Haste and Waste; Or, the Young Pilot of Lake Champlain. A Story for Young People
out boy of fourteen, as he stood at the helm of a slo
er, Lawry?" dema
inued the young pilot, as he glanced
e lake; the water was smooth, and the tiny waves sparkled in the bright sunshine. There was no roll of distant thunder to admonish the voyagers, and the youth at the helm was so much accustomed to squalls and tempests, which are of frequent occu
young pilot, he did not neglect even the green-apple pies, the first of the season, prepared with care and skill by Mrs. Captain John, who resided on board, and did "doctor's" duty at the galley. Captain John did not abate a single mouthful of the meal, though he k
intending to take the steamer at Westport for his destination. Being a man who was always in a hurry, but never in season, he had reached the steamboat landing just in time to see the boat moving o
hipwreck, and of sole survivors, clinging with the madness of desperation to broken spars, in the midst of the storm-tossed waters. But Mr. Randall was a director of a country bank, and a certain amount of dignity was expected and required of him. His
te, and it was evident that he did not enjoy the meal after the brief colloquy between the skipper and the pilot. He was nervous; his dignity was a "bore" to him, and was maintained at an immense sacrifice of
fice of his dignity, for it was made with what even the sk
empting piece of green-apple pie, reeking w
s astonishment and horror by slapping both hands upon his
ping his knife and fork, and suspending the operation of
ck," replied Mr. Randall
s 'twould be on your back,
that coat," said the bank director, with a gasp
garment under the rail. "We had a flaw of wind just
ed the coat. "I'm too careless to live! There's
f such a sum of money were very indefinite. "I should s
t the money is safe,"
in by the dense volume of black clouds. The episode of the bank director's coat had distracted the attention of the young pilot for a moment, and he had not observed the rapid swoop of the squall, as it bore down upon the sloop. He leaped over the piles o
roared he. "Down with the mai
d seized hold of the rail, and was crouching beneath the bulwark, expecting to go to the bottom of the lake, for he was too much excited to m
lapping flitters" were streaming in the air. Piece after piece was detached from the bolt-rope, and disappeared in the heavy atmosphere. The sloop, in obedience to her
outed Captain John
e?" asked
e en
t she
," replied the skipper. "
r cargo were safe, and not a single one of the precious lives of her crew had been sacrificed; but the skipper was as dissatisfied as the skipper of a lake sloop could be; more so, probab
halyard?" said he, as he walked for
eplied Law
' it go after the squall had split t
s I saw the squall
it before then?" g
lf an hour ago. Why didn't you come
ssy," said C
hat sail would have been safe. I told you the squall
ssel. I thought you knew enough to take
ught the captain didn't know enough to come on dec
nt nothin'
ore of you," added Lawry sma
ile from Whitehall, with the mainsail blowed clean
l better than yo
be sass
ected your duty. I did mine. I was castin
it before? That's w
in sail till they are told to do so. When I saw the squall coming, h
ssel; you are too smart for
s we get to Port Rock," said L
ow and ate his dinner, to which he felt himself entitled, for he was working his passage up from Plattsburg. By the time he had disposed of the last piece of green
hore here, Captain
d to get rid of you," rep
bank director. "Now you have lost your sai
ll to-morrow morning with this wind. I'm sorry it hap
bout," added Lawry. "He needn't lay it
ointville, so that I shall be in Shoreham by
r. Randall and Lawry ashore in the boat, and