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I CHILDREN'S COLUMN.
TWO LADS OF BLOCK ISLAND.
I {Br Sarah J. Pricbasd. in St. Jficholtu.)
, On Block Island, a hundred years and more
ago,' there was living a retired sea captain,
named Milo Merritt. This Captain Merritt
was the unconscious cause of some strange and
peculiar Happenings.
_ Having been compelled to leave the sea at a
time when his love for old ocean was at the
strongest, he never tired ot talking about it.
Ever good-temperud, with a vivid imagination
and keen interest in all things post and pre
sent, he was the idol of the boys who docked
to his cabin to hear something new.
Poor lads of Block Island! They had not
much in their hard, plain lives to satisfy the
natural longing for pleasant places and bright
living.
One December afternoon two boys, Casper
Lee and Peter Downs, lingered in the low,
snng cabin of Captain Merritt to hear the last
of a thrilling stoiy of a run from the pirates off
some foreign coast.
The imagination of the old captain filled up
the dim places in the narrative with lurid
light, and scenes of the most stirring action
crept into the story with wonderful frequency.
The driftwood fire burned itself to embers,
and was forgotten until Mrs. Merritt looked
into the room.
" What in the world does this moan!" she
said in sober tones. "You, a-sittiug right
here before your own hearth and a-Ietting
every mite of fire go out? It's time, captain,
that these boys went home. They've nigh two
mile to go, and it a-growing dark fast."
"So'tis," said Captain Merritt, dropping
his right arm, so lately involved in action on
the high seas, and glancing ooeanward. -
"Come, come, 'vjys," he urged; "get off
with you, right away. It'll be pitch-dark in
no time, and you've got to fight every blessed
inch of your way across to-night."
"We know the way well enough," said
Peter Downs.
"There's no hurry at all,"chimed in Casper
Lee. "We want to know whother the man
caught hold in time "
"Milo," cried Sirs. Merritt, "if you tell
these boys another word, 111 "
Captain Merritt did not await his deserts.
He firmly declined to tell another detail, and
sent the boys on their way, bidding tlicm
make good time for the meeting-house. "If
you get there before dark youH be all right,"
he assured the lads as they set off.
"Block Island's no place at all!" cried
Peter, between twojireathings of the gale that
whirled the sand about their feet as they went
onward.
" How on earth, Pete, are we ever to get
away?" questioned Casper. "Captain Mer
ritt will never sail anymore; he couldn't tread
a deck now to save his life; and, just as like
as not, if he could, he wouldn't take as."
" S'poso not!" ejaculated Peter, and then
the lads, with bent heads, plodded their way
through the blowing sand toward their homes,
in silence but with busy thoughts.
Casper's thinking culminated in tho words :
" I say, Peter Downs, there's only one way to
do! If you and I are ever to get to sea we
shall have to run away."
"Yes," assented Peter. "No ships worth
anything will ever come in here if they can
help themselves. We've got to go to tho
ships. And we can't get to them without a
boat, anyhow," continued Peter, "and you
know we haven't a boat and no chance to get
one, unless, Casper, a ship should wreck
ashore, as ships used to da Then, I s'pose,"
he went on with increased hope, " if we could
find a small boat, 'would be ours as much »»
anybody's."
"Small chance of that happening, out of
one of Captain Merritt's stories," obeervetl
Casper.
"Well, you never can tell what'B coming,"
remarked Peter, " —though I should say that
that's a lantern right ahead!"
- The rays that shot through the tiny slits in
the tin of a lantern did not give much light,
but the boys, accustomed to the gathering
gloom, soon discovered a group of men in front
of a little Btore whore groceries, dry goods, and
West India products were sold.
"What's happened?" asked Casper, step
ping briskly into the group, as fresb as if he
had not been breasting a furious wind for the
last hour.
But Peter, catching sight of his father ataud
ing in the dim light of the store door, shot off
homeward, to escape censure for being out so
long after dark.
Not many minutes later Casper followed
Peter to tell him what was at that moment
about to happen on Block Island.
Cautiously looking in through the many
paned window of the kitchen, Casper saw his
friend sitting alone at a little round table,
eating his sapper.
Tho red glow of the peat-firs on the hearth,
with the feeble rays of a candle, made the
room seem full of light and warmth to the lad
looking in, and the lad he looked upon seemed
innocent of any intent other tlian eating bis
supper.
Casper tapped upon the pane. Peter turned
pale with fear. Who could be about knocking
at windows on such a night ? Not bis mother,
who had placed her truant boy's supper on the
table, lighted a candle for him, and then gone
to meeting. Not bis father, for Peter knew
he was at that minute at the little store. He
bad not long to wonder, for the breezy voice of
his friend.Casper called, "Let me in, Pete!"
Peter hastened to open the door, and, with
face elate with eagerness, Casper Lee eauie in.
"Anybody here?" he asked, advancing to
the table, and seizing as he did so a generous
slice of rye-bread.
" Only you and me," answered Peter; " T.
thought you'd go right on home."
"I was going home," said Casper, "but
thought I'd come and tell yon the news."
" News!" said Peter. " What newB
" Give a fellow a drink of milk and I'll tell,"
said Casper, smiling.
" Here! Take my cup. There's plenty
more in the buttery. Mother's gone to meet
ing, I e'pose. It's meeting night, and I forgot
all about being at home in time to milk the
cow," explained Peter.
" I wonder whether you'd have had supper
all ready for her, if she'd gone and forgotten
you," said Casper. " But it's news that'scome
this time, and no mistake. Pete, there's a big
ship—or there was at dark—adrift and help
less, coming right on here, mid maybe we ll
fet our boat this very night if we are smart.
!verybody'll be attending to the wrecked stuff
and the ship, and nohody'll think about the
ship's boats. If any comes adrift we'll be the
first to get it. Come on."
"Where to?" said Peter, rising at once from
the table.
"To the cave, to lis sure," replied Casper.
"We can watch from there a long time, and
nobody will think of finding us out. Come,
hurry 1" he added, taking up the last slice of
rye-bread and thrusting it into his pocket.
"Now, we're off," said Peter.
The fire having been replenished with peat
and a fresh candle lighted they set forth.
The night was very dark, and the darkness
seemed alive and moving with the rush ami
roar of wind and wave.
Bering how black it was the lads turned
back to secure the means to make a light

