A GREAT ADVENTURE
Anne's first impulse was to open the cabin door, but she had learned one
lesson by her runaway journey--to obey and wait. It was very hard for
the little girl to keep quiet, for she could hear her father's voice,
and that of Captain Starkweather, and loud commands in strange voices,
and the sloop seemed to be moving this way and that as if it had lost
its pilot.
"We are captured by that English boat; I know we are," Anne whispered to
herself.
And that was really what had happened. The English schooner had sent a
shot through Captain Starkweather's fine new mainsail, followed by a
command to lay to, and before Mr. Nelson had had time to fasten the door
of the cabin, the schooner was abreast of the sloop and in a few moments
the Province Town boat was taken in tow by the English schooner, and Mr.
Nelson and Captain Starkweather found themselves prisoners.
"Leave 'em on deck, but make sure they can't move hands or feet," Anne
heard a rough voice command, and there was the sound of scuffling feet,
and gradually the noise ceased; and all that Anne could hear was a faint
murmur of voices, and the ripple of the water against the side of the
boat. These sounds gradually ceased, and the frightened child realized
that the wind had died away, and that the boats were becalmed. She
peered out of the little cabin window and saw that the English boat was
very near. The tide sent the sloop close to the schooner, and now Anne
could hear voices very plainly.
"Pull in that tow line, and make fast to the sloop," she heard the same
gruff voice command, and in a few moments the sloop lay beside the
schooner.
"I could get on board just as easy," Anne thought, and wondered if her
father would tell the English that his little daughter was in the
sloop's cabin.
Poor John Nelson, lying on the schooner's deck, tied hand and foot,
feared every moment that his conquerors would discover that there was
another passenger on board the boat. "They would not harm my little
maid," he assured himself, "but there is food and water in the sloop's
cabin, and Anne is best off there."
Both he and Captain Starkweather hoped that some American vessel might
come to their rescue. But now that the wind had died away there was no
chance of that for the present.
"A midsummer calm. May be stuck here for twenty-four hours," Anne heard
a grumbling voice declare.
The long summer day dragged by. Anne opened the lunch basket, but had
little appetite. At sunset there was a ripple of wind and the two boats,
side by side, moved a short distance.
Anne, shut up in the tiny cabin, had come to a great resolve. "Father
told me to stay here, but if I could creep aboard the schooner and untie
the cords, then father and Captain Starkweather could get free," she
thought. And the more she thought of it, the more sure she was that she
could do it.
The twilight deepened, and now Anne ventured to push open the cabin door
a little way. The sailors were in the forecastle, but Anne could see a
dark figure in the stern of the schooner. She ventured out and softly
closed the cabin door. Now, on her hands and knees, the little girl
crept across the little space toward the side of the schooner. It looked
like a black wall, but not very high above her, and there were ropes;
and Anne was used to boats. Grasping a rope she drew herself up, hand
over hand, until she could reach the deck-rail. Now she gave a swift
glance toward the dark figure at the stern. "I do believe he's asleep,"
she thought, and Anne now pulled herself to the top of the rail and
dropped noiselessly to the deck of the schooner. For a few moments she
cowered in the shadow, and then looked anxiously about. Near the cabin
she could see two black shadows, and knew that they were her father and
Captain Starkweather.
Keeping close in the shadow Anne crept along the deck. But, noiseless as
her progress had been, Anne had been seen the moment her little figure
reached the top of the deck rail. John Nelson's keen eyes, staring into
the summer night, had recognized his little daughter, and instantly
realized that Anne meant to help them. He held his breath for fear that
some sharp ear had caught a sound, and then whispered to his companion,
"Don't move, or call out, captain; Anne is on deck and will help us."
The little girl was now close beside her father. "Feet first, Anne," he
whispered, and Anne's eager fingers pulled and worked at the tough knots
so securely tied until they loosened, and John Nelson could move his
feet. Her father did not dare even whisper again. He longed to tell her
to hurry, but dared not speak. Anne was now tugging and twisting at the
rope which held her father's wrists, and managed to loosen it so that he
could work his hands free. Then they both began to loosen Captain
Starkweather's cords, and in a few minutes he too was free. The same
thought was running through the minds of both men: If a girl like Anne
had such courage, why couldn't two sailors make a prize of this good
English boat?
"Go back to the sloop's cabin, Anne. We'll follow," whispered her
father. And Anne obeyed. She was not afraid now. How easy it had been,
she thought happily, as she slid down the rope to the sloop's deck, and
found herself again in the little cabin.
The dark figure, dozing at the schooner's helm, did not see the two
creeping men who so suddenly were upon him. A twisted scarf over his
mouth, and no sound to warn his mates, his hands and feet bound with
the very cords that had secured his prisoners, he was left a captive.
Then John Nelson and Captain Starkweather sped toward the forecastle;
the open hatchway was closed so quickly that the men below hardly
realized what had happened, and it was securely fastened before they
could help themselves.
"The breeze is coming," declared Captain Starkweather. "Shall we put
back to Boston, John? We'll not know what to do with this craft in
Province Town."
"A good night's work this, and Boston folk will be glad to see this
English 'Sea Bird' come in to her harbor. 'Tis the same craft that has
caused so much trouble to fishing boats. I'll bring Anne on board," and
John Nelson ran to the schooner's side and called, "Anne! Anne!" A
moment later and he lifted his little daughter to the deck of the
schooner.
"You are a brave child," declared Captain Starkweather. "This schooner
is really your prize, for 'tis by your courage that we have taken her."
The schooner's course was changed, and, the wind increasing, she swept
off toward Boston harbor.
"'Twill be a good tale for Mr. Samuel Adams to hear," said Captain
Starkweather, "and you will indeed be proud of your little daughter,
John. I doubt not but this will be printed in the Boston papers, and
news of it sent to General Washington himself."
It was hardly sunrise when the "Sea Bird," towing Captain Starkweather's
sloop, came to anchor off the Freemans' wharf. John Nelson's hail to a
friendly fisherman brought a number of boats alongside, and when he had
told them of how the capture was made a chorus of huzzas filled the air.
The news was carried to the other vessels in the harbor, and the "Sea
Bird" was soon surrounded by small boats. One of these boats pulled for
the shore, and its crew spread the news that a little girl and two
sailors from Province Town had captured and brought into harbor a fine
English schooner. Mr. Freeman heard the news on his way to the wharf,
and saw the crew of the "Sea Bird" being marched up the street under a
strong guard. The church bells were rung, and when John Nelson and Anne
reached shore they were welcomed by cheers.
Rose came hurrying through the crowd.
"Oh, Anne!" she exclaimed. "Here is Mr. Samuel Adams waiting to speak to
you! You are the bravest girl in the colony."
"'Twill be a wonderful thing to tell Amanda," said Anne happily. "Even
Amos could hope for no finer adventure."
"There'll be prize money," added Frederick. "I heard my father say that
there'll be a large sum for you and your father and for Captain
Starkweather."
It was a week later when they sailed once more for Province Town. It was
decided that it would be safer to leave the harbor at nightfall, when
there would be a better chance of the sloop not being recognized and
followed by some watchful craft lurking in the lower harbor. This time
the little cabin was nearly filled, for Captain Starkweather was taking
gifts to each one of his six boys, beside wonderful packages for their
mother, and Anne and her father could hardly wait for the time when
Uncle Enos and Aunt Martha should see the set of lustre ware, the fine
pewter, and the boxes of figs, dates, jellies and sweets which they were
taking to Province Town.
[Illustration: "YOU ARE THE BRAVEST GIRL IN THE COLONY"]