University of Virginia Library

1. CHAPTER I.

It was early on Sunday morning, during
the progress of the last war with Great Britain,
that a young naval officer, walking on
the Battery at New York, had his attention
drawn to a group of persons earnestly engaged
in watching two vessels just visible far
down the harbor.

`What is it, my friends?' he asked, in a
frank, hearty tone, as he joined them.

`The tender, again chasing a schooner,
sir,' answered an old tar, touching the point
of his hat, as he noticed the anchor button
on the officer's coat.

`Here's a spy-glass, sir,' said a master's
mate who stood near, and at the same time
respectfully handing it to him.

`Thank you, my man,' answered the lieutenant
with a smile, as he took the instrument
and placed it to his eye.

By its aid he could clearly distinguish an
armed schooner, of about ninety tons, crowding
sail in chase of a `fore-and-after,' that
was making every exertion to escape, both
by towing, and throwing water upon the sails.

`The chase is about half a mile ahead, sir,'
said the master's mate; but the tender sails
like a shark in chase of a dolphin. The fore-and-after
don't stand a chance of getting in
past the fort.'

`The tender can sail, and I am the one
that ought to know it,' said a stout, weather-beaten
looking man. `She was a pilot boat,
and the fastest craft that ever danced over
the waves. Three weeks ago I and my crew
were out in her, when yon English frigate
suddenly made her appearance out of a fog
bank and brought us to. But I took to my
yawl and pulled for the land, a league away,
and escaped; for the fog was so thick the
Englishman could not get a glimpse of me.
It's my schooner they've turned into a tender,
sir, and that's made so many captures
the last three weeks of our small coasters.'

`She carries forty men, and a long thirty-two,
so I hear,' observed a seaman in the
group.

`And is commanded by a luff and a reefer,'
added the master's mate.

`It would be a blessing,' observed a man-o'-war's
man, who had not yet spoken, `if
that craft could be caught napping. It ain't
safe for a sloop to put her nose out of the

harbor, beyond the cape; but while the frigate
was there alone, they could slip along in
light water, and show her their heels. But
now, everything that ventures out is brought
to by that long gun of the tender's.'

`That's fact,' responded another seaman.
`She has taken or driven back to port no less
than twenty-six craft in the last three weeks.
I shall be glad, for one, when our frigate lying
off there gets her armament aboard, for
then I think we'll swallow the English frigate
outside, and pick our teeth with the tender.'

All these remarks were heard by the young
officer, who all the while continued to look
through the spy-glass at the tender and her
chase.

`There goes a gun!' cried several spectators,
as a flash and a jet of azure smoke
came from the tender's bows.

`That is bold enough,' observed the young
officer, as if speaking his thoughts aloud:—
`the impudent tender is almost up with the
fort, and dares to fire at the chase in the very
face of the batteries.'

`It is only to try and do her mischief, sir,'
said the master's mate; `for she finds the
fore-and-after will escape her—so she fires a
gun to cut away something.'

`You are right, my man,' observed the
officer, `for she has put about and stands
seaward again.'

He continued to watch the retiring tender
for some moments in silence.

`It's a pity we hadn't an armed cutter in
port that would sail faster than she can, so
that we might give her a chase out,' said a
lad, approaching the group. His dress was
that of a midshipman, and his air singularly
free and fearless.

`Ah, Frank, are you there?' said the lieutenant.
`when did you get back from your
father's?'

`Last night. I was in hopes to find the
ship ready for sea, Mr. Percival; but I am
told it will be three weeks before we can get
away. I want to have a brush with John
Bull's frigate, who hovers off and on the harbor
with such bravadoing. When did you
get in town, sir?'

`Yesterday morning. Have you been
witnessing the pretty chase down the bay,
Frank?'

`Yes, I would give a year's pay if I could
have a hand in catching that rogue.'

`Come aside with me,' said the officer,
putting his arm in that of the midshipman.
`Your words but express my own wishes.
I have conceived a plan for capturing that
tender.'

`In what way?' demanded the youth with
animation.'

`I will show you. The tender's game appears
to be coasting vessels, from which she
takes men to impress in the British navy, and
also plunders the craft of such things as they
contain which are of any value. My plan
is to charter a sloop, the worst looking one
that it is possible to find in port, yet a tolerable
sailor, for she must work well, and readily
obey her helm. I will load her decks with
hen-coops, filled with poultry, pens crammed
with pigs, and a few sheep and a calf or two
by way of variety. You laugh, Frank, but
the commander of the tender will find it no
laughable matter, if I succeed as I anticipate.
I shall ship about thirty-five men and conceal
them in the hold, and taking command of my
craft with one hand only visible on deck, I
shall set sail out of the harbor. When I get
outside, I think I shall be able to show John
Bull a Yankee trick he will not be likely to
forget very soon. But all will depend on
our good managemont of the affair. Now
you see what I would be at, Frank! Will
you join me?'

`Heart and hand, sir,' responded Frank
Talbot, with enthusiasm. `Will you allow
me to be the hand on deck to help to work
the sloop?'

`Yes, if you can talk Weathersfied Yankee.'

`Wal, I rayther guess I ken; tho' I an't
been to Connecticut among 'em since last
grass.'

This reply was pronounced with such an
inimitable Yankee dialect that the lieutenant
burst into a hearty laugh.

`That will do, Frank! Now we want to

proceed at once to action. I want you to go
to the Anchor rendezvous in Pearl street and
drum up about five and thirty men. Take
only those that are daring and ready for any
thing. Let none of them know your object,
lest we be betrayed by information being conveyed
to the tender. You will find men
enough in these times that will ask no questions.
Meet me at twelve o'clock, at the
Exchange Reading Room and report to
me.'

The midshipman then took leave and hastened
up the battery. The lieutenant then
returned to the group and taking aside the
master's mate, whom he knew, laid briefly
before him his project. The old tar entered
into it with all zeal. Together they went to
the docks, where, on account of the blockade,
lay idle a large number of vessels of
every description. They were not long in
discovering such a craft as suited them; a
Hudson sloop of seventy tons. She was immediately
put in trim for sailing, by the master's
mate and three or four men whom he
employed—while the officer proceeded to buy
up and send on board the live stock.