to the +poor, forgiving, fearless and heroic; a God-fearing man who sought +nothing for himself, but was ready to do or die for his country; +true to her, to his friends, to his God; a sincere and earnest +Christian,--where can a more noble character be found?" + +"I think," said Mrs. Travilla, "he was an instrument raised up and +prepared of God for the work that he did in securing to our beloved +country the liberties she now enjoys." + +"I very much like what Lord Brougham says of him," remarked Violet. + +"Oh, can you repeat it, Mamma Vi?" queried Lulu, eagerly. + +"Yes, I think I can," returned Violet, who was blessed with an +excellent memory. + +"'It will be the duty of the historian and sage in all ages to let +no occasion pass of commemorating this illustrious man; and until +time shall be no more, will a test of the progress which our race has +made in wisdom and virtue be derived from the veneration paid to the +immortal name of Washington!'" + +"I like that," said Rosie, her eyes sparkling with pleasure and +enthusiasm, "and it's none the worse for having come from an +Englishman." + +"Not a bit," assented Keith. + +"Mamma, was Washington commander at the battle of Bunker Hill?" asked +Walter. "I ought to know; but I can't remember just now." + +"No, my son," she answered, "it was fought before he reached +Boston,--in fact, the very day, June 17, that Congress agreed to +his commission as commander-in-chief of all the Continental forces +raised, or to be raised; and on the 21st he set out on horseback from +Philadelphia for Boston to take command of the American army encamped +there,--or rather around it, the British being in possession of the +town itself. News did not fly then as it does in these days, by any +means; and it was not till he arrived in New York, on the 25th, that +the tidings reached him. + +"The next day he was in the saddle again, pushing on toward the scene +of conflict. He reached Cambridge on the 2d of July, and the next day +took command of the army, drawing his sword under an ancient elm." + +"Why, just think!" exclaimed Walter, "it took him nearly two weeks to +travel from Philadelphia to Boston, while now we could do it in less +than two days. No wonder it took so long to fight the British and drive +them out of our country!" + +"I think we'd do it in less than half that time now," said Max. "We +could move so much faster, besides raising a great deal bigger army; +to say nothing of the navy, that I believe has done better in every +one of our wars than the land forces. I remember to have read that +the army Washington took command of then consisted of only seventeen +thousand men, only fourteen thousand five hundred of them fit for duty; +that they were without needed supplies of tents or clothing or as much +as nine cartridges to a man." + +"Yes; it's a wonder Washington wasn't completely discouraged," remarked +Evelyn. "I think he surely would have been if he had not put his trust +in God and the righteousness of our country's cause." + +"No doubt it was that which strengthened him for the long and arduous +struggle," said Mrs. Travilla. "Washington was, as I said a moment +since, a man of prayer; he looked to God for help in the hour of his +country's sorest need, and surely his prayers were heard and answered." + +"Yes, Mamma," said Rosie; "I remember reading that he would go into +the woods to pray privately for his bleeding country and his suffering +soldiers; that some one happened to see him alone there in prayer with +the tears coursing down his cheeks. Oh, it's no wonder that with such a +leader and in so righteous a cause, our arms were victorious in spite +of the fearful odds against us!" + +"And it was God who gave us such a leader," responded her mother, "and +gave him wisdom and courage for his work, and final success in carrying +it on to the desired end." + +"Wasn't he a member of the Continental Congress before his election as +commander-in-chief of the armies?" asked Rosie. + +"Yes," replied her mother. "So was Patrick Henry; and he, when asked +whom he considered the greatest man in that body, replied, 'If you +speak of eloquence, Mr. Rutledge, of South Carolina, is by far the +greatest orator; but if you speak of solid information and sound +judgment, Colonel Washington is unquestionably the greatest man on that +floor.'" + +"How long did Washington stay there close to Boston, Papa?" asked +Gracie. + +"He carried on the siege for eight months, then on the 17th of March, +1776, succeeded in driving the British away." + +"Then did he take possession of the town and stay there awhile?" + +"He stayed until April, then went to New York, reaching there on the +13th. Soon after he went to Philadelphia to confer with Congress, then +back to New York. + +"While he was there anxiously awaiting an attack from the British, the +Declaration of Independence, just passed by Congress, was sent him. +The troops were quickly paraded, and the Declaration read at the head +of the army. + +"In the orders of the day Washington said to the troops, 'The General +hopes that this important event will serve as a fresh incentive to +every officer and soldier to act with fidelity and courage, as knowing +that the peace and safety of his country depend, under God, solely on +the success of our arms.' + +"But I cannot tell you now the whole story of Washington's services to +his country in the war for independence, to say nothing of all that he +did for her afterward." + +"I think we will read about it after we go home to Woodburn," the +Captain said. + +"Frederick the Great was a great admirer of Washington," remarked Mr. +Keith. "He is said to have pronounced Washington's masterly movements +on the Delaware the most brilliant achievements recorded in military +annals. And Lossing tells us of a portrait of himself which Frederick +sent to Washington accompanied by the very gratifying words, 'From the +oldest general in Europe to the greatest general in the world.' As for +myself, I must say that I think Washington's success, in spite of all +the difficulties and discouragements he had to encounter, was something +most wonderful, and was given him in answer to prayer, and because he +put his trust in God and looked to Him for wisdom and for help." + +"He was certainly one of the most unselfish of men," remarked Violet. +"What other man would have refused with scorn and indignation, as he +did, the suggestion that his army would like to make him a king?" + +"Oh, did they want to make him king, and tell him so?" asked Gracie. + +"Yes; didn't you know that?" returned Lulu. + +"Papa, won't you tell about it?" Grace asked, turning to her father. + +"I will, daughter," he answered in a kindly, affectionate tone, and +taking in his the hand she had laid upon his knee. + +"The battle of Yorktown, which practically secured the independence of +our country, was fought in October, 1781, but the treaty of peace was +not signed till Jan. 20, 1783; so our armies were not disbanded, and +officers and soldiers were sorely tried by their pay being delayed, +and feared, not without reason, that they might be disbanded without +Congress making proper provision for meeting their just claims. + +"Some of the officers began to doubt the efficiency of the Government, +and of all republican institutions, and talked among themselves as to +whether it might not be better to establish a monarchy instead; and +at length one of them was deputed to confer with Washington on the +subject. + +"He did so,--it seems in writing,--and even ventured to suggest for him +the title of king. + +"But, as you have just heard, Washington rebuked the writer severely, +saying he was at a loss to conceive what part of his conduct could +have given encouragement to an address that seemed to him big with +the greatest mischiefs that could befall his country; that if he was +not deceived in the knowledge of himself, they could not have found a +person to whom their schemes were more disagreeable. + +"He also conjured the writer, if he had any regard for his country, +concern for himself or posterity, or respect for him, to banish these +thoughts from his mind, and never communicate a sentiment of such a +nature from himself or any one else." + +"Did they give it up then, Papa?" Gracie asked. + +"Nothing more was ever said about making Washington king," he answered; +"but the next December they sent to Congress a memorial on the subject +of their pay. A resolution was adopted by that body, but such as did +not satisfy the complainants. Then a meeting of officers was arranged +for; and anonymous addresses, commonly known as the Newburg addresses, +were sent out to rouse the army to resentment. + +"Washington insisted on attending the meeting, and delivered an +impressive address. + +"He had written down what he wished to say, and after reading the first +paragraph paused to put on his spectacles, saying most touchingly, as +he did so, that he had grown gray in the service of his country, and +now found himself growing blind. + +"He then went on to read a most noble paper which he had prepared for +the occasion. In it he acknowledged the just claims of the army against +the Government, and assured them that they would not be disregarded; +then he entreated them 'to express their utmost horror and detestation +of the man who wishes, under any specious pretences, to overturn +the liberties of our country, and who wickedly attempts to open the +floodgates of civil discord and deluge our rising empire in blood.' + +"Then, having finished his address, he retired from the meeting; but +resolutions were at once offered by General Knox, seconded by General +Putnam and adopted by the meeting, agreeing with all he had said and +reciprocating his expressions of esteem and affection. They were +relieved of their doubts and fears and restored to their wonted love +for their country." + +"Oh, that was nice, Papa!" exclaimed Gracie, her cheeks flushing and +her eyes shining. "How good and great our Washington was! It seems to +me we would never have got free from Great Britain if we hadn't had him +to help." + +"Yes: it does seem very doubtful," her father replied. "As Grandma +Elsie has said, God seems to have raised up and prepared him for that +very work." + +"And how soon after that was the war really over, Papa?" + +"The treaty of peace was signed in Paris on the 20th of January, 1783, +as I remarked a moment since; but as it took a long while in those days +for people and news to cross the ocean, it was not till the 17th of the +following April that Washington received the proclamation of Congress +for the cessation of hostilities. Then on the 19th--which, as you may +remember, was the eighth anniversary of the battle of Lexington, the +opening conflict of the war--the cessation was proclaimed at the head +of every regiment." + +"What joyful news it must have been to the poor, weary soldiers!" said +Violet. "I trust their hearts were full of gratitude to God, who had +prospered the right in spite of the fearful odds against those who were +battling for it." + +"Yes," returned her husband; "and no heart could have been more +thankful than that of the commander-in-chief, who said in the general +orders, 'The chaplains of the several brigades will render thanks to +Almighty God for all His mercies, particularly for His overruling the +wrath of man to His own glory, and causing the rage of war to cease +among the nations.'" + +"What a good, good Christian man Washington was, Papa!" exclaimed +Gracie. + +"And yet he had enemies; and there are still some among his own +countrymen who are far from appreciating him,--can even speak evil of +him. But even our Lord Jesus Christ had enemies and detractors--bitter +and implacable foes--among his own countrymen; and 'the servant is not +greater than his Lord,'" was the Captain's reply. + +"Yes, Papa, I remember that Washington had enemies,--Gates for one, and +that infamous Conway for another," said Max. "How glad I was to read of +the Continental Congress accepting the resignation he offered in a fit +of anger, so that he had to leave the army for good, though he didn't +want to!" + +"I think it was for good, Max," remarked Mr. Keith, with a slightly +amused smile,--"for the good of the country, though perhaps not for +his own. Conway was a man America was well rid of; and the same may be +as truly said of Charles Lee. What would have become of our liberties +had that infamous cabal succeeded in getting the command taken from +Washington and given to any one of themselves!" + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +Evelyn Leland was the only one of the party on the "Dolphin" who had +never seen Boston; but to all the young people entering the city from +the sea was a new experience, and as the vessel neared the harbour they +gazed about them with great interest, while the Captain pointed out and +named the forts and the islands as they came into view. + +"Yonder is Boston Light," he said, "two miles east of Fort Warren,--on +George's Island, which I will point out presently; it is a revolving +light, ninety-two feet above the level of the sea. And yonder is Spit +or Bug Light; it is only thirty-five feet high, and stands upon iron +pillars fixed in the rock. They show a red fixed light there which can +be seen at the distance of seven miles. + +"Then there is Long Island Light, named from the island on which it +stands. The tower is only twenty-two feet above the ground, but eighty +feet above the sea. + +"Yonder," again pointing with his finger, "is Fort Independence (called +in Revolutionary times Castle William) just at the entrance of the main +channel; and opposite it is Fort Winthrop. And yonder is George's +Island with its fortification,--Fort Warren." + +"And this was the harbour where the Boston Tea-party was held!" +remarked Evelyn, in a half-musing tone. "What an exciting time that +must have been! I think it was grand in the people to give up the tea +they so enjoyed drinking, rather than submit to 'taxation without +representation.'" + +"Which all women possessed of landed property do to this day," returned +Rosie, mischievously. + +Eva laughed. "Oh, well," she said, "you know American women can +influence the voters to whom they are related,--their brothers, +husbands, and sons." + +"If they have any, and they happen to be particularly tractable," +laughed Rosie. "But how about poor fatherless and brotherless single +women? The men may vote as heavy taxes upon their property as they +please, while they can't lift a finger to prevent it, or say a word as +to what is to be done with the money taken from their purses without +their consent." + +"Why, Rosie, are you turning into a woman's rights woman?" queried Max, +laughing. + +"I don't know, Maxie; those ideas just happened to suggest themselves," +she answered. "I'll take time to think it all out one of these days, +though; and I'll not promise not to turn into an advocate of women's +right to have some say about the taxing of their own property. I see +no reason why a man's rights in that direction should be considered +superior to a woman's." + +"No; nor I either," Max said. "And I'm as willing as possible that +American women should have all their rights; but I shouldn't like to +let ignorant women--foreign or coloured ones--vote." + +"Yes, that's the trouble," laughed Rosie; "I shouldn't like that +either. But I can't see that it's any better to let foreign men who are +too ignorant to understand much or anything about our institutions, +have a vote. I must say it strikes me as exceedingly insulting to +educated, intelligent ladies, who are native Americans, to refuse a +vote to _them_, and at the same time give it to _such foreign-born +men_, or to male natives who know nothing, can't read or write, and +have no property at all." + +"Coloured men, for instance?" queried Max. + +"Yes, coloured or white; it's the education I'm concerned about, not +the colour. Mamma, do not you agree with me?" + +"Yes, I do," Mrs. Travilla answered. "I have no desire to vote +myself; but I think only native-born citizens, or those who have been +twenty-one years in the country, should have a vote, and not even they +unless able to read and write, capable of understanding our form of +government, and possessed of some little property,--that last in order +that they may appreciate more fully the burdens of taxation, and be +less ready to make them heavier than need be." + +"Papa," asked Gracie, "where abouts were the tea ships when the folks +went on board and threw the tea into the water?" + +"They were moored at Griffin's Wharf," he replied; "I can point it out +to you directly." + +"What is it, Papa, Gracie's talking about? A story?" queried little +Elsie. "Please, Papa, tell it to us." + +"I'm afraid you would hardly understand, Papa's darling," the Captain +said, stroking the soft, shining, golden curls as he spoke, and smiling +down into the bright, eager little face. + +"I think I should, Papa. Wasn't it something 'bout a tea-party?" she +asked coaxingly. + +"Yes, Papa, please do tell the story; we'd all like to hear it over +again now when we're just at the place where it happened," added Gracie. + +"Well, my darlings, to please you," he said; "also because I want you +to be thoroughly grounded in the history of your own country. + +"You must remember that these States,--or rather the original thirteen, +there were only so many at that time,--were then called colonies, and +were ruled by England. The English Government claimed the right to +tax the colonies just as they pleased. That right the people of the +colonies denied. + +"They were not allowed to send any members to Parliament to help decide +who in America should be taxed and how much; so they determined that +rather than pay a tax put upon the article without their knowledge and +consent, they would do without tea. + +"Then the English Government tried to force it on them; and these ships +came into their harbour loaded with the tea, which they intended to +land. + +"One of those tea-laden ships, called the 'Dartmouth,'--Captain Hall +in command,--came to anchor yonder, near the Castle, as it was then +called. It was on Sunday the 'Dartmouth' came in; and as you may +suppose, the sight of her caused a great excitement in Boston. + +"Early on Monday morning a placard was posted all over the town. I +committed it to memory when a school-boy. It said:-- + + "'Friends! Brethren! Countrymen! That worst of plagues, the detested + tea shipped for this port by the East India Company, is now arrived + in the harbor; the Hour of Destruction, or manly opposition to the + Machinations of Tyranny, stares you in the face; every Friend to his + Country, to himself, and to Posterity, is now called upon to meet at + Faneuil Hall, at nine o'clock This Day (at which time the bells will + ring), to make united and successful resistance to this last, worst, + and most destructive measure of administration.' + +"That was the handbill; its date was November 29, 1773." + +"Was that the 'vite to the tea-party?" asked little Elsie. + +"Not to what proved to be the principal one," he answered. + +"In response to the call they met that day at Faneuil Hall, but the +excitement was so great and brought so many people together that they +adjourned to the Old South Meeting-house which was larger. + +"At that meeting it was resolved that the tea should not be landed, +that no duty should be paid on it, and that it should be sent back in +the same vessel it had come in; also they notified the owner and the +commander of the vessel that to land and enter the tea was at their own +peril, ordered the ship to be moored at Griffin's Wharf, and appointed +a guard of twenty-five men to watch her. + +"At the meeting a letter was received from the consignees offering to +store the tea till they could hear from England; but the people were +determined not to allow it to be landed, so rejected the offer with +scorn. + +"Then the sheriff read a proclamation from the governor ordering them +to disperse; but it was received with hisses, and they went on with the +business that had called them together. + +"They passed a resolution ordering the vessels of Captains Coffin and +Bruce, which were hourly expected to arrive with their loads of tea, to +be moored at Griffin's Wharf." + +"Did they come, Papa? and did the men watch all the ships that had +tea?" asked Elsie, who was listening with a look of interest and +intelligence that seemed to say she understood a great deal, if not all +her father had been saying. + +"Yes; and about two weeks afterward another meeting was held in the +Old South Church, when it was resolved that Mr. Roch must immediately +apply for a clearance for his ship and send her out to sea again. But +the governor had already taken measures to prevent him from doing that, +ordering Admiral Montague to fit out two armed vessels and station them +at the entrance to the harbour, and Colonel Leslie, who was in command +of the Castle, not to allow any vessel to pass out under the guns of +the fortress, unless she could show a permission signed by himself." + +"I should think," remarked Max, "that Mr. Roch and Captain Hall must +have been quite puzzled to know how to act to suit all parties." + +"What happened next, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"Two days later there was another meeting in the Old South,--the +largest meeting that had then ever been known in Boston; for the people +were greatly excited. + +"Several persons made addresses, but Josiah Quincy was the principal +speaker. He advised the people to weigh and consider before they took +measures that would bring on a trying and terrible struggle such as had +never been seen in this country." + +"Why, Papa," exclaimed Lulu, "I thought Mr. Quincy was one of the +patriots!" + +"So he was, my child; but he wanted the people to look before they +leaped. + +"When he had finished his speech the question was put, 'Will you abide +by your former resolutions with respect to not suffering the tea to be +landed?'" + +"And what did they say?" asked Gracie. + +"That they would; the whole vast assembly speaking as with one voice." + +"I hope Mr. Roch was there to hear them," said Lulu. + +"No," said her father. "The governor was at his country-house, a few +miles out of Boston, and Mr. Roch had been sent to him to ask a permit +for his vessel to leave the harbour. + +"He returned late in the afternoon, before the meeting at the Old South +had broken up, and reported to them that the governor refused a permit +until a clearance should be shown him; and