he walked ashore, after shouting good-by to the crew, and bent
his steps toward the nearest telegraph office. "It would burn my
hands."

He sent a dispatch to his mother requesting that Morris might be sent to
meet him at the depot at a certain time, and to allay any fears that
might be awakened in her mind by his sudden return to Newbern, he
announced that the privateer had just brought a valuable prize into
port. Those few words sent the dispatch through without a cent's worth
of expense to himself.

"So you are one of those gallant fellows, are you?" said the operator.
"Well, I'll send it off and call it square. You deserve a world of
credit."

"I can't for the life of me see where an armed vessel wins credit in
capturing one that is entirely without means of defense," replied Marcy,
who had heard so much of this sort of talk since he reached Newbern that
he was tired of it.

"But that isn't the point," said the operator. "See what a blow you have
struck at the enemy's commerce. Keep it up long enough and you will
drive his hated old rag from the sea."

Marcy had another ride with Morris, who was at the depot waiting for him
when his train came in, and reached home at last to receive a tearful
welcome from his mother.

"You don't gush over me at all," said he, as she threw her arms about
his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. "Don't you know that I have
roamed the high sea, smelled powder, and helped capture a Yankee vessel?
It's the most despicable business in the world," he added, as he led his
mother into the house out of earshot of all the servants. And then he
told her how the capture had been effected, and explained why Beardsley
would not immediately put to sea to try his luck again. He said, with a
long-drawn sigh, that he was glad to get home, and hoped from the bottom
of his heart that the _Osprey_ might sink at her wharf before he was
ordered to report aboard of her again. As for the prize-money, he
supposed he would have to take it or set Beardsley's tongue in motion;
but he would put it carefully away, and send it to the master of the
_Hollins_ if he ever had the chance.

"You don't feel at all as your Cousin Rodney does," said his mother,
when he ceased speaking. "A long letter from him addressed to you came
during your absence, and I took the liberty to read it. Yes, he enlisted
almost as soon as he reached home, and is going with his company to
Missouri, where he hopes to join Dick Grah