Not Guilty; or, Barefoot Billy's Fortune — page 8: what you’re looking at

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oe = kes > = ve. = ~<a ¢* J FOES ead a Oa, / ne - 4 . ~ : = a 4 . . 3 : “ ~ a” * ‘ 4 ree wor * “s : + “. “ vr ! r ~Y OS ee eee Fo ~* <7 ee taro . Yr. “a's EE SES = a : = m Week * "nea ae eo .. = ee a4 : 8 | THE NUGGET LIBRARY. the men in the boat shoved off, and pulled for the Meteor with the sick man, who was dressed in a costly robe of French flannel, and who they supposed must be, from his appearance, some dignitary, who was especially worth saving. Barefoot Billy turned, saw the little girl’s white dress in the moonlight near him, and then, for the first time heard the terrible warning words of the lond-voiced captain of the Champion: ‘Keep off! get away! the ship must soon blow up!” . “Can you swim, miss?” asked Barefoot Billy, quickly, seeing the boats no where near them. **No,”’ said the little gil, ‘‘I can’t. Can you?” ‘Yes, indeed. We must leave this spot. lively, now.” “T’m most choked; but poor dear father is safe!” ‘‘And you shall be saved too, Blossom!” said the boy. “How? Where's the boat?” ‘Gone! And the ship is in danger of blowing to pieces!” ‘‘How?” asked the child. “The powder magazine hasn’t been reached by the fire, yet,”’ replied Barefoot Billy; ‘‘but it may ignite ina moment. Come, courage, now, young lady! I can swim like a dolphin. I’m strong, too. [can carry you. Are you afraid?’ “Of what—the powder?” “No! I'm afraid of that,” said the boy, frankly. ‘‘I mean are ou afraid of the water? Will you jump overboard with me? ‘ll save you—I'll hold you up! Comeon! ‘The boats will catch us inaminute. Dare you?” ‘““Yes—yes!’’ said the little girl, dubiously. “Oling to me, then. What's your name, little one?” *“Tot—Tot!” said the child, innocently. “‘Come on, then, Tot!” shouted Barefoot Billy encouragingly, and drawing the confused child further away from the stifling smoke to the taffrail. ‘“‘Now courage, little one,” he said. ‘‘Hang on to me. I won’t desert you. ‘The boats ‘ll save us. You'll soon join your father again. Now we go—don’t be scared!” And as she clutched his shoulder Barefoot Billy placed his strong arm around the slender waist of the trusting little girl, and together they leaped from the burning ship into the sea! The careful mate in the quarter boat, himself a young man, butsome years older than Barefoot Billy, had taken a strong liking to the brave boy, and he was on the lookout in the Meteor’s boat, hoping to see the lad turn up, somewhere, before the crash should occur, which all hands now looked for at any moment. He caught a giimpse of the little girl’s white dress for an instant, and then he saw the figure of the boy, as the trustful twain plunged into the water. ‘‘There he is! There’s Barefoot Billy!” screamed the sailor to his men, who lay on their oars, to winward of the doomed ship. “Give way, now, lads! Bend to it, all together! Now, again! Steady, so. Here we are, Barefoot Billy! Brave boy! hold on,”’ he yelled tothe struggling little fellow, who saw the boat ap- proaching, and could hear the ringing, cheerful voice of his shipmate and friend, Harry Hoppin; and, though exhausted with the toil and half suffocation to which he had been for nearly an hour exposed, he still spoke encouragingly to the little girl, who had both her arms twined about his neck, for she was thoroughly frightened now, and nearly choked her young friend. But Barefoot Billy got her round behind him and told her to “hang on, Tot! That’s right!” And he struck out boldly away from the vicinity of the burning ship, when he heard the third mate's voice, and saw, faintly, the white splash of foam that streamed up from the coming boat’s cutwater, as the boys laid flat to their oars, and sent her spinning over the waves to the rescue. ‘Hold hard!’ screamed Harry Hoppin to his young shipmate. ‘“‘Hang on, brave boy! we’re comin’!”’ | And then to the men he shouted—‘“‘Once more, lads, and all together—lively! There’s a little girl hanging to him. I can see her white frock. Give way—she’s goin’ under! No; he’s got her again! Quick, now, for Heaven’s sake; lay to it!’’ And they did Jay to it with a will. “Steady, so. Here we are!” and reaching the spot where Barefoot Billy was supporting the now fainting girl. Harry and his men quickly grasped the periled pair and drew them into his boat and pulled away for the Meteor, where rescuers and rescued were received on board with great joy by good Captain Evarts, his crew, and passengers. Amid the congratulations and busy inquiries that succeeded, the powder in the hold of the Champion was reached by the fire. A terrific ex- plosion soon followed, rending the air like.a sharp peal of thun- der, and shattering the burning hull and spars and rigging into shrewds in less time than it has taken to record the result. The sufferers were provided for on board the Meteor as com- fortably as possible. The ship was turned upon her course again toward London, and all went on well during the remainder of Barefoot