the collector refused that +until the tea should be landed." + +"What a fuss about nothing!" exclaimed little Elsie, with a look of +disgust. + +"Oh, no," her father said, stroking her hair as she leaned upon his +knee; "some day when my little girl is older and wiser, she will +understand that it was very far from being about nothing. + +"The people were very much excited. It was beginning to grow dark in +the old church and somebody called for candles; but just then somebody +in the gallery showed himself disguised like a Mohawk Indian, raised +the Indian war-whoop, and was answered in the same fashion by some one +outside the building,--for the throng a good deal more than filled the +church; then another voice in the gallery shouted, 'Boston harbour a +teapot to-night! Hurrah for Griffin's Wharf!' + +"At that there was an instant motion to adjourn, and the people crowded +into the streets. + +"It was a clear, moonlight evening, still quite early, and the British +squadron not more than a mile away; British troops were near too, but +neither interfered with what was going on. + +"It is probable that everything had been arranged beforehand; and +seeing several persons disguised as Indians going toward Griffin's +Wharf, the people hurried thither. Some fifteen or twenty were so +disguised, but about sixty boarded the vessels in the first place; and +it is said that as many as a hundred and forty were engaged in the +work before it was finished. + +"A man named Lendall Pitts acted as leader; and under his direction the +'Dartmouth' was boarded first, the hatches were taken up, and her cargo +of one hundred and fourteen chests of tea brought on deck, where the +boxes were broken open and the tea was thrown into the water. + +"Then the other two vessels were boarded and their cargoes of tea also +thrown into the harbour." + +"And that's what is called the 'Boston Tea Party,'" remarked Max with +satisfaction. "I'd wish I'd been there to help, only that I'd rather be +here now." + +"That's just the way I feel about it," said Walter. + +"You may be thankful, my dear boys, that you live in these days," +remarked Grandma Elsie, smiling kindly upon them. "War times are more +interesting to tell about, but far harder to live in. Our hearts may +well be filled with thankfulness to God for the success of our fathers +in securing the blessings of liberty for not themselves only, but for +us also. We assuredly have more to be thankful for than any other +nation, and ought therefore to be better and more earnest Christians, +doing all we possibly can to spread abroad through all the earth the +glad news of salvation by Christ, and to help the down-trodden and +oppressed to share with us the inestimable blessings of freedom,--life, +liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as our Declaration of +Independence has it." + +But the "Dolphin" was fast approaching the city, and there was so much +to look at and talk about, relating to the present, that for a time the +past was well-nigh forgotten, except when the Captain pointed out as +nearly as he could, the precise spot where the never-to-be-forgotten +"tea party" had been held. + +When he had done so, Max broke out into a song to the tune of "Yankee +Doodle," the other young folks joining in with a will on the chorus. + + "Once on a time old Johnny Bull flew in a raging fury, + And swore that Jonathan should have no trial, sir, by jury; + That no elections should be held across the briny waters; + And now said he, 'I'll tax the Tea of all his sons and daughters.' + Then down he sate in burly state, and blustered like a grandee, + And in derision made a tune called 'Yankee Doodle Dandy.' + Yankee doodle,--these are facts,--Yankee doodle dandy! + My son of wax, your tea I'll tax; you--Yankee doodle dandy! + + "John sent the tea from o'er the sea, with heavy duties rated; + But whether hyson or bohea I never heard it stated. + Then Jonathan to pout began,--he laid a strong embargo,-- + 'I'll drink no Tea by Jove!' so he threw overboard the cargo. + Then Johnny sent a regiment, big words and looks to bandy, + Whose martial band, when near the land played 'Yankee Doodle Dandy.' + Yankee doodle,--keep it up,--Yankee doodle dandy! + I'll poison with a tax your cup; _you_--Yankee doodle dandy! + + "A long war then they had, in which John was at last defeated; + And 'Yankee Doodle' was the march to which his troops retreated. + Cute Jonathan, to see them fly, could not restrain his laughter; + 'That time,' said he, 'suits to a T. I'll sing it ever after.' + Old Johnny's face, to his disgrace, was flushed with beer and brandy, + E'en while he swore to sing no more this 'Yankee Doodle Dandy.' + Yankee doodle,--ho, ha, he,--Yankee doodle dandy! + We kept the tune, but not the tea; Yankee doodle dandy! + + "I've told you now the origin of this most lively ditty, + Which Johnny Bull dislikes as 'dull and stupid'--what a pity! + With 'Hail Columbia' it is sung, in chorus full and hearty. + On land and main we breathe the strain John made for his 'tea party;' + No matter how we rhyme the words, the music speaks them handy, + And where's the fair can't sing the air of 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'? + Yankee doodle, firm and true,--Yankee doodle dandy! + Yankee doodle, doodle do, Yankee doodle dandy!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +A few days were spent in Boston, principally in visiting places of +historical interest,--Christ Church on Salem Street, where as the +Captain told the children, Paul Revere's signal was hung out from +the steeple, in the Revolutionary War, by Captain Pulling, a Boston +merchant; and the Old South Church, about which they had already heard +so much. + +"In 1775," the Captain said, as the little group stood gazing about it +in deep interest, "the British soldiers desecrated this place by using +it for cavalry drill, having first torn out the galleries and covered +the floor with earth. It is now no longer used as a church, but, as +you see, is a historical museum. Now we will go to Faneuil Hall,--'the +cradle of liberty.'" + +They did so; and next visited the Old State House. + +As the Captain told them, the Boston Massacre occurred in the street +before it; and there, during the excitement in regard to the Stamp Act, +the stamped clearances were burned by the mob. From the balcony the +Declaration of Independence was read. Many town-meetings were held +there, and many patriotic speeches made,--among them those of Otis, +who foretold probable war, and urged resistance to tyranny "even unto +blood" if necessary. + +"Who was Otis, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"A Boston lawyer of that time, a patriot,--as evidenced by even the +few words of his I have just quoted. He was advocate-general with a +good salary at the time when the revenue officers in Boston took out +search-warrants to look for smuggled goods, and called upon him to +defend their cause; but he at once resigned his office and took the +other side,--that of the merchants of Boston, who were protesting +against the writs. They offered him a large fee, but he refused it, +saying, 'In such a cause I despise all fees.'" + +"That case was tried in this old State House; and Otis made a grand +speech of such length that it took him five hours to deliver it." + +"What was it all about, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"It was on the question whether Americans were bound to obey laws which +they had no share in making, and all the arguments in the wonderful +speech answered doggedly, 'No.' + +"John Adams, who heard the speech, afterward said that on that day 'the +child Independence was born;' and no doubt the argument assisted the +popular leaders very much in furnishing them with weapons for their +work." + +"Weapons, Papa?" Grace asked with a puzzled look. + +"Yes, daughter; arguments with which to show the people what the +English Government was doing to take away our liberties. + +"Otis afterward, when Governor Bernard called upon the General Assembly +of Massachusetts to rescind the resolution it had passed against the +right of the English Parliament to tax the colonies without their +consent,--which they boldly disregarded,--made a powerful speech in +which he said, 'When Lord Hillsborough knows that we will not rescind +_our_ acts, he should apply to Parliament to rescind _theirs_. _Let +Britons rescind their measures, or they are lost forever!_' He went +on speaking in that way for nearly an hour, till even the Sons of +Liberty began to tremble lest he should go too far, and be charged with +treason." + +"And did he fight for the country, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"No, poor fellow!" replied the Captain, with a slight sigh; "before +the war had fairly begun he became insane from injuries inflicted by +one Robinson, a commissioner of customs, who, with several army or +navy officers set upon, beat, and otherwise injured him, inflicting a +sword-cut on his head from which he never recovered." + +"And he didn't have the pleasure of seeing his country free and +separated from England?" Lulu said, half inquiringly. + +"No; he was killed by a stroke of lightning in 1778, which you will +remember was several years before the war was over." + +Our little party next visited Lexington and Concord. + +"How far must we travel to get there, Papa?" queried Gracie, as they +took their seats in the car. + +"Only a few miles to Lexington, and a little farther to reach Concord," +he answered. + +"That won't seem very far by rail," remarked Max; "but it must +have seemed quite a distance to the soldiers who marched there in +Revolutionary times." + +"I find we are early," the Captain said, looking at his watch; "and as +we have the car nearly to ourselves, it may be well for us to talk over +what occurred in 1775 at the places we are about to visit. I think it +will make the visit more interesting to you." + +"Oh, do tell us the whole story, Papa," requested Gracie, with a look +of pleased anticipation. + +The others all joined in her petition, and the Captain good-naturedly +complied. + +"Matters had been growing worse and worse between the British +Government and the colonies," he said, "till a struggle seemed almost +inevitable. General Gage discovered that the patriots were privately +conveying arms out of Boston, that some brass cannon and field-pieces +were at Salem; and on a Sunday in February, 1775, he sent some troops +to seize them. + +"An express from Marblehead arrived at Salem while the people were in +church, with the news that British troops were landing from a transport +at that place, and were about to march to Salem. + +"The congregations were at once dismissed, and, led by Colonel +Pickering, stopped the British at a drawbridge. Pickering succeeded in +effecting a compromise, and the troops marched back again to Marblehead +without having done the errand upon which they had been sent. + +"Let me see," continued the Captain, meditatively; "I think I can +recall some lines by Trumbull, referring to that incident:-- + + "'Through Salem straight, without delay, + The bold battalion took its way: + Marched o'er a bridge, in open sight + Of several Yankees arm'd for fight; + Then, without loss of time or men, + Veer'd round for Boston back again, + And found so well their prospects thrive, + That every soul got back alive.' + +"It was some two months after this that the battles of Lexington and +Concord took place. On April 18, the patriots learned that the next +day British troops were to visit Concord for the purpose of destroying +some military stores there, and passing through Lexington seize the +persons of John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who were both in that town at +the house of the Rev. Jonas Clark. + +"Gage had tried to keep all this a profound secret, but somehow the +patriots had learned what he was attempting, and were making their +preparations accordingly. Warren and his friends had gone, Paul Revere +and William Dawes had just rowed across the river to Charlestown, +taking a message from Warren to Adams and Hancock. They were very near +being captured by the guard at Charlestown, but escaped, and reached +Lexington a little after midnight. + +"They went at once to Mr. Clark's house, but found a guard of eight +minute-men placed about it to protect Adams and Hancock. + +"These refused to let Revere and Dawes into the house, as orders had +been given not to allow the inmates to be disturbed by noise. + +"'Noise!' exclaimed Revere, 'you'll have noise enough before long; the +regulars are coming!' + +"They were quickly admitted then, roused Hancock and Adams, and knowing +how unlikely to escape being taken prisoners they were, should they +remain in Lexington, persuaded them to retire to Woburn. + +"Then Revere and Dawes pushed on to Concord to give the alarm there. + +"By two o'clock in the morning a hundred and thirty of the Lexington +militia were collected at the meeting-house upon the green. The roll +was called; then, as the early morning air was very chilly, they were +dismissed with orders to remain within drum-beat." + +"Papa, the British marched very quietly, didn't they?" asked Max. + +"Yes, in perfect silence; hoping and believing that none of the +Americans were aware of their movements." + +"Ha, ha, how mistaken they were!" laughed Max. + +"Yes," his father said, "there were vigilant eyes upon them. As they +passed through West Cambridge they were seen by Lee, Gerry, and +Orne,--members of the Provincial Congress,--and as I have told you, +others learned the secret also. + +"As the British neared Lexington their ears were greeted by the sound +of bells and guns, warning them that their expedition was known." + +"I s'pose they didn't like that," observed Gracie, "but what did they +do about it, Papa?" + +"Colonel Smith dispatched six companies of troops under Major Pitcairn, +with orders to press on to Concord and secure the two bridges. He also +sent a messenger to Boston for reinforcements. + +"Pitcairn hastened on toward Lexington, capturing several persons +on his way. One of them--a man named Bowman--escaped, hurried into +Lexington on horseback, and notified Captain Parker, commander of the +minute-men, that the enemy was approaching." + +"And did they make a great fuss and wake up all the people, Papa?" +asked Gracie. + +"They rang the bells, fired guns, and beat the drum, so that doubtless +everybody was soon aroused. + +"It was between four and five in the morning. About one hundred of the +militia were quickly collected on the green; but being raw troops, and +uncertain how large a force was coming against them, they were in some +confusion. + +"And indeed it was an overwhelming force they presently saw marching +toward them, their scarlet uniforms gleaming out through the early +morning mist. + +"The British halted within a few rods of the meeting-house and loaded +their pieces. But the Americans stood firm and undismayed. + +"Their orders were not to pull a trigger till fired upon by the enemy, +and for a moment there was silence and hesitation on both sides; +neither Americans nor British seemed willing to become the aggressors. + +"But it was only for a moment; Pitcairn and other officers galloped +forward, waving their swords over their heads, and followed by their +troops in double-quick time. + +"'Disperse you villains!' they shouted, 'lay down your arms and +disperse. Why don't you disperse, you rebels? Disperse!' And as the +patriots did not instantly obey the command, Pitcairn wheeled his +horse, waved his sword, and gave orders to press forward and surround +the militia. + +"At that instant some random shots were fired by the British, and +promptly returned by the Americans." + +"Oh, Papa, was anybody killed?" asked Gracie. + +"Not by those shots," replied her father; "but the next minute Pitcairn +drew a pistol and discharged it, at the same time shouting 'Fire!' + +"His troops instantly obeyed that order. Four of the patriots were +killed, and the rest dispersed. They were fired upon again while +retreating, and several of them halted and returned the shots, then +concealed themselves behind buildings and stone walls. + +"Eight Americans were killed, three British soldiers and Major +Pitcairn's horse were wounded." + +"I thought you said only four Americans were shot, Papa," said Gracie, +looking up inquiringly into his face. + +"Four by the first discharge of musketry, and as many more while trying +to escape over the fences," he answered. + +"Did the British care for having killed those poor men?" she asked, +tears of sympathy shining in her eyes. + +"If so they gave no evidence of it," her father replied. "They hurried +on to Concord in high spirits. But the news of their approach had been +communicated, and a formidable body of militia was waiting to receive +them." + +"Oh, yes!" said Rosie, "I remember that Dawes and Revere had hurried on +to warn them after doing the Lexington people the same service." + +"Yes," the Captain said, "but on the way they were taken prisoners by +some British officers. They had stopped to tell the news to Dr. Samuel +Prescott, who escaped over a wall, they being captured. Prescott made +his way to Concord, reaching there about two o'clock in the morning, +and gave the alarm. Then the bells were rung, and the people armed +themselves, so that before daylight they were ready to receive the +British." + +"They knew what the British were after, and made haste to conceal the +stores of powder, shot, and so forth,--didn't they, Papa?" asked Max. + +"Yes; the whole male population and some of the women assisted in that +work, and succeeded in concealing them in a safe place in the woods +before the arrival of the British." + +"That was good," remarked Gracie. "And didn't the British get anything +at all, Papa?" + +"Yes, a little. They knocked off the trunnions of three iron +twenty-four-pound cannon, cut down a liberty-pole, set the Court House +on fire, and burned a few barrels of wooden trenchers and spoons, and +sixteen new carriage-wheels. Also they threw five hundred pounds of +balls into a mill-pond, and broke open about sixty barrels of flour; +but the people succeeded in saving a good deal of that, and Mrs. +Moulton put out the fire in the Court House before much damage was +done." + +"But was there no fighting, Papa?" Gracie asked. + +"There was fighting," the Captain answered. "While the British were at +the mischief I have been telling you of, the American party was rapidly +increasing by the coming in of minute-men from the neighbouring towns. +They formed into line as fast as they came. There were nearly four +hundred of them. + +"From the place where they were forming they could see the fire the +British had started in the centre of the town, and of course the sight +greatly increased their excitement. + +"Joseph Hosmer, the adjutant, made a stirring appeal, after a brief +consultation with prominent citizens and members of the Committee of +Safety, who were present, and ready to take part in repelling the +British. + +"It was agreed to dislodge them from the North Bridge. Captain Davis +saying, 'I haven't a man that's afraid to go.' + +"They wheeled into marching order, and joined by other companies, +pushed forward to the bridge, under the command of Major John Buttrick, +of Concord. + +"The British guard were on the west side of the river, but crossed to +the east on seeing the Americans approaching, and began taking up the +planks of the bridge. + +"Major Buttrick called to them to stop, and urged his men on to try to +save the bridge. + +"The British formed for action as the Americans drew near, and some of +the regulars fired, killing Captain Davis, Abner Hosmer, and wounding +another man. + +"Then Buttrick shouted, 'Fire fellow soldiers! for God's sake fire!' +and instantly they gave the British a full volley. + +"In a few minutes the British retreated, and the Americans took +possession of the bridge. + +"Their volley had killed three British soldiers, two of whom were left +on the ground. The Americans afterward buried them, and we shall find +their graves only a few feet from the monument." + +But other passengers had entered the car, and the train was now in +motion. + +"There, that must do for the present," the Captain said; "the story +will have to be finished after we leave the train." + +Their first halt was at Lexington where they viewed with much interest +the ground where the skirmish took place, the monument commemorating +the devotion of those who fell, and everything to be found that had +any connection with the events which have made the place famous in the +annals of our country. + +Evelyn Leland gazed long at the inscription on the monument, then read +aloud,-- + + "Sacred to the Liberty and the Rights of Mankind!!! The Freedom and + Independence of America--sealed and defended with the blood of her + sons--This Monument is erected by the Inhabitants of Lexington ... + to the memory of their fellow citizens ... the first victims of + the sword of British Tyranny and Oppression, on the morning of the + ever-memorable nineteenth of April, A. D. 1775. The Die was Cast!!! + The blood of these Martyrs in the Cause of God and their Country was + the Cement of the Union of these States, then Colonies, and gave + the Spring to the Spirit, Firmness and Resolution of their Fellow + citizens. They rose as one man to revenge their Brethren's blood and + at the point of the sword to assert and defend their native Rights. + They nobly dared to be Free!!! The contest was long, bloody and + affecting. Righteous Heaven approved the Solemn Appeal; Victory + crowned their Arms, and the Peace, Liberty and Independence of the + United States of America was their glorious Reward. Built in the year + 1799." + +"You didn't read it all, Eva," said Walter; "you skipped the names." + +"Yes," she said, "because I didn't want to take time to read it all; +though I'd be ever so unwilling to rob the poor, dear, brave fellows of +any of the credit that belongs to them." