Rod of the Lone Patrol

ftly and deftly as he cut the cotton or tied a piece of string. Once or twice he stepped back to view his work, and then a pleased expression appeared upon his

as something remarkable at "The Anchorage," t

ust finished making a batch of doughnuts, not the lean kind, mostly holes, but big fat ones, coated with sugar, like thick frost upon the

s her husband's fault, and not hers. She was naturally of a sociable disposition, and fond of company. But Captain Josh's crankiness had antagonised every person

ays a red-letter day in the parish. His ringing laugh was heard at the store, and every evening his hous

is vessel, the Flying Queen, a three-masted schooner, which, loaded with a valuable cargo, lost her bearings, and went ashore in a heavy fog. Owing to Captain Josh's excellent past record, the shipping company was most lenient

rced stay on land. He longed for the sea, for nowhere else did he feel so much at home. His pride was hurt as well. He felt keenly the humiliation, and he believed that his n

, and it aroused the captain to intense indignation. And so when he found that most of the people in Hillcrest were turned against Parson Dan's lad, simply because he was a

ends close to the knot. He then glanced once more through the window, and his

of the reception he would receive. He was a trim, looking lad in his well-fitting suit, as clean and neat as Mrs. Royal's hands could make it, wh

at the shop doo

lad," was his

tore for grandma. Oh!" and he stopped short as his eyes rested

e captain asked, delig

if afraid that the white sails were wings; to bear t

some

ou

ool?" the captain roare

ank bac

idn't mean that.

ade her years ago fer another boy. She's been lyin' here a long time, and so t'other day I

e?" Rod aske

e'd like to

, and his hands trembled with excitement as h

er name?"

en, after the s

she

Let's la

, and it was to sail a small boat, too. Her eyes grew misty as her thoughts went back to that scene. But mingled with this sadness was a feeling of thankfulness that her husband had taken such a st

g the shore. The captain had a pickerel net to look after, which kept him busy for some time. But

," he at length ordered,

ked, as he glanced toward the yacht frettin

ready fer an hour, so we'll t

bed he had often imagined himself skimming over the water, with the sail, big and white, bending above him. Now his dream had really come true, and here he was at last sitting by Captain Josh's side, w

captain cried. "Gittin' t

mphatic reply. "I sighe

t people generally whistled o

do, Captain Josh,

m never

all the time if I h

e the tiller, then,

ght as the captain ordered. Never did any commander in charge of the largest vessel feel greater pride than did

the corner of his eye as he puff

day, lad," he remarked. "Ye've

captain, and have a big ship of my own. I'm going to ca

nto space, "but I guess my sailin' days'll be over by that time. Bu

tant. He was the guest being treated with such respect. When holding the tiller that morning he had longed for Sammie Dunker and the rest of the boys to see him. So now, sitting near the bluff old captain and his wife

and lighted his pipe. Rod was surprised that he did not return

or that dinner, Mrs.

njoyed it, dear

ood that I want to thank

tain take his pipe out of his mouth, and bow his shaggy head while the boy repeated the few words

finished. The captain puffed at his pipe, whi

ain Josh suddenly asked,

was the somewha

en in th

. Lots o

e'll have to git over that

, Captain Jos

th laughter. "Kin I swim? Why, boy, I could swim before I was a

e with admiration. "Did you ever

lad. Not qui

ose to his feet, and stood erect. "When I'm a man, I'll swim ac

back. I guess ye'll have more cause fer thankfulness then than ye did after eatin' yer dinner to-day. But come," and he r

ing of the Roaring Bess, the ropes, sail, port and starboard, to say nothing of his lesson in splicing. There was also the swim in the little secl

all right. If ye don't know more'n yer master in a few months, I'll be much surprised. So, there now, take this picke