University of Virginia Library

20. CHAPTER XX.
The Tin-case.

The young man was borne rudely off
bound; and although William Northrop
pretended to protest against it, George
saw clearly enough that he was party to
the attack upon him. His captors took
him along a rocky path by the shore until
they come to a road in a deep pine forest,
when they placed him upon a horse
and walked by his side through the
gloomy wood.

He was cheerful and by no means intimidated
by his situation; and questioning
his captors found he was arrested for
having voluntarily piloted the English
frigate into the bay, He did not feel
that this was any crime, and so went on
with them without fear of evil. He had
not gone three miles in this way when
the men came to a road by a river,
where stood a waggon. To this they
tackled the horse which George had
rode, and all four getting into the waggon
they rode on rapidly. In a short
time a boat was seen coming down the
river, padding near the shore. As it
passed George, to his surprise, saw that
it contained White Teeth. The Indian
called to him, for he knew him well and
was much attached to him, and asked
where he was being taken.

`To goal,' responded George, `for
helping a British frigate get into the bay.'

`Yiss. Me hear bout dat. Me in de
same storm.

`I thought you were drowned.'

`Noh! Me swim! Me dive! Me
get over de reef, nobody know how, and
by'm bye me get shore good way down
de coast! Who dem wid you?'

`Officers!'

`Hough! Berry good!' and the young
Indian paddled on his way.

But he had not gone far before he
struck into the shore, and, landing quickly,
drew up his boat, and then followed
rapidly on the track of the prisoner. He
had made up his mind to try and rescue
him, for George had done him many
kindnesses. Perhaps the reader is quite
as much surprised to see him alive as
George was. Being an excellent swimmer
he had dove deep when the shallop
struck and so escaped the fragments, one
of which had made Northrop insensible.
When he rose he found himself on the
crest of a wave upon which he was carried
quite over the ledge into the smoother
water beyond. After struggling for
two hours in the surf and nearly drowned,
he reached the shore far to the east-ward;
and finding a dry nook under a
shelf in the rocks he laid down in it and
slept till noon the next day. He awoke
perfectly refreshed, and his first thought

was of the medal about his neck. To
his imagination it contained vast riches;
and being largely gifted with acquisitiveness
he resolved to keep it and see
William Northrop no more. For this purpose
he struck across the forest to a
camp of his tribe, six miles distant on the
river Kennebec; and there consulted an
intelligent half-breed, and very handsome,
Indian girl, whom he intended one
day to make his wife, which she was
nothing loth to be, as to its value. She
could read well and was as intelligent as
she was beautiful. She opened the case
and found it contained papers instead of
gold and Bank notes. At sight of these
White Teeth looked blank; but in quarter
of an hour after she had read them all
to him, his face brightened up and he
said, emphatically,

`Good!'

The next day he got a canoe to go
down the river, and so round outside on
a special mission to May Fawn, with the
precious case about his neck. It was
when on his way for the purpose he now
fell in with George in custody of the
officers.

He now followed on their track stealthily
for two miles, when the road left the
river and wound over the hills. At this
place on the left was the Indian encampment
concealed from the road by the
trees. White teeth was soon among his
friends, and in five minutes, with four
stout Indians, was making a circuit to
cut off the wagon. They waited for it
in a dark part of the forest, and after a
bloodless struggle of two minutes the
prisoner was rescued and the three officers
left bound to the waggon.

The whole affair took place so suddenly
that George found himself free before
he realized his new situation, They
bore him between them, the four strong
Indians, to their camp and, by White
Teeth's order, tossed him bodily into a
canoe. White Teeth took the paddle
and darting away from the shore, told
the Indians where they would find the
canoe he had left down the shore.

`You should not have rescued me in
this manner, White Teeth!' said George,
as soon as he could get time to object.

`Nebber you say noting, Shorsge,'
answered White Teeth, as the canoe
shot rapidly down the dusky river. `De
prison no catsh you. You good moosh.
White Teeth love him.'

`Well, so long as I am free I thank
you.'

`Yish. You glad—me glad.'

`Where are you going?'

`To de bay—see squaw May.'

`No. Her father would be angry if
he knew you rescued me. You must go
to my house first. What is that on your
nech?'