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +From Lexington our little party went on at once to Concord. There they +saw the monument, and near it the graves of the two British soldiers of +whom the Captain had spoken as having fallen in the fight. + +"The British entered Concord in two divisions," he said; "one by the +main road, the other passing over the hill north of it. Captain Beeman, +of Petersham, and other Tories had given them information in regard to +the stores secreted in Concord, and Captain Parsons with six companies +was sent to destroy them." + +"Sent where, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"To the house of Colonel Barrett," replied her father. "Captain Lawrie, +with three companies was stationed at the North Bridge, just here. The +monument stands upon the very spot where the British stood, and on yon +plain across the river is where the American militia were when the fire +of the British killed Hosmer and Davis. + +"Colonel Smith, in the village, heard the firing, and sent a +reinforcement to Lawrie's help; but seeing that the militia were +increasing in numbers, they turned about and joined in the retreat. +Then the party under Captain Parsons, who, you will remember, had gone +to Colonel Barrett's to destroy the secreted stores, returned, and were +allowed by the militia to pass the bridge unmolested." + +"Why didn't they attack them, Captain?" asked Eva, "weren't they strong +enough?" + +"Yes; but war had not yet been declared, and the colonists had been +enjoined to act only on the defensive and let Great Britain be the +aggressor. + +"Besides, the militia at Concord had not yet heard of the slaughter +of their brethren at Lexington. They themselves had just killed three +British soldiers, to be sure, but it was purely in self-defence." + +"The British started back to Boston pretty soon after that, didn't +they, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"Yes; Colonel Smith thought it prudent, seeing how rapidly the militia +were gathering, to return at once, and a little after twelve o'clock +began his retreat toward Lexington, covering his main column by strong +flanking guards. + +"As you may suppose, the people had become intensely excited by this +time, and I dare say very many were burning to avenge the slaughter of +their comrades. They no longer adhered to the cautious counsels given +them at Concord, and secreting themselves behind barns and fences, +fired upon the British troops as they passed. All along the line of +march to Lexington the British were terribly galled in this way. Guns +were fired with sure aim from every house, barn, and stone wall. As we +noticed in coming here the road between this town and Lexington passes +through a hilly country, as well calculated as possible for such work. +At almost every wooded defile numbers of the British were picked off by +concealed marksmen, and at Hardy's Hill there was a severe skirmish. + +"There was no longer any military order among the Americans, but each +man fought as he deemed best. Some of them were killed by the British +flankers coming suddenly upon them in their places of concealment, but +their numbers were comparatively small. + +"Several of the British were shot near the battle-ground of the morning +at Lexington, and Colonel Smith was badly wounded in the leg at Fiske's +Hill, near the town." + +"So they didn't have a very good time on their march back to Boston," +remarked Max. + +"No, very far from it," replied his father. "You will remember they had +been marching the night before, marching and fighting pretty much all +that day, and attacked every now and then by a concealed foe, who shot +down one after another; they became at last so fatigued that they must +have surrendered to the Americans if reinforcements had not reached +them. + +"I have said a request for help had been sent to General Gage from +Lexington early in the morning, and he had responded with about nine +hundred men under Lord Percy,--three regiments of infantry and two +divisions of marines. These left Boston about nine o'clock in the +morning and marched toward Lexington. + +"As they passed through Roxbury they played 'Yankee Doodle' in +derision, having before used it as a Rogue's March." + +"Papa," Gracie asked, "did the Roxbury people know about the fight at +Lexington and Concord?" + +"They had heard vague rumours of a fight at Lexington, and the marching +in that direction of these Boston troops confirmed their worst fears." + +"What an excitement the marching of those British troops must have +caused all along the way as they went!" exclaimed Eva. + +"Yes," replied Captain Raymond, "one of their officers said, 'they [the +Americans] seemed to drop from the clouds.'" + +"Percy's brigade met them about half a mile from Lexington. He formed +a hollow square, and for its defence, planted a cannon on high ground +near Monroe's tavern, and received into his enclosure the wearied +troops of Smith. Some of them were so heated and worn out that they +lay exhausted and panting upon the ground, their tongues hanging out of +their mouths, as a dog's does when he is tired and overheated. + +"But Percy did not dare allow them to rest long, for the militia +had gathered from all quarters, and the woods were swarming with +minute-men. They were given a little refreshment, a brief rest, then +hurried on their way, committing as they went deeds of ruffianism of +which they had reason to be heartily ashamed; property was destroyed, +houses were plundered, and several innocent persons were murdered. + +"Of course the Americans were filled with indignation as well as grief +for the sufferings of friends and neighbours, some of them their near +kindred." + +"Yes; oh, it was just dreadful, Papa!" exclaimed Gracie, her eyes +filling with tears. "I think the British of those days were very, very +cruel." + +"Very true," replied her father; "there were very many deeds of blood +and violence, for which there was no excuse, committed by them during +that war. Rawdon, Tarleton, and even Cornwallis showed themselves men +of savage cruelty." + +"Yes," exclaimed Rosie, "I perfectly detest and abhor that brutal +Tarleton! No Indian was ever more heartless and cruel than he!" + +"I think that is true," the Captain said. "He treated American +prisoners so unfortunate as to fall into his hands, with most inhuman +cruelty; also he was so vain, conceited, and untruthful that in a +'History of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in the Southern Provinces of +North America,' which he wrote after his return to England, he distorts +events for his self-glorification to such a degree as has seldom been +paralleled. Yes, take him all together he was, I think, one of the most +despicable characters of the Revolution." + +"I have always been so glad over his defeat by Morgan at the battle of +the Cowpens," said Eva, "and have always admired the reminders of it +given him by some of the Southern ladies, particularly of the wound +on his hand that Colonel Washington gave him in chasing him from that +battle-field." + +"Yes, I remember," said Rosie. "The ladies were great admirers of +Colonel Washington, talked a great deal about him, and at least two or +three times gave that vain, boastful, cruel Tarleton a rub about that +wound." + +"Yes," said the Captain, "those sallies of wit were expended on him by +two sisters,--daughters of Colonel Montfort, of Halifax County, North +Carolina. When Cornwallis was there on his way to Virginia, Colonel +Washington was the subject of conversation one evening; and Tarleton, +nettled doubtless by the admiration freely expressed by the ladies, +began talking against him, saying that he was an illiterate fellow, +hardly able to write his own name. + +"The remark was made in the presence of Mrs. Willie Jones, one of the +sisters I have spoken of, and she replied, 'Ah, Colonel, you ought to +know better, for you bear on your person proof that he knows very well +_how to make his mark_.'" + +"I shouldn't have liked to be in his place," remarked Max. "I dare say +he felt like shooting Mrs. Jones for her compliment." + +"That is not at all unlikely," said his father. "It is said that when +her sister, Mrs. Ashe, twitted him in like manner, he showed his +temper plainly. He had been talking again, sarcastically of Colonel +Washington, in her presence, and finally said with a sneer, 'I would +be happy to see Colonel Washington.' To which she instantly replied, +'If you had looked behind you, Colonel Tarleton, at the battle of the +Cowpens, you would have enjoyed that pleasure.'" + +"That was just good for him!" exclaimed Lulu. "I wonder what he said to +it,--if he answered her at all." + +"He was very angry (for no doubt the words stung him) and laid his hand +on the hilt of his sword, while he regarded her with a frown," replied +the Captain. "But General Leslie, his superior officer said, 'Say what +you please, Mrs. Ashe; Colonel Tarleton knows better than to insult a +lady in my presence.'" + +"Did Tarleton ever insult a lady, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"I have read that he once insulted an American woman,--one who was +large and strong,--and that she knocked him down upon the floor, seized +him by the throat, and choked him till he was black in the face; +she probably would have killed him if some one had not come to his +assistance and pulled her off." + +"Surely he must have been proud of _that_ encounter," laughed Max. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +There were several more souvenirs of the Revolution shown the young +people by Captain Raymond that morning,--among them Boston's "Liberty +Tree," or rather the sculptured representation of it set within a niche +on the front of a house, and exactly over the spot on which the tree +stood before its destruction by the British during the siege of Boston. + +"It was under that tree the association calling themselves 'Sons of +Liberty' used to hold their meetings," he said. "They met there in the +summer of 1765 when there was a great excitement over the passage of +the Stamp Act by the British Parliament, and continued to do so until +the destruction of the tree by the British during the siege of Boston, +1775. It was called 'Liberty Tree' and the ground under it 'Liberty +Hall.' + +"A newspaper of that time, the 'Essex Gazette,' of Aug. 31st, 1775, +describes the destruction of the tree. It says, 'They made a furious +attack upon it and after a long spell of laughing, grinning, sweating +and foaming with malice diabolical they cut down the tree because it +bore the name of Liberty. A soldier was killed by falling from one of +its branches during the operation.'" + +It was dinner time when our party reached the hotel, where they had +left Grandma Elsie and Violet with the little ones and their maids. The +ladies had not cared to join in the morning's excursion as they wanted +to do a little shopping, and had already seen Concord, Lexington, and +the places of historical interest in the city itself. + +But Bunker Hill was to be visited that afternoon, and from that little +trip neither lady asked to be excused. They all went together, starting +directly after leaving the table. + +Every one greatly enjoyed the view from the top of the monument: it was +like a vast painting, showing them the city of Boston with its harbour, +where could be seen vessels from almost every part of the world, and +the many towns and villages in its vicinity, each with its own story of +its struggles for liberty in "the days that tried men's souls." Far in +the northwest the higher peaks of New Hampshire's White Mountains were +visible: on the northeast they could discern the peninsula of Nahant, +while still farther in the distance was Cape Ann. + +The Captain gave them a brief account of the erection of the monument. + +"It was not till 1824 that a movement was made to that end," he said. +"General La Fayette was at the time the nation's guest, and was +invited to lay the corner-stone, which he did on the 17th of June, +1825, the fiftieth anniversary of the battle. + +"The Hon. Daniel Webster made an oration on the subject to an immense +crowd which had gathered for the occasion. There were forty of the +survivors of the battle present, and probably La Fayette met more of +his fellow-soldiers of that war then than at any other time or place." + +"Was it finished in that year, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"No, indeed, my child; not for seventeen years. The last stone was +raised about six o'clock on the morning of the 23d of July, 1842, and +with it--waving the American Flag as he went up--was Mr. Edward Carnes, +Jr., of Charlestown, the roar of cannon at the same time announcing the +event to the surrounding country." + +"But that wasn't the anniversary of the battle?" remarked Rosie, in a +tone of inquiry. + +"No," the Captain said; "but on the next anniversary,--June 17th, +1843,--the monument was dedicated. Daniel Webster was the orator on +that occasion also, addressing a vast audience composed of citizens and +soldiers." + +"Oh, how I would have liked to hear his speech, if only he could have +waited till I was in this world and old enough to understand what he +was talking about!" exclaimed Rosie. + +A remark which called forth a good-humoured laugh from her hearers. + +"Now, Papa, the next thing is to tell us about the battle of Bunker +Hill,--isn't it?" Lulu said with a bright, coaxing look up into his +face. + +"I suppose so," he replied, with an indulgent smile. "But first let us +look at these cannon,--the 'Hancock' and the 'Adams;' you will readily +understand for whom they were named. They belonged formerly to the +Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company. This one--the 'Adams'--you +see is not sound; it was burst in firing a salute. You also see that +they bear an inscription, which I shall read aloud for the benefit of +the company:-- + + "Sacred to Liberty. This is one of four cannons which constituted + the whole train of field-artillery possessed by the British colonies + of North America at the commencement of the war, on the nineteenth + of April, 1775. This cannon and its fellow, belonging to a number of + citizens of Boston, were used in many engagements during the war. The + other two, the property of the government of Massachusetts, were taken + by the enemy. By order of the United States in Congress assembled, May + nineteenth, 1788." + +"What strong faith in God and the righteousness of their cause they +must have had, to begin a war with Great Britain with only four cannon +in their possession!" remarked Grandma Elsie. + +"Yes," responded the Captain; "and it was by His good help that they +conquered in spite of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their +way. It was a fearful struggle, but with God and the armies of heaven +on their side they could not fail. + +"The events of that ever-memorable 19th of April were speedily heralded +over the whole land, from the scenes of their occurrence down to South +Carolina and Georgia, west to the first settlers of Kentucky, and north +to Montreal and Quebec. + +"It electrified its hearers, and with one impulse they of the +colonies--soon to become States--sprang to arms. As Bancroft says, +'With one spirit they pledged themselves to each other to be ready for +the extreme event.' With one heart the continent cried, 'Liberty or +death!' + +"The Massachusetts Committee of Safety sent a circular to the several +towns of that State, conjuring them to encourage enlistments by every +means in their power, and send the troops forward to headquarters at +Cambridge with the expedition that the urgency and importance of the +affair demanded. But the people had not waited for the call. + +"Hearing of the slaughter of their brethren, men snatched their +firelocks from the walls and rushed to the camp, often with scarcely +any preparation, some of them with almost no provision, no money +in their pockets, and only the clothes on their backs. They were +hastening to the defence of their country and their endangered brethren. + +"So Boston was besieged; Prescott of Pepperell and his Middlesex +minute-men kept watch over the entrance to that city. Gage was forced +to fortify the town at all points, while the Americans talked of +driving him and his troops into the sea. + +"New Hampshire sent men under the command of John Stark, a noble fellow +well known as brave, fearless, and worthy of all confidence. + +"Israel Putnam was another, who, hearing the cry from Lexington, which +reached him on the morning after the battle, while he was helping his +hired men to build a stone wall on his farm, hurried thither without +waiting to so much as change the check shirt he was wearing in the +field; though first he roused the militia officers of the nearest towns. + +"He reached Cambridge by sunrise the next morning, having ridden the +same horse a hundred miles in eighteen hours. He was full of courage +and love for his country, and hundreds had already chosen him for their +leader. + +"Benedict Arnold was still another who made haste to Boston to assist +in the siege. By the 21st of April it was estimated that twenty +thousand men were collected about that city. + +"The battle of Bunker Hill, you will recollect, was not fought till the +17th of June. During all the intervening time the Americans had kept +the British officers and their troops besieged in Boston, and they were +beginning to be much ashamed of their confinement. + +"The Americans had decided to throw up a breast-work across the road +near Prospect Hill, and to fortify Bunker Hill as soon as a supply +of powder and artillery could be obtained; but learning that Gage +had planned to extend his lines north and south over Dorchester and +Charlestown, and had fixed upon the eighteenth of June for so doing, +they decided to anticipate his movement, and on the fifteenth of that +month the Massachusetts Committee of Safety informed the Council of War +that, in their opinion, Dorchester Heights should be fortified; and +they recommended unanimously the establishing of a post on Bunker Hill. + +"The choice of an officer to conduct the enterprise fell upon William +Prescott, who was colonel of a regiment; and the next evening a brigade +of a thousand men was put under his command. + +"Soon after sunset they paraded on Cambridge Common. They were not +in uniform as American troops would be in these days, nor had they +such arms; for the most part they had fowling-pieces,--no bayonets +to them,--and only a small supply of powder and bullets, which they +carried in horns and pouches. + +"Four days previously a proclamation had been issued threatening all +persons in arms against their sovereign with death under martial law, +by the cord as rebels and traitors. That menace these men were the +first to defy; and he, Prescott, was resolved 'never to be taken alive.' + +"Langdon, the president of Harvard College, prayed fervently with +them. Then as it began to grow dark on that summer night, they marched +silently and without noise across the narrow isthmus, taking with them +their wagons with intrenching tools; and Prescott, calling around him +his officers and Richard Gridley, an experienced engineer, consulted +with them as to the spot on which they should erect their earthworks. + +"Bunker Hill had been proposed by the committee, but Prescott had +received orders to march to Breed's Hill, and obeyed them. It was +nearer Boston, and he and his companions thought it better suited than +the other for annoying the British in the town and the shipping in the +harbour. + +"So the engineer drew there, by the light of the stars, the lines of a +redoubt nearly eight rods square. The bells of Boston had struck twelve +before they began their work by turning the first sod, but every man of +the thousand plied the pickaxe and spade in turn, and so rapidly that +the parapet soon assumed form and height sufficient for defence, and +Prescott said to himself, 'We shall keep our ground if some screen, +however slight, can be completed before discovery.' + +"He set a watch to patrol the shore, and twice went down to the margin +of the water, on which three British vessels lay at anchor,--the +'Lively' in the ferry between Boston and Charlestown, and a little to +the eastward of her the 'Falcon,' sloop-of-war, and the 'Somerset,' a +ship-of-the-line,--and listening intently he could hear the drowsy cry +of the sentinels on their decks, 'All is well.'" + +Captain Raymond paused and looked at his watch. + +"It is time we were going," he said. "I will just point out to you all +the localities made interesting by the events of that day, and finish +my story on board the 'Dolphin,' to which we are just about to return. +We may be in the way of other visitors here, but there will be quite to +ourselves, and an annoyance to no one." + +They went back to their hotel, where the Captain left them for a +little, saying he had some purchases to make for use on the voyage, but +would return shortly to see them on board the yacht. + +He was not gone very long, and on his return the entire party--with +the exception of Donald Keith who had bidden them farewell early that +morning--returned with him to the "Dolphin," which presently sailed out +of the harbour and pursued her way up along the New England coast. