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the shed proved to be too narrow for our ship's beam。 But men embarked
on a desperate enterprise are not to be stopped by such trifles； and the
problem was solved by sawing out two adjoining boards。 These were
afterwards replaced with skill by the ship's carpenter； Able Seaman Grits
Jarvis。 Then the Petrel by heroic efforts was got into the wagon； the
seat of which had been removed； old Thomas Jefferson perched himself
precariously in the bow and protestingly gathered up his rope…patched
reins。
〃Folks'll 'low I'se plum crazy； drivin' dis yere boat；〃 he declared；
observing with concern that some four feet of the stern projected over
the tail…board。 〃Ef she topples； I'll git to heaven quicker'n a bullet。〃
When one is shanghaied； however；in the hands of buccaneers；it is too
late to withdraw。 Six shoulders upheld the rear end of the Petrel；
others shoved； and Thomas Jefferson's rickety horse began to move forward
in spite of himself。 An expression of sheer terror might have been
observed on the old negro's crinkled face； but his voice was drowned； and
we swept out of the alley。 Scarcely had we travelled a block before we
began to be joined by all the boys along the line of march； marbles；
tops； and even incipient baseball games were abandoned that Saturday
morning； people ran out of their houses； teamsters halted their carts。
The breathless excitement； the exaltation I had felt on leaving the alley
were now tinged with other feelings； unanticipated； but not wholly
lacking in delectable quality；concern and awe at these unforeseen
forces I had raised； at this ever growing and enthusiastic body of
volunteers springing up like dragon's teeth in our path。 After all； was
not I the hero of this triumphal procession？ The thought was consoling；
exhilarating。 And here was Nancy marching at my side； a little subdued；
perhaps； but unquestionably admiring and realizing that it was I who had
created all this。 Nancy； who was the aptest of pupils； the most loyal of
followers； though I did not yet value her devotion at its real worth；
because she was a girl。 Her imagination kindled at my touch。 And on
this eventful occasion she carried in her arms a parcel； the contents of
which were unknown to all but ourselves。 At length we reached the muddy
shores of Logan's pond； where two score eager hands volunteered to assist
the Petrel into her native element。
Alas！ that the reality never attains to the vision。 I had beheld； in my
dreams； the Petrel about to take the water； and Nancy Willett standing
very straight making a little speech and crashing a bottle of wine across
the bows。 This was the content of the mysterious parcel； she had stolen
it from her father's cellar。 But the number of uninvited spectators；
which had not been foreseen； considerably modified the programme；as the
newspapers would have said。 They pushed and crowded around the ship； and
made frank and even brutal remarks as to her seaworthiness； even Nancy；
inured though she was to the masculine sex； had fled to the heights； and
it looked at this supreme moment as though we should have to fight for
the Petrel。 An attempt to muster her doughty buccaneers failed； the
gunner too had fled；Gene Hollister； Ham Durrett and the Ewanses were
nowhere to be seen； and a muster revealed only Tom； the fidus Achates；
and Grits Jarvis。
〃Ah； s'y！〃 he exclaimed in the teeth of the menacing hordes。 〃Stand
back； carn't yer？ I'll bash yer face in； Johnny。 Whose boat is this？〃
Shall it be whispered that I regretted his belligerency？ Here； in truth；
was the drama staged；my drama； had I only been able to realize it。 The
good ship beached； the headhunters hemming us in on all sides； the scene
prepared for one of those struggles against frightful odds which I had so
graphically related as an essential part of our adventures。
〃Let's roll the cuss in the fancy collar；〃 proposed one of the head…
hunters；meaning me。
〃I'll stove yer slats if yer touch him；〃 said Grits； and then resorted to
appeal。 〃I s'y； carn't yer stand back and let a chap 'ave a charnst？〃
The head…hunters only jeered。 And what shall be said of the Captain in
this moment of peril？ Shall it be told that his heart was beating
wildly？bumping were a better word。 He was trying to remember that he
was the Captain。 Otherwise； he must admit with shame that he； too；
should have fled。 So much for romance when the test comes。 Will he
remain to fall fighting for his ship？ Like Horatius； he glanced up at
the hill； where； instead of the porch of the home where he would fain
