Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

Page 17 text:

THE MAGNET g “ Good!” they answered. They said nothing, kept ever on the alert, and jumped to obey the sharp commands of their captain. It was not ex- actly a pleasant run up the harbor. At last they came within sight of the dock lights, but the captain’s face never once relaxed until his vessel lay quietly at rest at the dock. “ Hurrah!” shouted the boys. The captain simply shook his head, and breathed a sigh of intense re- lief. Never did the planks of the old wharf seem so good as at this moment. A blue-coated, brass-buttoned officer came striding down the dock, for the news had been spread far and wide that a small vessel had made port alone. He hurried up to the captain, instantly recognized him, and said, ‘ Well, Jack, this is pretty serious business. Do you suppose the enemy could do that?” “Well, that depends upon the enemy,” was the slow reply. “Yes but,—say, what have you here?” “Oh, a spy we found outside,” quietly replied the other. “Spy? Ah! Well, we've been looking for him Jack, you're a dandy.’ A crowd had gathered, but the two men did not seem to notice the fact. ‘Better come and see the General, because you know the almost un- believable fact that you got past the mines will cause quite an uproar.” “No, I’ve got to see my boy. If he’s living, I’ll come.” He hurried home, and the doctor met him at the door, cautioning him to be quiet, as the lad was all right and enjoying a refreshing sleep. “ All right,” he replied, ‘‘ I’m off for headquarters!” The officials were gravely waiting. for him, and were ready to listen to his story. Very briefly and concisely he told of his run up the harbor. They listened eagerly, and when the captain had finished, the General be- gan in a puzzled tone, “ But I don’t see how you—” “Well, it’s just like this, General. I reasoned that you would not place mines at the Dumas Ledge, because there are very few seamen who know © the way through that treacherous bit of sea. Then also you were reckon- ing—”’ ‘Man, man! don’t tell me any more,” he said, greatly taken back when the captain calmly told him what it had taken weeks to formulate through study of the charts and the harbor itself. ‘‘ You mustn’t say another word while these men are here. They must never know what a dunder-head I’ve been.” A slight, sharp, little man stepped up, and hurriedly whispered a few words in the General’s ear. “The very man!” he exclaimed. The small company were all attention. ‘You remember,” began the General, “ that certain private citizens, perhaps I should say spies, have been trying to gain information about our harbor defenses.” The company slowly nodded. ‘ Well,” he began again, ‘it seems that this man has landed an- other of the same class. To be brief, I wish to make Captain Stoddard ’

Page 16 text:

8 THE MAGNET How the Union Won a Good [lan 66 HITHER bound?” ‘‘ Fishing,” was the laconic reply. “Eh?” inquired the old salt again, not hearing the somewhat muffled reply. “Going fishing,” answered a tall, spare, weather-beaten man of about fifty. “Uh-huh!” volunteered a third, an old battered seaman. ‘“ Not what it’s cracked up to be, eh? This ’ere running in and out of the harbor be- fore dark. But I s'pose it aint no tarnal use kickin’, for the ‘Yanks’ and ‘Rebs’ will fight and kick everything up generally until there aint nothing more to kick. Oh well, I just s’pose they got to. But them mines aint nothin’ to fool with, I’ll warrant.” ‘Well, I suppose it isn’t,” replied the man addressed, “ but I’m inclined to think it could be done, and I, for one, would rather risk coming inside than staying outside tonight. You see the little fellow is very sick, and to- night the doctor claims is the crisis. Nothing on earth will keep me out- side tonight.” ‘““Startin’ pretty soon?” inquired the old seaman, contentedly puffing a corncob pipe. “ Aye, right away, for here are the boys.” The boys referred to were hardy looking individuals of the clean cut type. They came swinging down the wharf with light, buoyant stride, happy because on the morrow they were to enter the service of the Union. “Hello! Cap!” they hailed with boyish zest. ‘‘ Three cheers for Uncle Sam!” ‘“Now that the ceremonies are over,” laughed the older man, “ we will proceed to business.” “Aye, aye, sir!” they answered, falling to in a marvelously quick way. Soon the deck of the little boat ‘“‘ Jolly River” was cleared and the sails in trim. Then away they sailed over the dancing waves. That day they had an exceptionally good catch; namely, fish and a rebel spy who was trying to get away in a small yawl. Now, it was most important tor them to get back into port and deliver this man into the hands of the authorities, as it was far too great a risk to remain outside when the “ Jolly Rover” only carried one bow gun. The boys were anxio us to get the spy into port, but the cap- tain was thinking of his son, and hoping against hope that he would pull through. “Well, Cap?” they queried. ‘We will try it,’ he answered firmly, “‘and we must make it,—we’ve got to make it.”

Page 18 text:

10 THE MAGNET Commander of the ‘Alert.’ Such bravery and brains as he possesses must surely be added to our forces.” The little company loudly applauded. Turning to the captain, the General said, “Are you willing?” For answer, Captain Stoddard held out his hand, and they shook hands, ‘““Such a love and devotion as you have shown for your son, I am sure you will give to your country,” said the General, feelingly. Mina E. Strout, ’13. Bennett's [listake rumbled around the curve above Foxcroft, and came to a stop near the Foxcroft station on the Stormy Creek Branch Road. Bennett, the engineer, climbed down to the platform and went into the station for orders. Presently Stoddard, the conductor, walked up and followed him in. Soon they emerged and conferred a minute on the platform. ‘““Who’d give such a crazy order, anyway?’ asked the engineer, rather warmly. “Can’t help it, Bennett,” said Stoddard. ‘That’s the orders, and we'll have to obey them. ‘Well, it sounds like a crazy man’s doings,”’ returned Bennett, climbing into the cab. ‘“I tell you,” he added, ‘“‘I wish some of them headquarters fellows would take a trip or two behind the throttle with a big outfit like this trailing and see what it’s like to have to stop at every other pole.” After delivering this indignant speech, the brawny engineer took his place in the cab. “Meet local freight at Skagway,” muttered the engineer, in response to the fireman’s inquiring look. ‘Tough luck,” was the latter’s brief opinion. As soon as they got the conductor’s signal, Bennett opened the throttle, and the train moved forward. Stormy Creek ran alongside the railroad from F oxcroft to Skagway, and the thick dog-day fog was so dense in the valley that the train could not proceed at its ordinary speed. While train 205 was rumbling through the valley and the fog below Fox- croft, local freight 319 was pounding the rails toward Skagway, with En- gineer Powers at the throttle. When his train had stopped at Danbury for water, a messenger from the despatcher came out to the caboose with orders for the conductor. Es one August morning, extra freight 205, a long, heavy train,