`Mukeesh!'

`What is mukeesh?'

`Hab good in him for somebody!'

`A charm, hey!'

`Great fight by'm bye, Shorsge,' abruptly
said the Indian, as if wishing to
change the subject. And on still flew
the light canoe.

`Who are to fight?'

`Big ship 'Merican, fight em big ship
Yenlgeesh!'

`Is there another frigate in the bay?'
asked George, with surprise.

`No. But big John, you know big
John Indian!'

`Yes.'

`He tell me. He out fishin'. He
meet uncle Natahnah in him canoe.
Natahnah tell him he go tell big Captain
down Boston how big ship broke her
mast, and cotsh up tight in de bay; and
tell big gun ship bring down make fight
him!'

`Is it possible!'

`Yish!'

`Who could have sent him?'

`Captn' Will'm!'

`This is good news, if I could only
reach that ship before she gets in,' mused
George.

He soon resolved what to do; for he
was anxious to redeem his patriotism.
He made known the purpose he had
rapidly conceived in his mind to the
young Indian, who at once entered fully
into his plans.

The object of the young fisherman
will already have been divined. It was
to endeavour to fall in with the American
frigate as she should approach from
Boston.

To this end they proceeded down the
river to a little cove near the sea-shore,
where there was a camp of eight or ten
Indian families, whose occupation was
fishing. Here White Teeth obtained
fish, and meat, and fresh water to last
for three days, and from this place they
embarked. After rounding the point at
the river's mouth, they kept on parallel
with the coast until they had passed the
inlet in which George lived, and opened
Northrop's bay. They kept well out to
sea for fear of being seen by the English
frigate, which they could see about five
miles distant refitting.

White Teeth several times remarked,
as they sailed slowly by, for the canoe
was rigged with a small brown sail, that
he wished he could go on shore, and first
see `the pretty squaw.' At length George
smiling asked if he had fallen in love
with May.

`No, massa, me no love, Me hab
Nesha to love. You hab pretty white
squaw. Indian by—by hab nesha. Me
wish to see white squaw very mosh.'

`Will you tell me why, white Teeth?
you seem to have news?'

`Shorshe know readee?'

`Yes.'

`Den look 'em in dis case. Read em
moosh good for white squaw. Nesha
read for me, make me very glad for
white squaw.'

As the Indian spoke he took from his
neck the case which Northrop, when he
supposed death was inevitable, or that if
either escaped, it would be more likely
to be the Indian, had placed around his
neck. This circumstance the Indian explained
to George, who, opening the
case, took out the papers. There were
three in number.

When George had finished perusing
them there was an expression of joy and
pride upon his fine face. He looked perfectly
happy, but rather, as it seemed,
for May than for himself.

`Is it possible! it is incredible! How
extraordinary! This, then, is the secret
of all the mystery about William Northrop!
of his deep hatred to the English;
of his fear to be seen by them on shore;
of his fear that one so low-born as George
Hunnewell should marry his nobly-born
daughter.'

`Moosh berry good for pretty white
squaw,' ejaculated White Teeth, as he
watched the expression of George's face.

`Very much, indeed. This is very
extraordinary. There seems a special
Providence in it all. That storm which
brought William Northrop to fear instant
death, was a blessing to his child.'

But we will not linger over the joy
and surprise, and mingled hopes and fears
of the lover. He trembled, yet hoped.
His discovery had placed him and May
in new and different positions. But strong
in the faith of her love he resolved to rejoice
instead of despairing.

The canoe kept on her way, and steered
south-west, till the coast of Maine disappeared
beneath the bending arc of the
globe. They were directly in a line with
the course of a ship from Boston to Northrop
Bay; and the next morning a ship
was visible, bearing down upon them. It
soon proved to be the expected American

frigate. George was taken on board,—
told the captain all that had passed, made
known the size and strength of the Englishman,
and offered to pilot the American
in atonement for his having saved the
Englisher. His offer was gladly accepted,
and as the ship came off the bay he
took the helm. William Northrop was
was therefore right when he said that he
saw George Hunnewell upon her deck,
and the Indian, White Teeth, at his side.