Billy’s first voyage at sea. | * >). ’ Lowe > : 4 i’ , o ete - f " ‘e,* dina ie ‘ . dad ys ‘ ~s ’ i.e ff 2 SP ft Log Pet fm ae * g rea”, de” 2 i - , ; vs gee A : wr P pt tee ; fe RAAB LED 9: ot TS Rte te te. / * 4s * +, {i »* ae : r « _i* 9 Z ¢ f Spe 3 ths ia . wv? ~ “a > a" wd . a i aS os SE, ee Safe ens ey) . YA v 7A ¢¢ ¢ ‘ ae - - ar i . ‘ + ~~? ° , Pa ‘ ; sr) rs wm i Be -o ’ a oN iy Y &- <tr aoe iv 1 Ae Ae, * 4 ve t ot a r - ¢ b ~~ , od h oe a, ¥ ol f7° ‘A ie. as > hg 4 7, vie ” .. an Pl oe a tow fe veo Pt a tre ot sy POF. eA Ti TS Sibete sar on IPS Ns Eh t: ae +e 2. . ie "i aoe $ ; “ PERS OF a gt ag! N50 P he Foe Vita “% i; ‘ ‘ (Let he Sad PER ON Seo - 2h EL AROS —_ ~. ie * - _ No. 76. ,” « ot) ee Tis, - fF. . . a — Cham pi sailed from Boston a week before the Se Ee cick ian (whose life and that of his little dangh- ter Barefoot Billy had so providentially been one oe of saving), was on his way to Europe for bis nee a e wat saul quite 1], and had been in bed on board the Meteor an hour when Barefoot Billy reached the ship. _<—_ = The CHAPTER X. BARRFOOT BILLY IS SURPRISED. after his arduous sien ee enw the aon ’s passengers was given to the unfortunate people Sad co wadlonly Seeit added to their companionship. The sick man whom Barefoot Billy had rescued from the burning ship was Mr. Ballard, of Boston, a prosperous merchant. He had been taken quite sick soon after his departure. His illness was of such a character as to oblige him toetake opium freely for Sait in a stupor when the alarm of fire was given, and his daughter could not arouse him. But for the fortunate coming, and subsequent persistent efforts of Barefoot Billy, both he and his child would have perished. When Mr. Ballard came to consciousness on board the Meteor, little Tot was overjoyed, and she took the first oppor- tunity to tell her father everything concerning their narrow es- <iNeit morning, Mr. Ballard having slept off the effects of the opium, sent for his daughter, who again’ recounted to him the perils they had passed through, and again renewed her childish praise of the bravery of little Barefoot Billy. ; ‘And you tell me, pet, that he’s a boy?” exclaimed the grate- ful and surprised father. “Yes, papa, only a little fellow, though bigger than me, and as brave and as strong asa lion. He took you out, amid the dreadful smoke, when you couldn’t speak, and carried you up on the deck, away from the fire, just like a stout man would, and saved you, too; and I’m so glad, papa.” “Who is this young hero, darling?” “TI don’t know, papa. He caught me after he had saved yon, and jumped over into the water with me, and held me up, and told me not to be afraid, and he would save me; and he swam, and I couldn’t, you know, and I was afraid, for the salt water got into my mouth and choked me, but he kept on saying ‘bold on, Tot,’ and ‘it’s all right now, Tot,’ and I got right on bis back, and then he swam again, and thea caught one of the Me- teor’s boats, and they dragged us in, and we got on board the ship here all nicely. And he’s a brave, good boy, isn't he, apa?’ : Yes. indeed, he is,” replied the father, earnestly; ‘‘and he shall be well rewarded, tco. Where is he now?” ‘fT don’t know, papa. I haven’t seen him since he drew me up from the boat on board here. I want to see him, though,”’ Barefoot Billy was sent for an hour or two afterward, and was highly commended by the thankful father, who remembered to have seen the lad before. The Meteor proceeded on her voyage, and arrived in the Thames without further incident. The passengers went ashore, and Mr. Ballard and his daughter took a very kindly leave of Barefoot Billy, and the third mate, Billy’s friend, Harry Hop- in. The next day, when all the sailors had been given liberty to go to the city for a while, Captain Evarts detained Barefoot Billy on board. “T have something to say to you, youngster,” observed the master of the Meteor, mysteriously. ‘Wait; I will speak with you shortly alone. Come to the cabin, sir.” The boy promptly obeyed this order, though he was nota sears perplexed at the changed manner of the usually pleasant captain. . When Barefoot Billy entered the cabin, he found the captain sitting gravely at his little table, with some papers before him. The boy stood, tarpaulin hatin hand, for a moment, greatly astonished at the stern manner of his superior, who said, stiffly : ROY youngster, how long have you been on board my ship ¢ ‘Goin’ on three months, cap’n,” replied Barefoot Billy, civilly. “Three months ? Yes, over two months.” ‘Yer, sir, over two and a half.” | ‘Ay. Well, you’ve come to be something of a sailor, boy.” ‘‘T’ve tried to learn, sir, and always meant to do my duty as well as I could.” ‘And you have succeeded famously, boy. Do you know tpl you've done in the late matter of the burning ship, young- ster ‘Nothin’ wrong, I hope, cap’n,” said Barefoot Billy, quickly. Billy turned in, 1 ed 4 < “A, * ‘ = % ‘ : walt — , : art wf iris a ry Ls d . sa : ume ~~. * - ise BY -_~« ——— oi Ger mt on me ER TE ey re AG. ¥ 2 _—-/-» NE OT | | | )