should one be necessary. A and a
foot-stove, the latter filled with a bail nf burn

ing peat, with a few dry twig?, completed their :

outfit.

Poor lads! To them all the world outsideof
bare Block Island was bright smd pleasant and
inviting. Pearls, diamonds, gold, indeed every
thing worth having, cnnld be hod simply for
the seeking; while at home nothing could or
would ever be, but the same weary round of
raising corn and mending nets; fishing in sum
mer and waiting all winter for things that
never yet had come into their lives.

Their fathers were fishermen; their unolee
and grcat-unoles went out and came in, bring
ing only cod and other fish in their boats. If

, If
there was anything better to be had anywhere
in the world the lads were determined to seek
it, and this was the black December night on
which they were resolved to set forth to make
their fortunes. Innocent lads! They never
knew that Captain Mcrritt's imagination and
grim reality were not one and the same thing;
and the captain himself, quietly sleeping in his
cabin, never dreamed of the thoughts and
plans his words had kindled in the lads' young
minds.

There was not at that time a lighthouse on
Block Island. Life-saving stations had not
been organized anywhere on the coast.

Casper and Peter were fast friends. Their
young lives had beeu passed together from the
time they were big enough to oreep along the
sands of the shore. Casper had more of the
spirit of daring in him than fell to the lot of
his companion; but in scenes of real danger
Peter was the better able to find, or make, a
way of escape.