We shall not enter into a detailed account
of the enjoyment; for mortal combats
have often been described, and all
have a strong resemblance in their details.
The American frigate, after coming
abeam of her, furled her topsails, and
opened her broad sides. The Englisher
answered with equal bravery; but after
thirty-five minutes, the English flag came
down, and a boat from the Yankee frigate,
preceded, however, by a swift Indian
canoe, took possession of the conquered
ship, and George Hunnewell with
his own hand hoisted the stars and stripes,
over her bloody decks.

May saw this act, for she had hid her
eyes from the scene and closed her ears
to the roar of the battle, though she lingered
on the cliff too anxious for the fate
of her lover to tear herself away. But
when she saw him leap first of all on the
enemy's deck from the canoe, and perform
this gallant act, she felt her heart
bound with joy, and pride, and gratitude
for his safety.

The sun was just setting when the frigate
struck. The prisoners were transferred
to the Yankee frigate the same
night. Among them were the English
captain, and the young officer with the
star upon his breast, the latter being
wounded severely in the side by a musket
ball.

George remained on board the American
frigate that night, for he had an important
interview to hold with the cap
tain touching the papers he had discovered;
for he needed the advice of some
intelligent person; and the captain having
shown himself to be his friend, he
laid the whole matter before him in the
cabin.

When the American had read the papers,
he sent for the English captain to
come into the cabin.

`Do you know, sir, any thing of the
family of the Earl of Northford in England?'

`It is one of the oldest peerages of the
realm.'

`Do you know any thing peculiar in
the history of this family!'

`The last earl was convicted of being
treasonably in league with Napoleon;
and it was proved against him that he
had offered facilities on the coast of his
own estates, for a landing of the French
Invader. This is notorious.'

`And he lost his title and estates, and
was exiled?'

`Yes; but he had a daughter to whom
the attaint did not extend by the intercession
of the Queen. But when this
daughter sent for to be placed under
the guardianship of the crown, she was
no where to be found; and there is no
question but what he took his child with
him.'

`He did. That child and her father
are within half a mile of us. Read those
papers.'

They were confirmatory documents
sufficiently clear and undisputable to establish
May Fawn's claim to the title of
Countess of Northford.

William Northrop and his daughter
were sent for and brought on board, he,
after making a fierce resistance. When
he saw White Teeth in the cabin, and his
tin case and papers laying before the
captain he understood all that had transpired.
The English captain also recognised
him at once as the tratorous Earl

of Northford. He confessed the fact,
and said that his love for his child led
him to take her with him, and keep the
secret of her birth from her; but he had
drawn up writings and placed them in
the tin case securely, so that, at his death,
she might come into the possession of
her rights. The beauty and grace of the
maiden charmed all present. George
Hunnewell looked most unhappy. She
saw it, and understood the cause.

`If I am to sacrifice my heart's affections
to a coronet,' she said firmly, and
smiling as she took his hand, `I prefer
remaining May Northrop!'

William Northrop, after all had been
said, looked rather gratified at the result.
A heavy load seemed to be removed
from his mind. He took his daughter's
hand and placing it in George's, said,

`Be happy, my child, if this will make
you so. I suppose you will now go to
England and forget your exiled father.
Be it so!'

`No, sir. If I am such as it appears I
am, I shall cast myself at the foot of the
throne to solicit your pardon!'

Our story is now ended. George
Hunnewell and May were married that
very evening (for May would have it so,
lest some power should prevent it) in the
cabin of the frigate.

William Northrop returned to his cabin,
while May, with her happy husband,
sailed for Boston, and thence embarked
for England, where her claim was acknowledged.
She succeed in obtaining
her father's pardon, on condition he
should never leave her estate. George,
as a patriotic American felt some compunctions
in being an English earl (by
courtesy); but after the peace, he became
more reconciled, for his beautiful
wife's sake, to this brilliant change in his
life.

Tom, who was an illegitimate son of
William of Northford, shared his sister's
happiness, and seemed to be conscious of
the grandeur of her new position, and to
feel proud of her. Buttermilk accompanied
George to England as butler,
fared sumptuously every day, and walked
no more than became a partly black gentleman
who had the keys to the wine-vaults.