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +The evening proved a rainy one and cool for the season; but the +"Dolphin's" cabin was found an agreeable resort. All gathered there, +and at once there was an urgent request from the young people that the +interrupted story of the battle of Bunker Hill might be resumed. + +"You know, Papa, we left off just where Prescott's men were digging and +making a redoubt," said Lulu. "The night before the battle, wasn't it?" + +"Yes," he replied. "The British were greatly astonished when daylight +revealed the work that had been going on during the hours of darkness; +for it was done so quietly that their suspicions had not been aroused. + + "No shout disturbed the night + Before that fearful fight; + There was no boasting high, + No marshalling of men + Who ne'er might meet again; + No cup was filled and quaffed to victory! + No plumes were there, + No banners fair, + No trumpets breathed around; + Nor the drum's startling sound + Broke on the midnight air." + +"What nice verses, Papa!" said Gracie. "Did you make them yourself?" + +"No, daughter," he replied, "it was merely a quotation from John Neal, +one of our own American poets. + +"But to go on with my story. As soon as the British discovered the +redoubt our men had constructed on Breed's Hill, the captain of the +'Lively' put springs on his cables and opened a fire upon it without +waiting for orders. + +"The noise of the cannon aroused the sleeping people of Boston, and by +the time the sun was up every eminence and roof in the city swarmed +with them, all gazing with astonished eyes upon the strange apparition +on Breed's Hill. The 'Lively's' shots did no harm, and the Americans +went on as before with their work. They were behind their intrenchments +busied in strengthening them, and toiled on till pick and shovel had to +be laid aside for guns to defend them with. + +"The firing presently ceased for a little, by order of Admiral Graves, +the British naval commander-in-chief, but was soon resumed by the +shipping, while a battery of six guns on Copp's Hill in the city joined +in with them. + +"Early that morning the British general, Gage, called a council of war, +and it was decided to drive the Americans out of their works, and that +the attack should be made in front. + +"Boston was full of excitement, drums were beating, dragoons +galloping about the streets, regulars and royalists marching and +counter-marching, artillery trains rumbling and church-bells ringing." + +"Ah, how the hearts of wives and mothers, brothers and sisters, must +have been torn at thought of the terrible struggle just at hand!" +sighed Grandma Elsie, as the Captain paused for a moment in his +narrative. + +"Yes," he replied, "then and still more when from the roofs, steeples, +and every sort of elevation, they watched with streaming eyes the +progress of the fight after it had actually begun." + +"Oh," exclaimed Gracie, "how glad and thankful I am that God let us +live in these later days when there is no war in our dear country! + +"Yes, dear child, we should thank God for peace," her father responded, +softly smoothing her hair and pressing his lips to her cheek for an +instant as she stood by his side, her head resting lovingly on his +shoulder. + +"The Americans worked faithfully on their intrenchments all the +morning," he continued, "Prescott doing all he could to encourage +them by his voice and example, even walking leisurely around upon the +parapet in full view of the British officers who were still in Boston. + +"It is said that Gage was looking at the American works through a +field-glass, and saw Prescott, who was a tall man of commanding +appearance, going his rounds, and that he inquired of Counsellor +Willard, a brother-in-law of Prescott, who was standing near, who it +was. + +"'That is Colonel Prescott,' was the reply. + +"'Will he fight?' asked Gage. + +"'Yes, sir,' answered Willard, 'he is an old soldier, and will fight as +long as a drop of blood remains in his veins.' + +"'The works must be carried immediately,' was Gage's rejoinder, and he +at once proceeded to give the order for the attack. + +"He sent between two and three thousand picked men under the command +of Generals Howe and Pigot. They crossed the water in twenty-eight +barges, and landed at Morton's Point beyond the eastern foot of Breed's +Hill, covered by the guns of the 'Falcon' and other vessels. There they +waited for reinforcements, which were sent Howe about two o'clock. + +"While the troops of Howe and Pigot were waiting, they dined; but the +poor Americans behind their intrenchments, at which they had been +working all the morning as well as from twelve o'clock of the previous +night, had little or nothing to eat or drink, and were suffering with +hunger, thirst, and the extreme heat of the weather as well as fatigue, +for the day was one of the hottest of the season. + +"Besides, the reinforcements sent to their assistance were so few and +feeble that a dreadful suspicion arose in their minds that they were +the victims of treachery. + +"Still they could not doubt the patriotism of their principal officers; +and before the battle began, the arrival of their beloved Dr. Warren +and General Pomeroy entirely relieved their doubts. + +"Dr. Warren was suffering from sickness and exhaustion; and Putnam, +who was at Cambridge forwarding reinforcements and provisions to +Charlestown, tried to persuade him not to take part in the coming +fight. But his heart was in the cause, and he was not to be induced +to give up doing all he could to help in the approaching struggle for +freedom. + +"He mounted a horse, sped across the neck, and just as Howe gave orders +to advance, entered the redoubt amid the loud cheers of the men who so +loved and trusted him." + +"Such a lovely man, and ardent patriot as he was!" exclaimed Violet. +"Oh, it makes my heart ache to think that he was killed in that battle." + +"It was a very great loss to the American cause," responded her +husband, taking a book from a table near at hand as he spoke. "This," +he said, "is Bancroft's History, which I bought this afternoon that I +might have his help in going over the story of the battle of Bunker +Hill and other interesting events of the Revolution. This is what he +says of Joseph Warren:-- + + "In him were combined swiftness of thought and resolve, courage, + endurance, and manners which won universal love. He opposed the + British government not from interested motives nor from resentment. + Guileless and intrepid, he was in truth a patriot. As the moment for + the appeal to arms approached, he watched with joy the revival of the + generous spirit of New England's ancestors; and wherever the peril was + greatest he was present animating not by words alone, but ever by his + example. + + "His integrity, the soundness of his judgment, his ability to write + readily and well, his fervid eloquence, his exact acquaintance with + American rights and the infringements of them, gave authority to his + advice in private and in the provincial congress. Had he lived, the + future seemed burdened with his honors; he cheerfully sacrificed all + for the freedom of his country and the rights of man." + +"He left some children, if I remember right?" remarked Violet in a tone +of inquiry, as her husband paused in his reading. + +"Yes, four of them," answered the Captain; "and his wife having died +about two years before, they were now left orphans, in straitened +circumstances. + +"And that reminds me of a good deed done by Gen. Benedict Arnold. He +was a warm friend of Warren, and for that reason came to their relief, +himself contributing five hundred dollars for their education, and +obtaining from Congress the amount of a major-general's half pay, to be +applied to their support from the time of their father's death until +the youngest child should be of age. + +"But to go on with the account of the battle. Warren had been entreated +not thus to expose his life. His answer was, 'It is sweet and becoming +to die for one's country.' He saw all the difficulties in the way of +his countrymen, and desired to give all the help in his power. + +"Putnam expressed himself as ready to receive his orders; but Warren +declined to take the command from him, and passed on to the redoubt +which seemed likely to be the chief point of attack by the enemy. + +"Prescott there offered the command to him, as Putnam had just done; +but Warren again declined, saying, 'I come as a volunteer, to learn +from a soldier of experience.' This though three days before he had +been elected a provincial major-general. + +"After the British had landed and before the battle began, Col. John +Stark arrived with his New Hampshire troops. Except Prescott he brought +the largest number into the field. He was a very brave man, and so +cool and collected that he marched leisurely across the isthmus, raked +by the cannon of the enemy; and when one of his captains advised a +quickstep, he replied, 'One fresh man in action is worth ten fatigued +ones.' + +"There was not time for him to consult with Prescott. They fought +independently,--Prescott at his redoubt, Stark and Knowlton, and Reed's +regiment to protect its flank. + +"Months before that,--two days after the battle of Concord,--Gage had +threatened to burn Charlestown in case the Americans should occupy +the heights. So an order was now given to set it on fire, and it was +done by shells from Copp's Hill; the houses being mostly of wood, two +hundred of them were soon in flames. + +"The British thought to be protected in their advance by the smoke of +the burning houses, but a gentle breeze, the first that had been felt +that day, arose and wafted it aside, so that they were not hidden from +the eyes of the Americans. + +"It was somewhere between two and three o'clock when the British began +their approach. They were in two columns, one led by Howe, the other by +Pigot, Howe no doubt expecting to get into Prescott's rear and force +him to a surrender. But I will give another extract from Bancroft. + + "As they began to march, the battery on Copp's Hill, from which + Clinton and Burgoyne were watching every movement, kept up an + incessant fire, which was seconded by the 'Falcon' and the + 'Lively,' the 'Somerset' and the two floating batteries; the town of + Charlestown, consisting of five hundred edifices of wood, burst into + a blaze; and the steeple of its only church became a pyramid of fire. + All the while the masts of the British shipping and the heights of the + British camp, the church towers, the house tops of a populous town, + and the acclivities of the surrounding country, were crowded with + spectators to watch the battle which was to take place in full sight + on a conspicuous eminence." + +"Oh, Papa," pleaded Gracie, as he paused for an instant, "please tell +it. I like that so much better than listening to reading." + +"Quite a compliment to me as a reader," he returned with an amused look. + +"No, sir, as a talker. I like to hear you tell things," she responded, +with a sweet, engaging smile. + +"Do you, dear child? Very well, I'll try to gratify you. + + "When Prescott saw the red-coats moving toward his redoubt he ordered + two separate detachments to flank the enemy, then went through his + works encouraging his men, to whom this was an entirely new experience. + 'The red-coats will never reach the redoubt,' he said, 'if you will but + withhold your fire till I give the order; and be careful not to shoot + over their heads.' Then he waited till the enemy had come within a few + rods, when waving his sword over his head he gave the word, 'Fire!' + + "Every gun was instantly discharged, and nearly the whole of the front + rank fell; the rest, astonished at this unexpected resistance, stood + still. Then for some minutes the fire of the Americans continued, + answered by the British, till at last they staggered, wavered, then + fled down the hill toward their boats. + + "Howe had been treated to a like reception by Stark's and Knowlton's + troops, cheered on by Putnam who, like Prescott, bade them reserve + their fire till the best moment, when they poured in one as deadly and + destructive as that which came from Prescott's redoubt." + +"Wasn't Prescott's order to his men to reserve their fire till they +could see the whites of the British soldier's eyes?" queried Violet. + +"Yes, so Lossing tells us; and that he added, 'Then aim at their +waistbands; and be sure to pick off the commanders, known by their +handsome coats.' + +"His men were filled with joy when they saw the British fly, and wanted +to pursue them, some even leaping the fence; but their more prudent +officers restrained them, and in a few minutes they were all within +their works again, and ready to receive and repulse a second attack. + +"Colonel Prescott praised and encouraged them while Putnam rode over to +Bunker Hill to urge on reinforcement; but 'few additional troops could +be brought to Breed's Hill before the second attack was made.' Before +that the British were reinforced by four hundred marines from Boston, +then they moved against the redoubt in the same order as at first, +their artillery doing more damage to the Americans than in the first +assault." + +"Papa," asked Gracie, "what had become of the wounded men they'd left +lying on the ground?--those the Americans shot down at their first fire +over the redoubt?" + +"They were still lying there on the ground where they had fallen, poor +fellows! and the others marched over them. Ah, war is a dreadful thing, +and those who forced it upon the patient, long-suffering Americans were +either very thoughtless or exceeding cruel." + +"Yes," exclaimed Rosie, "I don't know what George III. could have been +made of to be willing to cause so much suffering even to innocent +defenceless women and children, just that he might play the tyrant and +forcibly take from the Americans their own hard earnings to pay his +way." + +"He was perhaps not quite so wicked as weak," replied her mother; "you +know, I think, that he afterward lost his mind several times. Indeed he +had done so once before this,--in 1764." + +"He had been wicked and cruel enough for a guilty conscience to set him +crazy, I should think," remarked Max. + +"Please go on, again, Papa, won't you?" entreated Lulu. + +"I will," he said. "The British fired as they drew near, but with +little effect; and the Americans, reserving their fire as before, till +the foe was within five or six yards of the redoubt, then poured it on +them with deadly aim, as at the first attack. It told with terrible +effect; whole ranks of officers and men fell dead." + +"Oh, didn't they run then, Papa?" queried Gracie with a shudder of +horror as she seemed to see the ground strewed with the dead and dying. + +"They were thrown into confusion and retreated to the shore," the +Captain replied,--"retreated in great disorder. It seemed that the +American fire was even more fatal than before. In telling the story +afterward Prescott said, 'From the whole American line there was a +continuous stream of fire.' + +"The British officers exposed themselves fearlessly, and urged their +soldiers on with persuasions, threats, and even blows; but they could +not reach the redoubt, and presently gave way, and, as I have said, +retreated in great disorder. + +"At one time Howe was left nearly alone for a few seconds, so many of +his officers had been killed or wounded; while 'the dead,' as Stark +said in his account of the battle, 'lay as thick as sheep in a fold.' + +"Now I think my little Gracie will have to put up with some more +reading," added the Captain, with a smiling glance at her; then opening +his book, read aloud,-- + + "At intervals the artillery from the ships and batteries was playing, + while the flames were rising over the town of Charlestown and laying + waste the places of the graves of its fathers, and streets were + falling together, and ships at the yards were crashing on the stocks, + and the kindred of the Americans, from the fields, and hills and + house-tops around, watched every gallant act of their defenders. 'The + whole,' wrote Burgoyne, 'was a complication of horror and importance + beyond anything it ever came to my lot to be witness to. It was a + sight for a young soldier that the longest service may not furnish + again." + +"If," remarked Captain Raymond, again closing the book, "it was so +dreadful a sight for soldiers accustomed to the horrors of war, what +must it not have been to the American farmers taking their first lesson +in war? But not one of them shrank from duty. I think we may be very +proud of those countrymen of ours. Prescott said to his men, 'If we +drive them back once more they cannot rally again.' At that his men +cheered him, and shouted. 'We are ready for the red-coats again.' + +"But alas! the officers now discovered that the supply of gunpowder was +nearly exhausted. Prescott had sent in the morning for more, but it had +not come; and there were not fifty bayonets in his party." + +"They were wonderfully brave to stand for a third attack under such +circumstances," remarked Evelyn. + +"They were indeed," responded the Captain. "No one of the seven hundred +men with Prescott seems to have thought of giving up the contest +without another effort. Some gathered stones from the redoubt to use +as missiles, those who had no bayonets resolved to club their guns and +strike with them when their powder should be gone; all were determined +to fight as long as a ray of hope of success could be discerned. And +they did. + +"They waited with quiet firmness the approach of the enemy who came +steadily on with fixed bayonets, while their cannon were so trained +that they swept the interior of the breast-work from one end to the +other, obliging the Americans to crowd within their fort. + +"The Americans were presently attacked on three sides, at once; and +there were, as I have said, but seven hundred of them, some of whom had +no more than one round of ammunition, none of them more than four. But +they did not quail, and Prescott calmly gave his directions. + +"He bade his men wait, reserving their fire till the enemy was within +twenty yards. Then they poured in a deadly volley. Every shot told. +Howe was wounded in the foot, and several of his officers were killed +besides the common soldiers. But they pressed on to the now nearly +silent redoubt, for the American fire had slackened and begun to die +away. + +"And now there was only a ridge of earth between the combatants, and +the first of the British who reached it were assailed with a shower +of stones. Then some of them scaled the parapet and were shot down in +the act. One of these was Major Pitcairn, who had led the troops at +Lexington. As he mounted the parapet he cried out, 'Now for the glory +of the marines!' and was answered by a shot from a negro that gave him +a mortal wound. His son carried him to a boat, conveyed him to Boston, +and there he soon died." + +"Oh!" exclaimed Gracie, "I hope that brave Colonel Prescott didn't get +killed, Papa!" + +"No; he escaped unhurt, though his coat and waistcoat were pierced and +torn in several places by the bayonets of the British, which he parried +with his sword. + +"It was now a hand-to-hand fight, British and Americans mingled +together, our men walking backward and hewing their way out, dealing +deadly blows with their muskets. + +"Fortunately the British were too much exhausted to use their bayonets +with vigour; and so intermingled were they and the Americans that the +use of firearms would have been dangerous to their own men as well as +to ours." + +"Oh," sighed Rosie, "I have always been so sorry that our men didn't +have plenty of gunpowder! I don't think there's a doubt that if they +had been well supplied with it, they would have won a grand victory." + +"Yes; they did wonders considering all they had to contend with," +said the Captain. "Their courage, endurance, and skill as marksmen +astonished the British, and were never forgotten by them during the +long war that followed. + +"The number engaged in the battle of Bunker Hill was small, all +taken together not more than fifteen hundred of the Americans,--less +than seven hundred in the redoubt,--while of the British there were, +according to Gage, more than two thousand; other and accurate observers +said, 'near upon three thousand.' + +"But in spite of the smallness of the numbers engaged, the battle was +one of the severest and most determined on record. Neither side could +claim a victory, but both displayed great courage and determination." + +"And Joseph Warren was one of the killed!" sighed Grandma Elsie, "one +of the bravest, best, and most lovable of men, as those who knew him +have testified. I remember reading that Mrs. John Adams said of him +and his death, 'Not all the havoc and devastation they have made has +wounded me like the death of Warren. We want him in the Senate; we +want him in his profession; we want him in the field. We mourn for +the citizen, the senator, the physician, and the warrior.' General +Howe said, 'His death was worth more to the British than that of five +hundred of the provincial privates.'" + +"And that was not an over-estimate, I think," said the Captain. "It was +indeed a sad loss to the cause of the colonies when he was slain." + +"But there were more of the British killed than of our men,--weren't +there, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"Yes, very many more. By Gage's own account the number of killed and +wounded in his army was at least one thousand and fifty-four. The +oldest soldiers had never seen anything like it,--so many officers +killed and wounded. Bancroft tells us that the battle of Quebec, which +won a continent, did not cost the lives of so many officers as the +battle of Bunker Hill, which gained nothing 'but a place of encampment.' + +"The American loss was one hundred and forty-five in killed and +missing, three hundred and four wounded. No doubt the loss would have +been very much greater but for the brave conduct of the men at the rail +fence and the bank of the Mystic, who kept the enemy at bay while the +men from the redoubt retreated. You may remember that they were Stark's +men from New Hampshire and Knowlton's from Connecticut." + +"I hope the result of the battle encouraged the Americans as much as it +discouraged the British," remarked Rosie, "and I think I have read that +it did." + +"Yes," the Captain replied, "it did. In his general order, thanking +the officers and soldiers for their gallant behaviour at Charlestown, +Ward said, 'We shall finally come off victorious, and triumph over the +enemies of freedom and America.'" + +"Did they fight any more that night, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"No," he said, "though Prescott went to headquarters and offered to +recover his post if he might have three fresh regiments. He did not +seem to think he had done anything more than his duty, and asked for +neither praise nor promotion, though others gave him unstinted praise +for what he had done. + +"Putnam was absent from the field, engaged in trying to collect +reinforcements, when the third attack was made, and the retreating +party encountered him on the northern declivity of Bunker Hill. He +tried to stop and turn them about,--commanded, pleaded, and used every +exertion in his power to rally the scattered corps, swearing that +victory should crown the American arms. 'Make a stand here; we can stop +them yet!' he exclaimed. 