On that night in December, so long ago, the
air was full of sound, as the lads crawled
down the bank which at that time existed
along the eastern shore of the island. They
crept cautiously beneath it, and occasionally a
voioe could be heard upon the bluff over their
heads, from the islanders, who were making
their way to the north, in the direction they
knew winds and waves must drive the ship
they had seen at nightfall.

Peter carried the foot-stovo. Casper walked
just a step or two ahead, and both kept silence
until they reached a headland, in which their

cave was to be found. This cave was no more
than a fissuie in the bluff. The boys would
never have thought or spoken of it as a cave
had not Captain Merritt called it one.

"It's just above, ns now; must be there,"
said Casper. " You hold on a bit till I find

"No, no," ejaculated Peter, whose soul was
awed into sileuce by the great white breakers
thundering in all about them. " I'm coming
too," he called, stumbling along over the
boulders that now strewed the way.

"This is nothing to what we've got to come
to when once we get upon the high seas, Peter
Downs. Don't be a coward. It's only a few
more blaok rooks to get over and we're there."

"Pshaw! That's nothing but a pile of sea
weed," Casper added, as Peter grasped his arm
with, "Casper! What is that ?"

Over their heads seemed to tower to the very
sky the grim blackness of the bluff up whioh
thoy intended to climb to their secure hiding
place out of the way of wind and wave. Up
there they oould see all the coast far miles and
miles by the light of day, and could discern a
glimmer of light far out into the night.

They began to soarch for the fissure. Pre
sently Casper called out, "I've found the cave!
Hold on a bit. Hand us the old foot-stove till
I light up, will you ?"

Casper blew aside the ashes, and soon the
feeble twinkle of one Iittlo candle did its best

to light up all the big bluff. It only lasted for
a minute, for there came a great burst of sound
as if the mighty cliffs over their heads had
burst asunder. Then the candle went out.

" Thunder in December. That's queer!"
observed Casper.

" 'Twasn't thunder! There hasn't been a
gleam of lightning to-night, Casper Downs,"
said frightened Peter, clinging fast to his

friend.

•' What was it, then

"I don't know—Casper, come! Let's get
home; I'vo had enough of this." And Peter
took a stop backward, stepping into water as

he did so.

Casper heard the splash, and was too
frightened to utter a word.

Where could they be'! No water, so far as
he knew, bad ever come up to the entrance of

the cave.

" We're in a fix!" decided Potor. " I say,
Casper, what's to be done':"

"As we can't go back we've got to go
ahead !" said Gasper, with forced cheerful
ness, helping his friend out of the water into a
dry place. Then, trying to climb higher, he
actually struck hiB head against a wall of roelc
that Beemed to bar the way.

" Stop a minute, Bub," said Casper. Casper
never had called Peter "Bub," except when
under very great excitement.

"I'm going to try tho light again," be added,
doing his utmost to appear calm and to speak
encouragingly.

But the peat was too far gone. No light
could be won from its feeble glow.

•' Oct ahead, won't you'! My feet aro in the
water again," urged Peter. " Never mind the
light,"

" You stand still just where you are" till you
hear me speak. I'll have to feel around before
1 go ahead." explained Caspor.

" All right! The water washes against my
feet, though; and it isn't any too warin,
either":" observed Peter, still in ignoraneo of
their true situation.

Presently Casper spoke:

" I may as well tell you at onee, Peter," he
said, "that we are not in the uavo. I don't
know where we are, nor what will become of
us. 1'eto, I can't find any opening leading out
of this. It's all closed up overhead. You get
close to me, and we'll hope for the best. If wo
can weather it out we will. It must be uearly
high tide now."

Peter did not speak. Ho only held out his
hand and touched Casper.

Casper pulled him up one step higher,

avin» nut: fnr wrniv lijifui fm* Pfttep

saying, " Look out for your head," for Peter

was an inch the tailor, and Casper had none
too muoh room above hi6 head.

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