have been； he beheld a wisp of a girl standing alone； her hat on the back
of her head； her hair flying in the wind； gazing intently down at him in
his danger。 The renegade crew was nowhere to be seen。 There are those
who demand the presence of a woman in order to be heroes。。。。
〃Give us a chance； can't you？〃 he cried； repeating Grits's appeal in not
quite such a stentorian tone as he would have liked； while his hand
trembled on the gunwale。 Tom Peters； it must be acknowledged； was much
more of a buccaneer when it was a question of deeds； for he planted
himself in the way of the belligerent chief of the head…hunters （who
spoke with a decided brogue）。
〃Get out of the way！〃 said Tom； with a little squeak in his voice。 Yet
there he was； and he deserves a tribute。
An unlooked…for diversion saved us from annihilation； in the shape of one
who had a talent for creating them。 We were bewilderingly aware of a
girlish figure amongst us。
〃You cowards！〃 she cried。 〃You cowards！〃
Lithe； and fairly quivering with passion； it was Nancy who showed us how
to face the head…hunters。 They gave back。 They would have been brave
indeed if they had not retreated before such an intense little nucleus of
energy and indignation！。。。
〃Ah； give 'em a chanst；〃 said their chief； after a moment。。。。 He even
helped to push the boat towards the water。 But he did not volunteer to
be one of those to man the Petrel on her maiden voyage。 Nor did Logan's
pond； that wild March day； greatly resemble the South Seas。
Nevertheless； my eye on Nancy； I stepped proudly aboard and seized an
〃oar。〃 Grits and Tom followed；when suddenly the Petrel sank
considerably below the water…line as her builders had estimated it。 Ere
we fully realized this； the now friendly head…hunters had given us a
shove； and we were off！ The Captain； who should have been waving good…
bye to his lady love from the poop； sat down abruptly；the crew
likewise； not； however； before she had heeled to the scuppers； and a
half…bucket of iced water had run it。 Head…hunters were mere daily
episodes in Grits's existence； but water。。。 He muttered something in
cockney that sounded like a prayer。。。。 The wind was rapidly driving us
toward the middle of the pond； and something cold and ticklish was
seeping through the seats of our trousers。 We sat like statues。。。。
The bright scene etched itself in my memorythe bare brown slopes with
which the pond was bordered； the Irish shanties； the clothes…lines with
red flannel shirts snapping in the biting wind； Nancy motionless on the
bank； the group behind her； silent now； impressed in spite of itself at
the sight of our intrepidity。
The Petrel was sailing stern first。。。。 Would any of us； indeed； ever see
home again？ I thought of my father's wrath turned to sorrow because he
had refused to gratify a son's natural wish and present him with a real
rowboat。。。。 Out of the corners of our eyes we watched the water creeping
around the gunwale； and the very muddiness of it seemed to enhance its
coldness； to make the horrors of its depths more mysterious and hideous。
The voice of Grits startled us。
〃O Gawd；〃 he was saying； 〃we're a…going to sink； and I carn't swim！ The
blarsted tar's give way back here。〃
〃Is she leaking？〃 I cried。
〃She's a…filling up like a bath tub；〃 he lamented。
Slowly but perceptibly； in truth； the bow was rising； and above the
whistling of the wind I could hear his chattering as she settled。。。。
Then several things happened simultaneously： an agonized cry behind me；
distant shouts from the shore； a sudden upward lunge of the bow； and the
torture of being submerged； inch by inch； in the icy； yellow water。
Despite the splashing behind me； I sat as though paralyzed until I was
waist deep and the boards turned under me； and then； with a spasmodic
contraction of my whole being I struck outonly to find my feet on the
muddy bottom。 Such was the inglorious end of the good ship Petrel！ For
she went down； with all hands； in little more than half a fathom of
water。。。。 It was not until then I realized that we had been blown clear
across the pond！
Figures were running along the shore。 And as Tom and I emerged dragging
Grits between us；for he might have been drowned there abjectly in the
shallows；we were met by a stout and bare…armed Irishwoman whose scanty
hair； I remember； was drawn into a tight knot behind her head； and who
seized us； all three； as though we were a bunch of carrots。
〃Come along wid ye！〃 she cried。
Shivering； we followed her up the hill； the spectators of the tragedy；
who by this time had come around the pon