'In God's name, fire, and give them one shot +more!' + +"It is said that after the war was over he made a sincere confession to +the church of which he was a member; but he said, 'It was almost enough +to make an angel swear to see the cowards refuse to secure a victory so +nearly won.'" + +"And couldn't he stop them, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"He succeeded with some few," replied her father, "joined them to a +detachment which had not reached the spot till the fighting was over, +and with them took possession of Prospect Hill, where he encamped for +the night." + +"Oh, Papa, what did they do with all those Americans and British who +had been killed?" asked Gracie. + +"There must have been many a sad funeral," the Captain said in reply, +"many a widow and fatherless child to weep over the slain. Ah, let us +thank our heavenly Father for the liberty and security bought for us at +so fearful a price." + +"Yes," responded Grandma Elsie; "and let us keep them for ourselves and +our children by the eternal vigilance which is the price of liberty.'" + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +To the great delight of the young people on board the "Dolphin" the sun +shone in a clear sky the next morning. + +Soon after breakfast they were all on deck, as usual in pleasant +weather, enjoying the breeze, the sight of passing vessels, and a +distant view of the land. + +The Captain and Violet sat near together with the two little ones +playing about them, while Grandma Elsie, in a reclining chair, at no +great distance, seemed absorbed in a book. + +"Mamma is reading something sad, I know by the look on her face," said +Walter, hurrying toward her, the others following. "What is it you are +reading, Mamma, that makes you look so sorry?" he asked, putting an arm +about her neck, and giving her a kiss. "Oh, that's Bancroft's History!" + +"Yes," she said, "I was just looking over his account of the battles of +Lexington and Concord, and some things he tells do make me sad though +they happened more than a hundred years ago." + +"Oh, please read them to us!" pleaded several young voices, all +speaking at once. + +"I will give you some passages," she said; "not the whole, because you +have already been over that ground. It is what he tells of Isaac Davis +that particularly interests me," and she began reading. + + "At daybreak the minute-men of Acton crowded, at the drum-beat, to the + house of Isaac Davis, their captain, who 'made haste to be ready.' + Just thirty years old, the father of four little ones, stately in his + person, a man of few words, earnest even to solemnity, he parted from + his wife, saying, 'Take good care of the children;' and while she + gazed after him with resignation, he led off his company. + + "Between nine and ten the number of Americans on the rising ground + above Concord Bridge had increased to more than four hundred. Of + these there were twenty-five minute-men from Bedford, with Jonathan + Wilson for their captain; others were from Westford, among them + Thaxter, a preacher; others from Littleton, from Carlisle, and from + Chelmsford. The Acton company came last and formed on the right. The + whole was a gathering not so much of officers and soldiers as of + brothers and equals, of whom every one was a man well known in his + village, observed in the meeting-house on Sundays, familiar at town + meetings and respected as a freeholder or a freeholder's son.... 'The + Americans had as yet received only uncertain rumors of the morning's + events at Lexington. At the sight of fire in the village, the impulse + seized them to march into the town for its defence.' But were they + not subjects of the British king? Had not the troops come out in + obedience to acknowledged authorities? Was resistance practicable? + Was it justifiable? By whom could it be authorized? No union had been + formed, no independence proclaimed, no war declared. The husbandmen + and mechanics who then stood on the hillock by Concord river were + called on to act, and their action would be war or peace, submission + or independence. Had they doubted they must have despaired. Prudent + statesmanship would have asked for time to ponder. Wise philosophy + would have lost from hesitation the glory of opening a new era on + mankind. The train-bands at Concord acted and God was with them. + + "The American revolution grew out of the soul of the people, and was + an inevitable result of a living affection for freedom, which set in + motion harmonious effort as certainly as the beating of the heart + sends warmth and color through the system. The rustic heroes of that + hour obeyed the simplest, the highest, and the surest instincts, of + which the seminal principle existed in all their countrymen. From + necessity they were impelled toward independence and self-direction; + this day revealed the plastic will which was to attract the elements + of a nation to a centre, and by an innate force to shape its + constitution. + + "The officers, meeting in front of their men, spoke a few words with + one another, and went back to their places. Barrett, the colonel, + on horseback in the rear, then gave the order to advance, but not + to fire unless attacked. The calm features of Isaac Davis, of + Acton, became changed; the town school-master of Concord, who was + present, could never afterward find words strong enough to express + how deeply his face reddened at the word of command. 'I have not a + man that is afraid to go,' said Davis, looking at the men of Acton, + and drawing his sword, he cried, 'March!' His company, being on the + right, led the way toward the bridge, he himself at their head, and + by his side Major John Buttrick, of Concord, with John Robinson, of + Westford, lieutenant-colonel in Prescott's regiment, but on this day a + volunteer, without command. + + "These three men walked together in front, followed by minute-men and + militia, in double file, trailing arms. They went down the hillock, + entered the byroad, came to its angle with the main road, and there + turned into the causeway that led straight to the bridge. The British + began to take up the planks; to prevent it, the Americans quickened + their step. At this the British fired one or two shots up the river; + then another, by which Luther Blanchard and Jonas Brown were wounded. + A volley followed, and Isaac Davis and Abner Hosmer fell dead. Three + hours before, Davis had bid his wife farewell. That afternoon he was + carried home and laid in her bedroom. His countenance was pleasant in + death. The bodies of two others of his company, who were slain that + day, were brought to her house, and the three were followed to the + village graveyard by a concourse of the neighbors from miles around. + Heaven gave her length of days in the land which his self-devotion + assisted to redeem. She lived to see her country reach the Gulf of + Mexico and the Pacific; when it was grown great in numbers, wealth, + and power, the United States in Congress bethought themselves to pay + honors to her husband's martyrdom, and comfort her under the double + burden of sorrow and of more than ninety years." + +"Ninety years!" exclaimed Walter. "Oh what an old, _old_ woman she was! +I think they ought to have given it to her a great deal sooner,--don't +you, Mamma?" + +"I do, indeed," she replied. "What a dreadful time it was! The British +soldiery behaved like savages or demons,--burning houses, murdering +innocent unarmed people. One poor woman--a Mrs. Adams, ill in bed, with +a baby only a week old--was driven out of her bed, out of her house, +and had to crawl almost naked to a corn-shed with her little one in her +arms, while the soldiers set fire to her house. + +"They shot and killed an idiot perched on a fence looking at them as +they passed; and they brutally murdered two aged, helpless, unarmed old +men, stabbing them, breaking their skulls and dashing out their brains." + +"I don't wonder the Americans shot down as many of them as they could!" +exclaimed Max, in tones of hot indignation. "Men that did such things +were not brave soldiers, but worse savages than the Indians. Oh, how I +wish our people had had the abundance of good weapons and powder and +balls that we have now! Then they'd have taught the insolent British +a good lesson; they would soon have driven Gage and all his savage +soldiery into the sea." + +"I presume they would," said Mrs. Travilla; "but poor fellows! they +were very destitute of such needed supplies. This is what Bancroft +says about it:-- + + "All the following night, the men of Massachusetts streamed in from + scores of miles around, old men as well as young. They had scarce a + semblance of artillery or warlike stores, no powder, nor organization, + nor provisions; but there they were, thousands with brave hearts, + determined to rescue the liberties of their country. + + "The night preceding the outrages at Lexington there were not fifty + people in the whole colony that ever expected any blood would be shed + in the contest; the night after, the king's governor and the king's + army found themselves closely beleaguered in Boston." + +"Did the news fly very fast all over the country, Mamma?" asked Walter. + +"Very fast for those times," she replied; "you must remember that +then they had neither railroads nor telegraph, but as Bancroft says, +'Heralds by swift relays transmitted the war messages from hand to +hand, till village repeated it to village; the sea to the backwoods; +the plains to the highlands; and it was never suffered to droop till it +had been borne north and south, east and west, throughout the land.'" + +"But there wasn't any more fighting till the battle of Bunker Hill, was +there, Mamma?" asked Walter. + +"Yes," she replied, "there was the taking of Ticonderoga and Crown +Point early in May, by a party under the command of Ethan Allen; there +were about a hundred 'Green Mountain Boys' and nearly fifty soldiers +from Massachusetts besides the men of Connecticut. The thing was +planned in Connecticut, and the expense borne there. + +"Allen marched in the night to the shore of the lake opposite to +Ticonderoga. A farmer named Beman offered his son Nathan as a guide, +saying that he (the lad) had been used to playing about the fort with +the boys of the garrison, and knew of every secret way leading into it. + +"Allen accepted the offer, but there was a difficulty about getting +boats in which to cross the lake. They had but few and day began to +dawn. If the garrison should be aroused their expedition was likely to +fail, for a great deal depended upon taking them by surprise; so Allen +decided not to wait for the rear division to cross, but to make the +attempt with the officers and eighty-three men who were already on that +side. He drew up his men in three ranks on the shore and made them a +little speech in a low tone: 'Friends and fellow-soldiers, we must this +morning quit our pretensions to valour, or possess ourselves of this +fortress; and inasmuch as it is a desperate attempt, I do not urge it +on, contrary to will. You that will undertake voluntarily, poise your +firelock.' + +"Instantly every firelock was poised. 'Face to the right!' he cried, +putting himself at their head, Benedict Arnold close at his side, and +they marched quietly and steadily up to the gate. + +"The sentinel there snapped his fusee at Allen, but it missed fire, +and he retreated within the fort. The Americans rushed in after him, +another sentinel made a thrust at one of them, but they ran upon the +guard, raising the Indian war-whoop, Allen giving the sentinel a blow +upon the head with his sword that made him beg for quarter. + +"Of course the shout of our men had roused the garrison; and they +sprang from their beds, and came rushing out only to be made prisoners. + +"Then young Beman guided Allen to the door of the sleeping apartment of +Delaplace, the commander. The loud shout of the Americans had waked him +and his wife, and both sprang to the door as Allen gave three loud raps +upon it with his sword and thundered out an order for the commander to +appear if he wouldn't have his whole garrison sacrificed. + +"Delaplace threw open the door, showing himself only half dressed, in +shirt and drawers, with his pretty wife standing behind him peering +over his shoulder. He immediately recognized Allen, for they were old +friends, and assuming an air of authority, demanded his errand. + +"Allen pointed to his men and said sternly, 'I order you instantly to +surrender.' + +"'By what authority do you demand it?' asked Delaplace. + +"'In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress,' +thundered Allen, and raising his sword over his prisoner's head, +commanded him to be silent and surrender immediately. + +"Delaplace saw that it was useless to refuse, so surrendered, ordered +his men to parade without arms, and gave them up as prisoners. There +were forty-eight of them; and they, with the women and children, were +sent to Hartford as prisoners of war." + +"And what did our men get besides the soldiers and women and children, +Mamma?" asked Walter. + +"Cannon, and guns of various kinds, other munitions of war, a quantity +of provisions and material for boat building, and so forth, besides the +fortress itself, which Bancroft says had 'cost the British nation eight +millions sterling, a succession of campaigns, and many lives, yet was +won in ten minutes by a few undisciplined volunteers, without the loss +of life or limb.'" + +"Oh, that was the very best of it, I think," said Gracie. "War wouldn't +be so very, very dreadful if it was all like that,--would it, Grandma +Elsie?" + +"No dear," Mrs. Travilla replied, smiling lovingly upon the little +girl, and softly smoothing her golden curls. + +"Was there any other fighting before the battle of Bunker Hill, Mamma?" +queried Walter. + +"Yes," she said, "there were some encounters along this New England +coast." + +"And Crown Point was taken too,--wasn't it, Mamma?" asked Rosie. + +"Ah, yes! I had forgotten that part of my story," replied her mother. +"It was taken two days later than Ticonderoga, also without any +bloodshed. About the same time that Ticonderoga was taken, there was +a British ship called the 'Canceaux' in the harbour of Portland. The +captain's name was Mowat. On the 11th of May he and two of his officers +were on shore, when a party of sixty men from Georgetown seized them. + +"The officer who had been left in command of the vessel threatened what +he would do if they were not released, and even began to bombard the +town. Mowat was released at a late hour, but felt angry and revengeful, +and succeeded in rousing the same sort of feeling in the admiral of the +station. + +"A month later the people of a town called Machias seized the captain +of two sloops that had come into their harbour to be freighted with +lumber, and convoyed by a king's cutter called the 'Margaretta.' The +lumber was for the British army at Boston, and they, the Americans, +got possession of the sloops, after taking the captain, whom they +seized in the 'meeting-house.' The 'Margaretta' didn't fire on the +town, but slipped away down the harbour in the dark that night, and the +next morning sailed out to sea. + +"Then forty men, under the command of Capt. Jeremiah O'Brien, pursued +her in one of the captured sloops, and as she was a dull sailer, soon +overtook her. An obstinate sea-fight followed; the captain of the +cutter was mortally wounded, six of his men not so badly, and after an +hour's fight the 'Margaretta's' flag was struck. It was the first time +the British flag was struck on the ocean to Americans." + +"But not the last by any means!" cried Max, exultantly; "whatever may +be said of our land forces, America has always shown herself superior +to Great Britain on the sea. I'm very proud of the fact that though at +the beginning of the last war with England we had but twenty vessels +(exclusive of one hundred and twenty gun-boats), while England had ten +hundred and sixty, we whipped her." + +"Quite true, Max," Mrs. Travilla said, smiling at the boy's ardent +patriotism, "and I am as proud of the achievements of our navy as you +can be; but let us give all the glory to God who helped the oppressed +in their hard struggle against their unjust and cruel oppressor." + +"Yes, ma'am, I know," he answered; "America was most shamefully +oppressed, and it was only by God's help that she succeeded in putting +a stop to the dreadful treatment of her poor sailors. Just to think of +the insolent way the British naval officers used to have of boarding +our vessels and carrying off American-born men, who loved their own +country and wanted to serve her, and forcing them even to serve +against her, fairly makes my blood boil!" Max had in his excitement +unconsciously raised his voice so that his words reached his father's +ear. + +The captain looked smilingly at Violet, "My boy is an ardent patriot," +he said in a pleased tone. "Should we ever have another war (which +Heaven forbid!), I hope he will do his country good service." + +"I am sure he will if he lives to see that day," returned Violet; "but +I agree with you in hoping the need of such service will never arise." + +"But let us always remember," Evelyn said in reply to Max, "that +those cruel, unjust deeds, and the feelings that prompted them, were +not those of the English people, but of their Government and the +aristocracy,--I suppose because of their hatred of republicanism, their +desire to keep the masses of the people down, and themselves rich and +powerful." + +"Yes," said Rosie, "it was just pure pride and selfishness. They didn't +like the doctrine of our Declaration of Independence that 'all men are +created equal.'" + +Mrs. Travilla was turning over the leaves of her book again. + +"Mamma," said Walter, "haven't you something more to read to us?" + +"Yes," she replied, and began at once. + + "On the ninth (of June) the 'Falcon,' a British sloop of war, was + seen from Cape Ann in chase of two schooners bound to Salem. One + of these was taken; a fair wind wafted the other into Gloucester + harbor. Linzee, the captain of the 'Falcon,' followed with his prize, + and, after anchoring, sent his lieutenant and thirty-six men in a + whale-boat and two barges to bring under his bow the schooner that had + escaped. + + "As the barge men boarded her at her cabin windows, men from the shore + fired on them, killing three and wounding the lieutenant in the thigh. + Linzee sent his prize and a cutter to cannonade the town. They did + little injury; while the Gloucester men, with the loss of but two, + took both schooners, the barges, and every man in them, Linzee losing + half his crew." + +"How vexed he must have been!" laughed Lulu. "Did he ever go back to +take revenge, Grandma Elsie?" + +"No, I think not," she said, "though Gage and the British admiral +planned to do so, and also to wreak vengeance on the people of +Portland,--then called Falmouth,--where, as you probably remember, +Mowat had been held prisoner for a few hours in May of that same year. + +"On the morning of the 16th of October Mowat again appeared in their +harbour in command of a ship of sixteen guns, attended by three other +vessels, and at half-past nine in the morning began firing upon the +town. + +"In five minutes several houses were in a blaze; then a party of +marines landed and spread the conflagration. He burned down about +three fourths of the town,--a hundred and thirty dwelling-houses, the +public buildings, and a church,--and shattered the rest of the houses +with balls and shells. The English account makes the destruction still +greater. So far north winter begins early, and it was just at the +beginning of a severe one that he thus turned the poor people of that +town out of house and home into the cold, in poverty and misery." + +"That was a Christian deed worthy of a Christian king," remarked Rosie, +scornfully. + +"Bancroft says," continued her mother, "that the indignation of +Washington was kindled by 'these savage cruelties, this new exertion of +despotic barbarity.' General Green said, 'Death and destruction mark +the footsteps of the enemy; fight or be slaves is the American motto.'" + +"And who wouldn't rather fight and die fighting, than be a slave?" +cried Max, his eyes flashing. "Grandma Elsie," he said, "you haven't +told us a word about the American navy. Didn't they begin one about +that time?" + +"I think they did, Max," was her reply; "but suppose we call upon your +father to tell us about it. He is doubtless better informed than I in +everything relating to that branch of the service." + +"Papa, will you?" asked the lad, turning toward the Captain and raising +his voice a little. + +"Will I do what, my son?" + +"Tell us about the doings of the navy in Revolutionary times, sir," +replied Max, "as Grandma Elsie has been telling of the fights on land." + +"Oh, do, Papa; won't you?" pleaded Lulu, hastening to his side, the +other girls and Walter following, while Max gallantly offered to move +Grandma Elsie's chair nearer to his father and Violet, which she +allowed him to do, thanking him with one of her rarely sweet smiles. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +The Captain, gently putting aside the two little ones who were hanging +lovingly about him, saw every one seated comfortably, and near enough +to hear all he might say, then resuming his own seat, began the account +they had asked for of the early doings of the embryo navy of their +common country. + +"We had no navy at all when the Revolutionary War began," he said. +"Rhode Island, the smallest State in the Union, was the first of the +colonies to move in the matter of building and equipping a Continental +fleet. On October 3, 1775, its delegates laid before Congress the +instructions they had received to do what they could to have that work +begun. + +"They met with great opposition there; but John Adams was very strongly +in its favour, and did for it all in his power. + +"On the 5th of October, Washington was authorized to employ two armed +vessels to intercept British store-ships, bound for Quebec; on the +13th, two armed vessels, of ten and of fourteen guns, were voted; and +seventeen days later, two others of thirty-six guns. That was the +beginning of our navy; and it was very necessary we should have one to +protect our seaport towns and destroy the English ships sent against +us, also to make it more difficult and hazardous for them to bring over +new levies of troops to deprive us of our liberties, and from using +their vessels to destroy our merchantmen, and so put an end to our +commerce. + +"Rhode Island had bold and skilful seamen, some of whom had had +something to do with British ships before the war began,--even as early +as 1772. + +"In that year there was a British armed schooner called the 'Gaspee,' +in Narragansett Bay, sent there to enforce obnoxious British laws. + +"Its officers behaved in so tyrannical a manner toward the Americans of +the neighbourhood that at length they felt it quite unbearable; and one +dark, stormy night in June, Capt. Abraham Whipple, a veteran sailor, +with some brother seamen, went down the bay in open whale-boats, set +the 'Gaspee' on fire, and burned her. + +"The British Government of course wanted to punish them, but all +engaged in the work of destruction were so true to each other that it +was impossible to find out who they were; but three years later--in +1775, the year that the war began--the bay was blockaded by an English +frigate, and in some way her commander learned that Whipple had been +the leader of the men who destroyed the 'Gaspee.' He then wrote him a +note." + + "You, Abraham Whipple, on the seventeenth of June 1772, burnt his + Majesty's vessel the 'Gaspee,' and I will hang you to the yard-arm." + +"Whipple replied with a note." + + _To Sir James Wallace_: + + Sir,--Always catch a man before you hang him. + + Abraham Whipple. + +"Good!" laughed Max; "and I think he never did catch him,--did he, +Papa?" + +"No, though he made every effort to do so, being greatly angered by the +impudent reply." + +"But you don't blame Whipple for answering him in that way,--do you, +Papa?" queried Lulu. + +"I can't say that I do," her father said with a slight smile. "And I +think the legislature of Rhode Island did a right and wise thing in +fitting out two armed vessels to drive Sir James and his frigate out of +Narragansett Bay, giving the command of them, and thus the honour of +firing the first gun in the naval service of the Revolution, to Captain +Whipple." + +"Oh, that was splendid!" cried several young voices. + +"That gave Washington a hint," continued the Captain, "and he +authorized the fitting out of several vessels as privateers, manning +them with these sailor-soldiers." + +"What is a privateer, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"A vessel belonging to some private person, or to more than one, +sailing in time of war, with a license from Government to seize, +plunder, and destroy the vessels of the enemy, and any goods they may +carry, wherever found afloat." + +"And how do they differ from transports, brother Levis?" asked Rosie. + +"Transports are vessels used for the carrying of troops, stores, and +materials of war," he answered. + +"Did they do their work well, Captain?" asked Evelyn. + +"Some did, and some did not," he answered. "The most successful was +Capt. John Manly, who had been thirty years, or nearly that, on +the sea. He was a skilful fisherman of Marblehead, and Washington +commissioned him as captain. + +"He was doubtless well acquainted with the qualifications of the +sailors of that part of the coast, and knew how to select a choice +crew, at all events he was very successful in annoying the enemy, and +soon had captured three ships as they entered Boston Harbour. One +of them was laden with just such things as were badly needed by the +Americans, then besieging Boston,--heavy guns, mortars, and intrenching +tools. + +"Manly became a terror to the British, and they tried hard to catch +him." + +"If they had, I suppose they'd have hung him," remarked Lulu, half +inquiringly. + +"No doubt they would have been glad to do so," her father replied. +"They sent out an armed schooner from Halifax to take him; but he was +too wary and skilful a commander to be easily caught, and he went on +roaming along the seacoast of New England, taking prize after prize +from among the British ships." + +"What was the name of his vessel, Papa?" asked Max. + +"The 'Lee.' It was not long before Congress created a navy, and Manly +was appointed a captain in it. He did gallant service until he was +taken prisoner by Sir George Collier in the 'Rainbow.'" + +"Did they hang him, Papa?" asked Gracie, with a look of distress. + +"No; he was kept a prisoner, first on that vessel, then in Mill prison, +Halifax, exchanged after a while, then again taken prisoner while in +command of the 'Pomona,' held a prisoner at Barbadoes, but made his +escape and took command of the privateer 'Jason.' He was afterward +attacked by two privateers, ran in between them, giving both a +broadside at once and making them strike their colours. + +"Later he was chased by a British seventy-four, and to escape capture +ran his ship aground on a sand-bar; afterward he succeeded in getting +her off, fired thirteen guns as a defiance, and made his escape." + +"Please tell us some more, brother Levis," urged Walter, as the Captain +paused in his narrative; "we'd be glad to hear all the doings of our +navy." + +"That would make a long story indeed, my boy," the Captain said with +a smile; "longer than could be told in one day or two. I will try to +relate some few more occurrences of particular interest; and I advise +you all to consult history on the subject after we get home. The coming +winter will be a good time for that. + +"In October, 1775, as I have already said, Congress resolved that a +swift sailing-vessel, to carry ten carriage-guns and an appropriate +number of swivels, should be fitted out for a cruise of three months +for the purpose of intercepting British transports. They also formed +a Marine Committee consisting of seven members, and ordered another +vessel to be built,--the Marine Committee performing the duties now +falling to the share of our Secretary of the Navy. + +"Later in that same year Congress ordered thirteen more vessels to be +built. They were the 'Washington,' 'Randolph,' 'Warren,' 'Hancock,' +'Raleigh,' each carrying thirty-two guns; the 'Effingham,' 'Delaware,' +'Boston,' 'Virginia,' 'Providence,' 'Montgomery,' 'Congress' and +'Trumble;' some of these were armed with twenty-eight, others with +twenty-four guns." + +"They made Abraham Whipple captain of one,--didn't they, Papa?" asked +Max. + +"Yes; Nicholas Biddle, Dudly Saltonstall and John B. Hopkins captains +of the others, and Esek Hopkins commander-in-chief. He was considered +as holding about the same rank in the navy that Washington did in the +army, and was styled indifferently admiral or commodore. + +"Among the first lieutenants appointed was John Paul Jones, who became +a famous commander before the war was over,--a great naval hero. But +you have all heard of him I think." + +"Oh, yes," said Rosie. "It was he who commanded the 'Bonhomme Richard' +in that hard-fought battle with the British ship 'Serapis.'" + +"Yes," replied the Captain. "It was one of the most desperate conflicts +on record, and resulted in victory for Jones and the 'Bonhomme +Richard,' though she was so badly damaged,--'counters and quarters +driven in, all her lower-deck guns dismounted, on fire in two places, +and six or seven feet of water in the hold'--that she had to be +abandoned, and sank the next morning. + +"Pearson the captain of the 'Serapis,' though defeated, had made so +gallant a fight that he was knighted by the king. When Jones heard of +it he said, 'He deserves it; and if I fall in with him again I'll make +a lord of him.' + +"I think he--Pearson--was more gallant than polite or generous; for on +offering his sword to Jones after his surrender he said, 'I cannot, +sir, but feel much mortification at the idea of surrendering my sword +to a man who has fought me with a rope round his neck.'" + +"Just like an Englishman!" exclaimed Max, hotly; "but what did Jones +say in reply, Papa?" + +"He returned the sword, saying, 'You have fought gallantly, sir, and I +hope your king will give you a better ship.'" + +"That was a gentlemanly reply," said Lulu, "and I hope Jones got the +credit he deserved for his splendid victory." + +"Europe and America rang with his praises," said her father. "The +Empress of Russia gave him the ribbon of St. Ann, the King of Denmark +a pension, and the King of France a gold-mounted sword with the words +engraved upon its blade, 'Louis XVI., rewarder of the valiant assertor +of the freedom of the sea.' He also made him a Knight of the Order of +Merit. + +"Nothing ever occurred afterward to dim his fame, and he is known in +history as the Chevalier John Paul Jones." + +Just here a passing vessel attracted the attention of the captain and +the others, and it was not until some hours later that the conversation +in regard to the doings of the navy was resumed. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +Toward evening the young people again gathered about the captain, +asking that his story of naval exploits might be continued. + +"I am not sure," he said pleasantly, "that to recount naval exploits is +the wisest thing I can do; it stirs my blood, and revives the old love +for the service." + +"Oh, Papa, please don't ever, ever go back to your ship and leave us!" +exclaimed Gracie, tears starting to her eyes at the very thought. + +"I am not at all sure that I would be accepted should I offer my +services again, my darling," he answered, drawing her into his arms and +caressing her tenderly; "but really I have no serious thought of so +doing." + +"Oh, I'm glad of that, you dear Papa!" she said with a sigh of relief, +putting her arm about his neck and kissing him with ardent affection. + +"So am I," said Lulu. "I don't know what I wouldn't rather have happen +than to be parted again for months and maybe years from my dear father." + +A loving look was his reply as he drew her to his other side and +caressed her with equal tenderness. + +At that little Elsie came running toward them. "Me too, Papa," she +said, "kiss me too, and let me sit on your knee while you tell 'bout +things that happened a long while ago." + +"Yes, the baby girl has the best right to sit on Papa's knee when she +wants to," said Lulu, good-naturedly making way for the little one. + +A loving look and smile from her father as he lifted the baby girl to +the coveted seat and gave her the asked for caress, amply rewarded her +little act of self-denial. + +"I cannot begin to tell you to-day all the exploits of our navy even +during the first war with England," the Captain said; "you will have to +read the history for yourselves, and I trust will enjoy doing so, but +I shall try to relate some of the more prominent incidents in a way to +entertain you." + +"What kind of flag did our naval vessels carry at the beginning of the +Revolutionary War, Captain?" asked Evelyn. "It was not till 1777, if my +memory serves me right, that our present flag was adopted by Congress." + +"You are quite right," the Captain said, "and up to that time each +vessel of the little Continental navy carried one of her own choosing; +or rather each commander was allowed to choose a device to suit +himself. It is claimed for John Paul Jones that he raised with his own +hands the first flag of a regular American cruiser. The vessel was +Hopkins's flag-ship the 'Alfred.' It was at Philadelphia, early in 1776 +the banner was raised. It had a white field, with the words 'Liberty +Tree' in the centre above a representation of a pine tree; beneath were +the words, 'Appeal to God.'" + +"Yes, sir; but didn't some one about that time raise a flag composed of +thirteen stripes?" queried Eva. + +"Quite true," replied the Captain, "and across it a rattlesnake; +underneath that, the words, 'Don't Tread On Me.' + +"Both Continental vessels and privateers were very successful, and by +mid-summer of 1776 they had captured more than five hundred British +soldiers. There was a Captain Conyngham, a brave and skilful seaman, +who sailed from Dunkirk in May, 1777, in the brig 'Surprise,' under +one of the commissions which Franklin carried with him to France for +army and navy officers. (Those of you who have studied geography will, +I suppose, remember that Dunkirk is in the north of France.) Conyngham +was very successful; had in a few days captured the British packet ship +'Prince of Orange' and a brig, and returned with them to Dunkirk. The +English ambassador at Paris complained very strongly, and to appease +the wrath of the English, the French Government put the captain and his +crew in prison." + +"Oh, what a shame!" cried Lulu. + +Her father smiled slightly at that. "They were not kept there very +long," he said, "but were soon released, and Conyngham allowed to fit +out another cruiser, called the 'Revenge.'" + +"A very suitable name," laughed Max. + +"Yes," assented his father, and went on with his history. "The British +Government had sent two vessels to arrest Conyngham and his men as +pirates, but when they reached Dunkirk he had already sailed. Had +the British succeeded in taking them, they would no doubt have been +hanged as pirates; for both Government and people of Great Britain +were at that time much exasperated by the blows Americans were dealing +their dearest interest, commerce. 'The Revenge' was doing so much +injury,--making prizes of merchantmen, and so putting money into the +hands of the American commissioners for public use,--that the British +were at their wit's end; the people in the seaports were greatly +alarmed, and insurance on cargoes went up to twenty-five per cent. Some +of the British merchants sent out their goods in French vessels for +greater security,--so many of them, in fact, that at one time there +were forty French vessels together in the Thames taking in cargoes. + +"At that time British transports were engaged in carrying German troops +across the Atlantic to fight the Americans. Conyngham was on the +look-out for these, but did not succeed in meeting with any of them." + +"Such a despicable business as it was for George III to hire those +fellows to fight the people here!" exclaimed Max. "I wish Conyngham had +caught some of them. Papa, didn't he at one time disguise his ship and +take her into an English port to refit?" + +"So it is said," replied the Captain; "it was for repairs, after a +storm. It is said also that he obtained supplies at one time in an +Irish port." + +"Didn't British ships take ours sometimes, Papa?" asked Grace. + +"Yes," he replied, "victory was not always on the side of the +Americans. The fast-sailing British frigates captured many +privateersmen and merchantmen, and considering their great superiority +of numbers it would have been strange indeed had that not been the +case. The war on the ocean was very destructive to both parties; yet +the Americans were, with reason, amazed and delighted with their +measure of success, astonishing in proportion to the odds against them. + +"During that year--1776--they had captured three hundred and forty +British vessels; four had been burned, forty-five recaptured, and +eighteen released. + +"It was in the fall of that year that Benedict Arnold commanded some +stirring naval operations on Lake Champlain. In the previous spring +the British had made preparations to invade the Champlain and Hudson +valleys, hoping thus to effect a separation between New England and the +other colonies which would naturally make it an easier task to conquer +both sections. + +"To ward off that threatened danger the Americans holding Ticonderoga +and Crown Point--both on the lake as you will remember--constructed a +small squadron, the command of which was given to Arnold, who knew more +about naval affairs than any other available person. Three schooners, +one sloop, and five gondolas were armed and manned, and with this +little squadron Arnold sailed down to the foot of the lake and made +observations. + +"In the mean time the British had heard of what was going on, and they, +too, had prepared a small squadron on the river Sorel, the outlet of +the lake. Their navy consisted of twenty-four gun-boats, each armed +with a field-piece or carriage-gun, and a large flat-bottomed boat +called the 'Thunderer,' carrying heavy guns. + +"It was not till the middle of October that the fight took place. +Arnold, with his flotilla, was then lying between the western shore +of the lake and Valcour Island. The 'Congress' was his flag-ship. The +British attacked him, and a very severe fight followed. It was brought +to a conclusion only by the coming of a very dark night. The Americans +had lost the 'Royal Savage' in the action; the rest of the flotilla +fled up the lake, eluding the British in the darkness. + +"The next morning the British followed; and all that day and the +following night the chase continued. Early the next morning the British +succeeded in coming up with the Americans, and another battle followed. +Arnold, who was on the galley 'Congress,' fought hard until his vessel +was nearly a wreck, then ran her and four others into a creek and set +them on fire to prevent their falling into the hands of the foe. + +"Those who were left of the crews escaped and made their way to Crown +Point." + +"Arnold did do good work for his country in the early part of the war," +exclaimed Rosie. "If he had been killed in that fight he would always +have been considered as great a patriot as any other man of the time." + +"Yes," replied the Captain with an involuntary sigh, "if he had fallen +then, or even some years later, his memory would have been as fondly +cherished as that of almost any other soldier of the Revolution. He +would have been considered one of the noblest champions of liberty. +Ah, what a pity he should turn traitor and make himself the object +of infamy, as lasting as the history of his native land, which he +attempted to betray into the hands of her foes!" + +"Doubtless after years must have brought him many an hour of bitter +regret," said Mrs. Travilla, echoing the Captain's sigh. "Poor fellow! +I hope he repented and was forgiven of God, though his countrymen could +never forgive him. He had a pious mother who tried to train him up +aright, and certainly must have often prayed earnestly for her son; so +I hope he may have repented and found forgiveness and salvation through +the atoning blood of Christ." + +"I would be glad indeed to know that he had, Mamma," said Violet. + +"I too," added the Captain. "I think he must have been a very wretched +man in the latter years of his life." + +"Was he treated well in England, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"Not by every one," replied her father; "some of the noble-minded there +showed him very plainly that they despised him for his treason. George +III. introduced him to Earl Balcarras, who had been with Burgoyne at +the battle of Bemis's Heights; but the earl refused his hand, and +turned on his heel saying, 'I know General Arnold, and abominate +traitors.'" + +"How Arnold must have felt that!" exclaimed Rosie. "I would not have +liked to be in his shoes." + +"Nor I," said her mother. "The British officers thoroughly despised +him, and there is an anecdote of a meeting he once had with Talleyrand +which must have been trying to his feelings, if he had any sense of +honour left. + +"It seems that Talleyrand, who was fleeing from France during the +revolution there, inquired at the hotel where he was at the time, for +some American who could give him letters of introduction to persons +of influence here. He was told that an American gentleman was in an +adjoining room. It seems it was Arnold, though no one, I suppose, knew +who he was. Talleyrand sought an interview with him, and made his +request for letters of introduction, when Arnold at once retreated from +the room, as he did so saying with a look of pain on his face, 'I was +born in America, lived there till the prime of my life, but, alas! I +can call no man in America my friend.'" + +"I should feel sorry for him in spite of that black act of treason," +Violet said, "if he had not followed it up by such infamous deeds +against his countrymen, even those of them who had been his neighbours +and friends in his early years. I remember Lossing tells us that while +New Haven--set on fire by Arnold's band of Tories and Hessians--was +burning, he stood in the belfry of a church watching the conflagration +with probably the same kind of satisfaction that Nero felt in the +destruction of Rome. Think of such a murderous expedition against the +home and friends of his childhood and youth! the wanton destruction of +a thriving town! It showed him to be a most malicious wretch, worthy of +the scorn and contempt with which he was treated even by many of those +who had profited by his treason." + +"Yes; 'the way of transgressors is hard,'" quoted her mother. