Archive for the "Books and Literature" Category

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Leaving one man in charge of the boat

   "Hold steady, Master Tom," said Sailor Ben, slipping the painter through the ringbolt and tying the loveliest knot you ever saw; "hold steady till I see if the mate can let me off. If you please, sir," he continued, addressing the steersman, a very red-faced, bow-legged person, "this here is a little shipmate o’ […]

His back was towards me

   But those were man-of-war’s men: The sedate-looking craft now lying off Fishcrate Island wasn’t likely to carry any such cargo. Nevertheless, we watched the coming in of the long-boat with considerable interest.    As it drew near, the figure of the man pulling the bow-oar seemed oddly familiar to me. Where could I have […]

We met in lonely places by stealth

   Since Binny Wallace’s death, Pepper Whitcomb had been my fidus Achates; we occupied desks near each other at school, and were always together in play hours. We rigged a twine telegraph from his garret window to the scuttle of the Nutter House, and sent messages to each other in a match-box. We shared our […]

by presenting me with a new silver dollar

   The ice once broken, brief trips along the wharves — we seldom cared to go out into the river now — became one of our chief amusements. Meanwhile Gypsy was not forgotten. Every clear morning I was in the saddle before breakfast, and there are few roads or lanes within ten miles of Rivermouth […]

pouring in on me through the holes in the tent

   The excitement over, I was in a forlorn state, physically and mentally. Captain Nutter put me to bed between hot blankets, and sent Kitty Collins for the doctor. I was wandering in my mind, and fancied myself still on Sandpeep Island: now we were building our brick-stove to cook the chowder, and, in my […]