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +For some days the "Dolphin" rode at anchor in Bar Harbour, Mount +Desert, while its passengers found great enjoyment in trips here and +there about the island, visiting the Ovens, Otter Cliffs, Schooner +Head, and other points of interest. + +But the time was drawing near when Max must show himself to the +examiners of applicants for cadetship in Annapolis, and early one +bright morning, a favourable land breeze springing up, the yacht +weighed anchor and started southward. + +They were to touch at Newport on their way and take on board any of +their party left there who might care to visit Annapolis with them. + +As usual all gathered upon deck shortly after breakfast, and again the +young people besieged the Captain with requests for something more +about the doings of Revolutionary days. + +"You know, Papa," said Lulu, "we've been so busy visiting all those +lovely places on Mount Desert that we haven't had time for anything +about the wars since you told us how Arnold fought the British on Lake +Champlain." + +"Yes, I remember," he said. "How would you like now to hear of some of +the doings and happenings of those times in and about Newport?" + +"Oh, please do tell of them! We'd like it ever so much," answered +several young voices, and the Captain good-naturedly complied. + +"I will begin," he said, "with a bold and brave exploit of Major Silas +Talbot, in the fall of 1778. The British had converted a strong vessel +into a galley, named it the 'Pigot,' in honour of their general of that +name, and anchored it in the channel between the eastern side of the +island bearing the same name as the State, and the main land. It was +armed with twelve eight-pounders and ten swivels, making a formidable +floating battery, the object of which was to close up the channel +against the French fleet which lay off Newport. + +"It also effectually broke up the local trade of that section; +therefore its destruction was very desirable, and Major Talbot proposed +to head an expedition to accomplish that, or its capture. General +Sullivan thought the thing could not be done, but finally gave consent +that the effort should be made. + +"Sixty resolute patriots were drafted for the purpose and on the 10th +of October they set sail in a coasting-sloop called the 'Hawk,' armed +with only three three-pounders, beside the small arms carried by the +men. + +"They passed the British forts at Bristol Ferry and anchored within a +few miles of the 'Pigot.' Major Talbot then procured a horse, rode down +the east bank and reconnoitred. He saw that the 'Pigot' presented a +formidable appearance, but he was not too much alarmed thereby to make +the proposed attempt to capture her. + +"At nine o'clock that same evening he hoisted his anchor, and favoured +by a fair wind, started on his perilous errand. He had with him +Lieutenant Helm, of Rhode Island, with a small reinforcement. He had +also a kedge-anchor, lashed to his jib-boom, with which to tear the +nettings of the 'Pigot.' The darkness of the night enabled him to drift +past Fogland Ferry Fort under bare poles, without being discovered; he +then hoisted sail and ran partly under the stern of the 'Pigot.' + +"The sentinels hailed him, but no answer was returned; and they fired a +volley of musketry at the 'Hawk,' which fortunately hit no one, while +her kedge-anchor tore the 'Pigot's' nettings and grappled her, and so +gave the Americans a free passage to her deck. They poured on it from +the 'Hawk,' with loud shouts, and drove every man from the deck except +the captain. He, in shirt and drawers, fought desperately till he found +that resistance was useless, when he surrendered his vessel with the +officers and crew. + +"The Americans secured the prisoners below by coiling the cables +over the hatchways, weighed anchor, and started for the harbour of +Stonington, which they entered the next day with their prize." + +"Good!" cried Max. "I'd have liked to be one of those brave fellows, +and I hope Congress rewarded them for their gallant deed." + +"It did," said the Captain; "presented Talbot with a commission of +lieutenant-colonel in the army of the United States, and complimented +both him and his men." + +"I suppose they'd have given them some money if they'd had it to +spare," remarked Lulu; "but of course they hadn't, because the country +was so dreadfully poor then." + +"Yes," said her father, "it was poor, and Newport, Rhode Island, +was suffering greatly from the long-continued occupation of the +British. The people of that colony had from the first taken a bold and +determined stand in opposition to the usurpations of King George and +his ministers, and the oppressions of their tools in this country. + +"In the summer of 1769 a British armed sloop, sent there by the +commissioners of customs, lay in Narragansett Bay, she was called +'Liberty,' certainly a most inappropriate name. Her errand was similar +to that of the 'Gaspee' about the destruction of which I have already +told you,--though that occurred some three years later. The commander +of the 'Liberty,' was a Captain Reid. A schooner and brig belonging to +Connecticut had been seized and brought into Newport; also the clothing +and the sword of the captain, Packwood, commander of the brig, had been +taken, and carried aboard the 'Liberty.' He went there to recover them, +was badly maltreated, and as he left the sloop in his boat, was fired +upon with a musket and a brace of pistols. + +"This occurrence greatly exasperated the people of Newport, who +demanded of Reid that the man who had fired upon Captain Packwood +should be sent ashore. + +"Reid again and again sent the wrong man, which of course exasperated +the people, and they determined to show him that they were not to be +trifled with. Accordingly, a number of them boarded the 'Liberty,' cut +her cables, and set her adrift. The tide carried her down the bay and +drifted her to Goat Island, where the people, after throwing her stores +and ammunition into the water, scuttled her, and set her on fire. Her +boats were dragged to the common, and burned there." + +"Was she entirely burned, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"Almost, after burning for several days." + +"And that was nearly six years before the battle of Lexington," Evelyn +remarked in a half musing tone. "How wonderfully patient and forbearing +the Americans were, putting up for years with so much of British +insolence and oppression!" + +"I think they were," responded the Captain. "Nor was it from cowardice, +as they plainly showed when once war with Great Britain was fairly +inaugurated. + +"And the little State of Rhode Island had her full share in the +struggle and the suffering it brought. Let us see what Bancroft says in +regard to the action of her citizens at the beginning of the conflict, +immediately after the battles of Lexington and Concord," he added, +taking up and opening a book lying near at hand. All waited in silence +as he turned over the leaves and began to read,-- + + "The nearest towns of Rhode Island were in motion before the British + had finished their retreat. At the instance of Hopkins and others, + Wanton, the governor, though himself inclined to the royal side, + called an assembly. Its members were all of one mind; and when Wanton, + with several of the council, showed hesitation, they resolved, if + necessary, to proceed alone. The council yielded and confirmed the + unanimous vote of the assembly for raising an army of fifteen hundred + men. 'The colony of Rhode Island,' wrote Bowler, the speaker, to + the Massachusetts congress, 'is firm and determined; and a greater + unanimity in the lower house scarce ever prevailed.' Companies of the + men of Rhode Island preceded this early message." + +"The little State took a noble stand," remarked Violet, as her husband +finished reading and closed the book. + +"Yes," he said, "and their consequent sufferings from British +aggressions promptly began. Admiral Wallace, an inhuman wretch, that +summer commanded a small British fleet lying in Newport harbour. It was +he who promised to hang Abraham Whipple, but never caught him. It was +discovered by the Americans that he (Wallace) was planning to carry off +the livestock from the lower end of the island to supply the British +army at Boston." + +"Going to steal them, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"Yes; but the people were too quick for him. Some of them went down +one dark night in September and brought off a thousand sheep and fifty +head of cattle; and three hundred minute-men drove a good many more to +Newport, so saving them from being taken by Wallace and his men. + +"Wallace was very angry, ordered the people to make contributions to +supply his fleet with provisions, and to force them to do so took +care to prevent them from getting their usual supplies of fuel and +provisions from the mainland. + +"The people were much alarmed, and about half of them left the town. +Shortly afterward a treaty was made by which they engaged to supply the +fleet with provisions and beer, and Wallace allowed them to move about +as they pleased. But soon, however, he demanded three hundred sheep +of the people of Bristol, and upon their refusal to comply, bombarded +their town. + +"He began the bombardment about eight o'clock in the evening. The rain +was pouring in torrents; and the poor women and children fled through +the darkness and storm, out to the open fields to escape from the +flying shot and shell of the invaders." + +"Oh, how dreadful for the poor things!" exclaimed Gracie. + +"Yes, there was great suffering among them," replied her father. "The +house of Governor Bradford was burned, as also were many others. +Wallace played the pirate in Narragansett Bay for a month, wantonly +destroying the people's property, seizing every American vessel that +entered Newport harbour and sending it to Boston,--which, as you will +remember, was then occupied by the British general, Gage, and his +troops,--plundering and burning all the dwellings on the beautiful +island of Providence, and all the buildings near the ferry at Canonicut. + +"He kept possession of the harbour till the spring of 1776; but in +April of that year some American troops came to try to drive him +away. Captain Grimes brought two row-galleys, each carrying two +eighteen-pounders, from Providence. Provincial troops brought two more +eighteen-pounders and planted them on shore where the British, who were +anchored about a mile above Newport, could see them. + +"Wallace evidently thought the danger too great and immediate, for he +weighed anchor, and with his whole squadron sailed out of the harbour +without firing a shot." + +"He must have been a coward like most men who revel in such cruelty," +remarked Max sagely. "Not much like the Wallace of Scotland who fought +the English so bravely in early times." + +"I quite agree with you in that thought, Max," his father said with +a slight smile. "This Wallace was the same who, later in the war, +plundered and destroyed the property of the Americans on the Hudson, +desolating the farms of innocent men because they preferred freedom to +the tyrannical rule of the English government, and laying the town of +Kingston in ashes. + +"Soon after he sailed out of Narragansett Bay another British vessel +called the 'Glasgow,' carrying twenty-nine guns, came into the harbour +and anchored near Fort Island. She had just come out of a severe +fight with some American vessels, held the same day that Wallace left +Newport. Probably her officers thought he was still there so that +their vessel would be safe in that harbour, but they soon discovered +their mistake. The Americans threw up a breast-work on Brenton's Point, +placed some pieces of heavy artillery there, and the next morning +opened upon her and another vessel so vigorous a fire from their +battery that they soon cut their cables and went out to sea again." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +"Had the land troops of the British gone away also, Captain?" asked +Evelyn. + +"No," he replied. "Early in May the British troops left the houses of +the town and returned to their camp. It was some relief to the poor, +outraged people whose dwellings had been turned into noisy barracks, +their pleasant groves, beautiful shade-trees and broad forests +destroyed, their property taken from them, their wives and children +exposed to the profanity, low ribaldry, and insults of the ignorant and +brutal soldiery; but there was by no means entire relief; they were +still plundered and insulted. + +"Clinton had gone to New York with about one half the troops, but a +far worse tyrant held command in his place, Major-General Prescott by +name; he was a dastardly coward when in danger, the meanest of petty +tyrants when he felt it safe to be such, narrow minded, hard hearted +and covetous,--anything but a gentleman. A more unfit man for the place +could hardly have been found. + +"When he saw persons conversing together as he walked the streets, he +would shake his cane at them and call out, 'Disperse, ye rebels!' +Also, he would command them to take off their hats to him, and unless +his order was instantly obeyed, enforce it by a rap with his cane." + +"That must have been hard indeed to bear," remarked Violet. + +"Yes," cried Max hotly. "I'd have enjoyed knocking him down." + +"Probably better than the consequences of your act," laughed his +father; then went on: "Prescott was passing out of town one evening, +going to his country quarters, when he overtook a Quaker, who of course +did not doff his hat. Prescott was on horseback; he dashed up to the +Quaker, pressed him up against a stone wall, knocked off his hat, and +then put him under guard. + +"He imprisoned many citizens of Newport without giving any reason. One +was a man named William Tripp, a very respectable citizen, who had +a wife and a large and interesting family, with none of whom was he +allowed to hold any communication. + +"But Tripp's wife had contrivance enough to open a correspondence with +her husband by sending him a loaf of bread with a letter baked in the +inside. Whether he could find means to send a reply I do not know, but +it must have been some consolation to hear from her and his children. + +"While Tripp was still in prison she tried to see Prescott, to beg that +her husband might be set free, or she allowed a personal interview with +him. She was told to come again the next day. Her application had been +made to a Captain Savage, the only person through whom she might hope +to gain the coveted interview with Prescott; but when she again went to +him, at the appointed time, he treated her very roughly, refusing her +request to see the general, and as he shut the door violently in her +face, telling her with fiendish exultation that he expected her husband +would be hung as a rebel in less than a week." + +"Truly, his was a most appropriate name," remarked Grandma Elsie. + +"And did they hang the poor man, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"I do not know, my darling," he answered, "but I hope not. Would you +all like to hear something more about his persecutor, Prescott?" + +"Yes, sir, yes," came promptly from several young voices. + +"You may be sure," the Captain went on, "that the people of Newport +grew very tired of their oppressor, and devised various plans for +ridding themselves of him. None of these proved successful, but +at length a better one was contrived and finally carried out by +Lieutenant-Colonel Barton, of Providence. Lossing speaks of it as one +of the boldest and most hazardous enterprizes undertaken during the +war. It was accomplished on the night of the 10th of July, 1777. + +"At that time Prescott was quartered at the house of a Quaker named +Overing, about five miles above Newport, on the west road leading to +the ferry, at the north part of the island. + +"Barton's plan was to cross the bay under cover of the darkness, seize +Prescott, and carry him off to the American camp. But it was a very +dangerous thing to attempt, because three British frigates, with their +guard-boats, were lying in the bay almost in front of Overing's house. +But taking with him a few chosen men, in four whale-boats, with muffled +oars, Barton embarked from Warwick Point at nine o'clock, passed +silently between the islands of Prudence and Patience over to Rhode +Island, hearing on the way the cry of the British sentries from their +guard-boats, 'All's well.' + +"They--the Americans--landed in Coddington's Cove, at the mouth of a +small stream which passed by Overing's. Barton divided his men into +several squads, and assigned to each its station and duty. Then in +the strictest order and profound silence they made their way to the +house, the larger portion of them passing between a British guard-house +and the encampment of a company of light-horse, while the rest of the +party were to reach the same point by a circuitous route, approaching +it from the rear, then to secure the doors. + +"As Barton and his men drew near the gate they were hailed by a +sentinel stationed there. He hailed them twice, and then demanded the +countersign. Barton answered, 'We have no countersign to give,' then +quickly asked, 'Have you seen any deserters here to-night?' + +"That query allayed the sentinel's suspicions, so putting him off +his guard, and the next moment he found himself seized, bound, and +threatened with instant death if he attempted to give the alarm. + +"While Barton and his party had been thus engaged the division from the +rear had secured the doors, and Barton now walked boldly into the front +passage and on into a room where he found Mr. Overing, seated alone, +reading, the rest of the family having already retired to their beds. + +"Barton asked for General Prescott's room, and Overing silently pointed +to the ceiling, intimating that it was directly overhead. Barton then +walked quietly up the stairs, four strong white men and a powerful +negro named Sisson, accompanying him. He gently tried Prescott's door, +but found it locked. There was no time to be lost; the negro drew back +a couple of paces, and using his head for a battering-ram, burst open +the door at the first effort. + +"Prescott, who was in bed, thought the intruders were robbers, and +springing out, seized his gold watch which hung upon the wall. But +Barton, gently laying a hand on his shoulder, said, 'You are my +prisoner, sir, and perfect silence is your only safety.' + +"Prescott asked to be allowed to dress, but Barton refused, saying +there was not time; for he doubtless felt that every moment of delay +was dangerous to himself and his companions, and as it was a hot July +night there was no need for his prisoner to fear taking cold. He +therefore threw a cloak about him, placed him and his _aide_, Major +Barrington (who, hearing a noise in the general's room, had taken the +alarm and leaped from a window to make his escape, but only to be +captured by the Americans) between two armed men, hurried them to the +shore where the boats were in waiting, and quickly carried them over +the water to Warwick Point. When they reached there Prescott ventured +to break the silence that had been imposed upon him by saying to +Colonel Barton, 'Sir, you have made a bold push to-night.' + +"'We have been fortunate,' replied Barton coolly. + +"Prescott and Barrington were then placed in a coach which Captain +Elliott had waiting there for them, and taken to Providence, arriving +there about sunrise." + +"I wonder," remarked Lulu, "if Prescott received the harsh treatment +from our men that he deserved." + +"No," replied her father, "I am proud to be able to say that American +officers rarely, if ever, treated their prisoners with anything like +the harshness and cruelty usually dealt out by the British to theirs. +Prescott was kindly treated by General Spencer and his officers, and +shortly after his capture was sent to Washington's headquarters at +Middlebrook, on the Raritan. + +"But it seems that at a tavern on the way he received something better +suited to his deserts. At Lebanon a Captain Alden kept a tavern, and +there Prescott and his escort stopped to dine. While they were at the +table Mrs. Alden brought on a dish of succotash." + +"What's that, Papa?" queried little Elsie, who had climbed to her +favourite seat upon her father's knee. + +"Corn and beans boiled together," he replied; "a dish that is quite +a favourite with most people in that part of the country; but was, I +presume, quite new to Prescott, and he exclaimed indignantly, 'What! +do you treat me with the food of hogs?' Then taking the dish from the +table he strewed its contents over the floor. + +"Some one presently carried the news of his doings to Captain Alden, +and he walked into the dining-room armed with a horse-whip and gave +Prescott a severe flogging." + +"I think it served him right," remarked Lulu, "for his insolence, and +for wasting good food that somebody else would have been glad to eat." + +"Prescott must surely have been very badly brought up," said Rosie, +"and was anything but a gentleman. I pity the poor Newport people if he +was ever restored to his command there. Was he, brother Levis? I really +have quite forgotten." + +"Unfortunately for them, he was," replied the Captain. "He was +exchanged for General Charles Lee the next April, and returned to his +former command. + +"While he was still there the Newport people sent a committee--Timothy +Folger, William Rotch and Dr. Tupper--to him to arrange some matters +concerning the town. They found some difficulty in gaining an +interview; and when at length Folder and the doctor succeeded in +so doing, Prescott stormed so violently at the former that he was +compelled to withdraw. + +"After the doctor had told his errand and Prescott had calmed down, he +asked, 'Wasn't my treatment of Folger very uncivil?' + +"The doctor answered in the affirmative, and Prescott went on to say, +'I will tell you the reason; he looked so much like a Connecticut man +that horse-whipped me that I could not endure his presence.'" + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +There was time for only a brief stay in the cottages near Newport +before the "Dolphin" must sail for Annapolis, in order that Max might +be there in season for the examination of applicants for cadetship in +the United States Navy. He had not changed his mind, but was looking +forward with delight to the life that seemed to be opening before +him; for he loved the sea, and thought no profession could be more +honourable than that chosen by his father, who was in his eyes the +impersonation of all that was noble, good, and wise. + +He was not sorry that his suspense in regard to acceptance would soon +be ended, though both he and the other young people of the party +would have liked to visit places in the neighbourhood of Newport made +memorable by the occurrence of events in the Revolutionary War; but the +Captain encouraged the hope that they would all be able to do so at +some future time; also said they would find at Annapolis some souvenirs +of the struggle for independence quite as well worth attention as those +they were for the present leaving behind. + +So they started upon their southward way in excellent spirits, Mr. and +Mrs. Dinsmore accompanying them. + +On the first evening of their renewed voyage the young people gathered +around the Captain and begged for some account of Revolutionary +occurrences in the State they were now about to visit. + +"I will go back a little further than that," he said pleasantly, +drawing Gracie to a seat upon his knee,--"to the action of the people +of Maryland upon hearing of the passage of the Stamp Act. In August, +1765, there was a meeting at Annapolis of the 'Assertors of British +American privileges' held 'to show their detestation of and abhorrence +to some late tremendous attacks on liberty, and their dislike to a +certain late arrived officer, a _native of this province_.' + +"The person to whom they referred was a Mr. Hood, who had been +appointed stamp-master while in England shortly before. Dr. Franklin +had recommended him for the place; but the people were so angry that +no one would buy goods of him, though offered at a very low price. He +learned that they intended to give him a coat of tar and feathers, but +escaped to New York in time to save himself from that. + +"As they couldn't catch him they made an effigy of him, dressed it +oddly, put it in a cart, like a malefactor, with some sheets of paper +before it, and paraded it through the town, the bell tolling all the +while. They then took it to a hill, punished it at the whipping post +and pillory, hung it on the gibbet, then set fire to a tar-barrel +underneath and burned it." + +"Oh," gasped Gracie, "how dreadful if it had been the man himself!" + +"But it wasn't, Gracie dear," laughed Lulu; "and if it had been, I'm +not sure it was worse than he deserved." + +"But I suppose they had to use the stamps for all that,--hadn't they?" +asked Rosie. + +"The people refused to use them, and for a time all business was at +an end," said the Captain, going on with his narrative. "Governor +Sharpe sent back some of the stamped paper which arrived in December, +informing the colonial secretary of the proceedings of the people, and +said that if they got hold of any stamped paper they would be pretty +sure to burn it. + +"On the 31st of October the 'Maryland Gazette' appeared in mourning, +and said, 'The times are Dreadful, Dismal, Doleful, Dolorous and +Dollarless.' On the 10th of December the editor issued 'an apparition +of the late "Maryland Gazette,"' and expressed his opinion that the +odious Stamp Act would never be carried into effect. + +"There was great rejoicing when the intelligence reached Annapolis that +the Act had been repealed. There were many manifestations of mirth +and festivity; but, as you all know, that rejoicing was short-lived, +for the king and his ministers continued their aggressions upon the +liberties of the American people. + +"In the autumn of 1774 the people of Annapolis were greatly excited +over the Boston Port Bill, and ripe for rebellion. They also resolved +that no tea should be landed on their shores; and when on Saturday, +October 15, the ship 'Peggy,' Captain Stewart, arrived from London, +bringing among other things, seventeen packages of tea, the citizens +were summoned to a general meeting. + +"It was the first arrival of tea since it had become a proscribed +article. It was ascertained that it was consigned to T. C. Williams & +Co., of Annapolis, that they had imported it, and that Antony Stewart, +proprietor of the vessel, had paid the duty on it. This the meeting +looked upon as an acknowledgement of the right claimed by King and +Parliament to tax the tea brought to the colonies, and it was resolved +not to permit the tea to be landed. + +"The people of the surrounding country were summoned to a meeting in +the city, to be held on the following Wednesday. Mr. Stewart published +a handbill of explanation of his connection with the affair, saying +that he had no intention of violating the non-importation pledges, and +regretted that the article had been placed on board his ship. + +"But the people had been deceived on former occasions, and knew that +when men got into trouble they were apt to whine and pretend innocence; +therefore they were more disposed to punish than forgive Mr. Stewart, +and at their Wednesday meeting resolved to destroy the vessel with its +packages of tea. + +"But Mr. Stewart, by the advice of some of his friends, decided to +destroy the vessel and the tea himself, and did so. He ran the ship +aground near Windmill Point and set her on fire. That satisfied the +people and the crowd dispersed. + +"A historian of the time says, 'the destruction of tea at Boston has +acquired renown as an act of unexampled daring, but the tea burning of +Annapolis, which occurred the ensuing fall, far surpassed it in the +apparent deliberation, and utter carelessness of concealment, attending +the bold measures which led to its accomplishment.'" + +"Did the Americans hold any other such 'tea parties,' Papa?" asked Lulu +with a humorous look. + +"Yes," he said; "in New York and New Jersey; but I will reserve the +stories of those doings for another time, and go on now with what +occurred in Maryland,--principally at Annapolis,--in the times now +under consideration. + +"There was a small tea-burning at Elizabethtown--now called +Hagerstown,--the Committee of Vigilance obliging a man named John Parks +to go with his hat off and a lighted torch in his hand and set fire to +a chest of tea in his possession. The committee also recommended entire +non-intercourse with Parks; but that did not seem sufficient to the +people, and they added to it the breaking of his doors and windows. It +is said too, that tar and feathers were freely used in various places. + +"Maryland was not ready quite so soon as some of the other colonies +to declare herself free and independent; but Charles Carroll, William +Paca, Samuel Chase, and others, called county conventions, and used +their influence to persuade their fellow-citizens of the wisdom and +necessity of such a course, and on the 28th of June, the Maryland +Convention empowered their delegates to concur with the other colonies +in a declaration of independence. + +"As you all know, that declaration was drawn up and signed by Congress +shortly afterward, and the men whose names I have mentioned were all +among the signers." + +"Was there any fighting in or about Annapolis, Papa?" asked Lulu. + +"No," he said, "but it was frequently the scene of military displays." + +"I'd have liked that a great deal better if I had been there," +remarked Gracie. "But won't you please tell us about them, Papa?" + +"I will," he answered, smiling upon her and softly smoothing her hair. +"Washington passed through Annapolis on his way northward after the +battle of Yorktown, which, as you will all remember, virtually ended +our struggle for independence, though there was still fighting going on +in different parts of the country. Business was suspended in Annapolis +when Washington was known to be coming, and the people crowded streets +and windows to gain a sight of the chief as he passed. A public address +was made him, and everything done to show their appreciation, respect, +and esteem. + +"Again he was there when, the war at an end, he resigned his commission +as commander-in-chief of the American forces. + +"'The State House at Annapolis, now venerated because of the +associations which cluster around it, was filled with the brave, the +fair, and the patriotic of Maryland, to witness the sublime spectacle +of that beloved chief resigning his military power wielded with such +mighty energy and glorious results for eight long years into the hands +of the civil authority which gave it,' says Lossing." + +"But why did Washington go to Maryland to do that, Papa?" asked Gracie. + +"Because the Continental Congress was then in session there," replied +her father. "It was a most interesting scene which then took place +in the Senate Chamber of the Capitol. The time was noon of the 23d +of December, 1783. Beside the congressmen there were present the +governor, council and legislature of Maryland, general officers, and +the representative of France. Places were assigned to all these, while +spectators filled the galleries and crowded the floor. + +"Bancroft tells, us that 'rising with dignity, Washington spoke of +the rectitude of the common cause; the support of Congress; of his +country-men; of Providence; and he commended the interests of our +dearest country to the care of Almighty God. Then saying that he had +finished the work assigned him to do, he bade an affectionate farewell +to the august body under whose orders he had so long acted, resigned +with satisfaction the commission which he had accepted with diffidence, +and took leave of public life. His emotion was so great that, as he +advanced and delivered up his commission, he seemed unable to have +uttered more.' + +"Washington still stood while the president of Congress, turning pale +from emotion, made a short address in reply, only a sentence or two of +which I will quote:"-- + + "Having taught a lesson useful to those who inflict and those who + feel oppression, with the blessings of your fellow-citizens you + retire from the great field of action; but the glory of your virtues + will continue to animate remotest ages. We join you in commending + the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty + God, beseeching him to dispose the hearts and minds of its citizens + to improve the opportunity afforded them of becoming a happy and + respectable nation." + +"Which I think we have become," added Max, with satisfaction, as his +father paused in his narrative. + +"By God's blessing upon the work of our pious forefathers," added the +Captain, with a look of mingled gratitude and pride in the land of his +birth. + +"I think we must all visit the State House when in Annapolis," remarked +Grandma Elsie, who sat near and had been listening with almost as keen +interest as that shown by the younger ones. + +"Certainly we must," said Mr. Dinsmore. "Some of us have been there +before, but a second visit will not prove uninteresting, especially +along with the young folks, to whom it will be quite new," and he +glanced smilingly around upon the bright, eager faces. + +His suggestion was followed by expressions of pleasure in the prospect. +Then the Captain was besieged with entreaties that he would go on with +his account of things of historical interest to be found in Annapolis. + +"There is the little gallery in which Mrs. Washington and other ladies +stood to witness the scene I have tried to describe," he continued. +"It is said to be unchanged, as are also the doors, windows, cornices, +and other architectural belongings. I confess it sent a thrill through +me when I first saw them all, to think they were the very same which +echoed the voice of the Father of his Country on that memorable +occasion. + +"Also the very spot where Mifflin, the president, and Thomson, the +secretary, of Congress sat when the treaty of peace with Great Britain +was ratified, can be pointed out to the interested observer, which I +certainly was." + +"It is a fine building," remarked Mr. Dinsmore, "much admired for its +style of architecture and the beauty of its situation." + +"It is indeed," assented the Captain. "It is built of brick, has a +fine dome, surmounted by two smaller ones, with a cupola of wood. As +it stands upon an elevation in the centre of the city, there is a +magnificent prospect from its dome. One sees the city and harbour, +while far away to the southeast stretches Chesapeake Bay, with Kent +Island and the eastern shore looming up in the distance." + +"I remember two incidents which I have heard were connected with the +building of that State House," remarked Mrs. Dinsmore. "One is, that +when the corner-stone was laid by Governor Eden, just as he struck it +with a mallet a severe clap of thunder burst over the city out of a +clear sky; the other, that the man who executed the stucco-work of the +dome, fell from the scaffold and was killed just as he had completed +his centre-piece." + +"Yes," the Captain said, "I have heard those incidents were +traditional, but am not able to vouch for their truth." + +"Is there not a portrait of Washington there?" asked Violet. + +"Yes," replied her husband, "in the House of Delegates; it is a +full-length likeness, and he is attended by La Fayette and Colonel +Tilghman, the Continental army passing in review. It was painted by +Peale as commemorative of the surrender at Yorktown, having been +ordered by the Assembly of Maryland. + +"There are also full-length portraits of Carroll, Stone, Paca, and +Chase on the walls of the Senate Chamber. The first two were painted +by Sully, the other two by Bordley,--both native artists. There is +also a full-length portrait of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, in Roman +costume. Peale painted that also, and presented it to Maryland, his +native State, in 1794. The work was done in England, and is of a high +order. + +"The only other portrait I recollect as being there is one of John +Eager Howard, who, you doubtless remember, was one of the heroes of +the Revolution." + +Favourable winds and weather enabled the "Dolphin" to reach her +destination a day or two earlier than the Captain had expected, so +giving our party a little more time for sight-seeing than they had +hoped for. They made good use of it, going about and visiting all the +places of interest. Almost the first that received their attention was +the State House, with its mementos of the Revolutionary days, of which +the Captain had been telling them. + +They lingered long over the portraits and in the Senate Chamber, +where the Father of his Country had resigned his commission as +commander-in-chief of the Continental armies. + +They ascended to the cupola also, and gazed with delight upon the +beautiful landscape spread out at their feet,--Max manifesting +great interest in the vessels lying in the harbour, particularly +the practice-ship "Constellation" and the school-ship "Santee," and +scarcely less in the monitor "Passaic" and the steam-sloop "Wyoming," +swinging at their anchorage in the river. + +"Papa, can I visit them?" he asked. + +"Yes, my boy, I hope to take you to see them all," was the +pleasant-toned reply. "I intend that you and all the party shall see +everything that is worth their attention." + +"That's very kind of you, Captain," remarked Evelyn in a lively tone. +"I for one am very desirous to see the Naval Academy, its grounds and +the drills,--one at least. I so enjoyed seeing those on Gardiner's +Island." + +"You shall," replied the Captain, with his pleasant smile. "It will +give me pleasure to take any of you who wish to go." + +"I think that will be all of us," remarked Violet, with a bright and +happy glance up into her husband's face. + +They were descending the stairs as they talked, and presently had all +passed out into the State House grounds. There they met a gentleman +in undress naval uniform who, coming forward with a look of extreme +pleasure, warmly grasped the hand of Captain Raymond, calling him +by name, and saying, "I do not know when I have had so agreeable a +surprise." + +The Captain returned the salutation as warmly as it was given, then +introduced the rest of his party, telling them that this friend of his +was commander-commandant of cadets. + +At that Max's eyes opened very wide and fixed themselves upon the +gentleman with as eager interest as if he had been a king. + +Captain Raymond noted it with a look of mingled amusement and pride in +the lad. + +"This is my son Max, sir, a candidate for cadetship," he said, laying +a hand affectionately upon Max's shoulder, "and I see he is much +interested in this his first sight of one who will, he hopes, soon be +his commander." + +"Ah! a son of yours, Raymond? But I might have guessed it from his +striking likeness to his father," the commandant said in a pleased and +interested tone, grasping the boy's hand warmly as he spoke. "I have +little doubt that he will pass," he added with a smile, "for he should +inherit a good mind, and he looks bright and intelligent,--his father's +son mentally as well as physically." + +Max coloured with pleasure. "It is exactly what I want to be, sir," +he said,--"as like my father as possible." And his eyes sought that +father's face with a look of love and reverence that was pleasant to +see. + +The Captain met it with a smile of fatherly affection. "One's children +are apt to be partial judges," he said; then changing the subject of +conversation, he stated the desire of those under his escort to see the +Naval Academy and the Naval vessels lying at anchor in the harbour. + +The commandant, saying he had some hours at his disposal, undertook to +be their escort; and thus they saw everything under the most favourable +auspices. + +The drill of the artillery battalion seemed to Max and Lulu very +similar to that they had witnessed at West Point, but was scarcely the +less exciting and interesting. They watched it all with sparkling eyes +and eager, animated looks, Max hoping soon to take part in it, and not +at all regretting his choice of a profession. He was not a bashful lad, +though by no means conceited or forward, and his father had assured him +that if he retained his self-possession, not giving way to nervousness +or fright, he was fully competent to pass. + +The boy had unbounded confidence in his father's word, which helped +him to so fully retain his self-possession that he found little or no +difficulty in answering every question put to him,--for the Captain had +been very careful to drill him perfectly, making him thorough in all +the branches required,--and passed most successfully. + +He was also pronounced by the examining physician physically sound and +of robust constitution. He was accepted, took the oath of allegiance, +and felt himself several inches taller than before. + +Captain Raymond attended to all the business matters, saw the room +and room-mate selected for his son, and did all that could be done to +secure the boy's comfort and welfare. The parting from Mamma Vi, his +sisters, and baby brother was quite hard for the lad's affectionate +heart, but he managed to go through it almost without shedding tears, +though one or two would come when Gracie clung weeping about his neck; +but the last, the final farewell to his father, was hardest of all. In +vain he reminded himself that it was not a final separation, that he +might hope for long visits at home at some future time, that letters +would pass frequently between them, and a visit be paid him now and +then by that dearly loved, honoured, and revered parent; just now he +could only remember that the daily, hourly intercourse he had found so +delightful was over, probably forever in this world. + +The Captain read it all in his boy's speaking countenance, and deeply +sympathized with his son; indeed his own heart was heavy over the +thought that this, his first-born and well-beloved child was now to +pass from under his protecting care and try the world for himself. He +felt that he must bestow upon him a few more words of loving, fatherly +counsel. + +They were leaving together the hotel where the remainder of their party +were domiciled for the present. "Max, my son," he said kindly, looking +at his watch as he spoke, "we have still more than an hour to spend as +we like before you must be at the Academy. Shall we spend it on board +the yacht?" + +"Yes, sir, if you can spare the time to me," answered the lad, making a +great effort to speak brightly and cheerfully. + +"Then we will go there," the Captain said, giving his son an +affectionate look and smile. "I can find no better use for the next +hour than devoting it to a little talk with my first-born, on whom I +have built so many hopes." + +A few minutes later they were sitting side by side in the "Dolphin's" +cabin, no human creature near to see or overhear what might pass +between them. + +For a little while there was silence, each busy with his own thoughts. +It was Max who ended it at last. + +"Papa," he said brokenly, his hand creeping into his father's, +"you--you have been such a good, _good_ father to me; and--and I want +to be a credit and comfort to you. I"-- + +But there he broke down completely, and the next moment--neither ever +knew exactly how it came about--he was sobbing in his father's arms. + +"I--I wish I'd been a better boy, Papa," he went on, "it 'most breaks +my heart to think now of the pain and trouble I've given you at times." + +"My boy, my dear, dear boy," the Captain said in moved tones, pressing +the lad to his heart, "you have been a great joy and comfort to me for +years past, and words would fail me to tell how dear you are to your +father's heart. It seems scarcely longer ago than yesterday that I +first held my dear boy in my arms, and prayed God that if his life was +spared he might grow up into a good, useful, Christian man, a blessing +to his parents, to the church, and to the world. Oh, my boy, never +be afraid or ashamed to own yourself one who fears God and tries to +keep his commandments, who loves Jesus, trusts in Him for salvation +from sin and death, and tries to honour Him in all his words and ways. +Strive to keep very near to the Master, Max, and to honour Him in all +things. Never be ashamed to own yourself His disciple, His servant, and +Him as your Lord and King. Remember His words, 'Whosoever therefore +shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful +generation, of him shall also the Son of man be ashamed when He cometh +in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.' Doubtless it will at +times bring the ridicule of your companions upon you, but he is only a +coward who can not bear that when undeserved; and what is it compared +to Christ's sufferings on the cross for you?" + +"Oh, Papa, nothing, nothing at all compared to what Jesus bore for me! +He will give me strength to be faithful in confessing Him before men, +and your prayers will help me, too." + +"Yes, my boy, and you may be sure that you will be ever on your +father's heart, which will be often going up in prayer to God for a +blessing on his absent son. It is to me a joyful thought that He is the +hearer and answerer of prayer, and will be ever near my son, to keep +him in the hour of trial and temptation, though I may know nothing of +his danger or distress. + +"Let us kneel down now and ask Him to be your guard and guide through +all life's journey, to help you to be His faithful servant in all +things, and to bring you safe to heaven at last." + +They knelt side by side, and in a few well chosen words the Captain +commended his beloved son to the care, the guardianship, and the +guidance of the God of his fathers, asking that he might be a faithful +follower of Jesus through all life's journey, and afterward spend an +eternity of bliss in that happy land where sin and sorrow and partings +are never known. + +A hearty embrace followed, some few more words of fatherly counsel +and advice, then they left the vessel, wended their way to the Naval +Academy and parted for the time, the Captain comforting the heart of +the more than half homesick lad with the promise of a visit from him at +no very distant day and frequent letters in the mean time. + +The "Dolphin" was to sail northward again that evening; and as Max +watched his father out of sight it required a mighty effort to keep +back the tears from his eyes at the thought that he should behold +that noble form and dearly loved face no more for months or--"Oh, who +could say that some accident might not rob him forever of his best and +dearest earthly friend?" + +But he struggled with himself, turned resolutely about, and entered +into lively chat with some of his new comrades, all the while the +cheering thought in his heart that nothing could separate him from +the presence and loving care of his heavenly Father; also that he +surely would be permitted, before many months had passed, to see again +the dear earthly one he so loved and honoured. And in the meanwhile +he was resolved to do everything in his power to win that father's +approbation, and make him proud and happy in his first-born son. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Obvious punctuation errors were corrected. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ELSIE YACHTING WITH THE RAYMONDS*** + + +******* This file should be named 45944.txt or 45944.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/5/9/4/45944 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |