The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Two Shipmates, by William H. G. Kingston

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Title: The Two Shipmates

Author: William H. G. Kingston

Release Date: March 4, 2008 [EBook #23051]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TWO SHIPMATES ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

The Two Shipmates, by William H.G. Kingston.

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This is only a short book, taking no more than three and a half hours to
read aloud, but it is beautifully written, and it packs a punch.

The two people designated as shipmates start off at the beginning of the
book as reasonably close friends, but a weakness for alcohol causes Dick
Bracewell to behave more and more badly, while the real hero, Ralph
Michelmore, despite being taken by the Press-gang, behaves more and more
nobly as the story progresses.

Ralph is already Mate of the Amity when pressed into the Royal Navy, but
he had accidentally gone out that evening without his "Protection", a
document attesting to his rank in the Merchant Navy. He had that very
evening become engaged to Jessie, who waits for him for years.

With a couple of curious twists it all works out well in the end; Ralph
is reunited with Jessie, and the wicked shipmate, Dick, meets a suitable
doom.

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THE TWO SHIPMATES, BY WILLIAM H.G. KINGSTON.

CHAPTER ONE.

The stout trading brig _Amity_, Samuel Mudge master and part owner, was
gliding up Plymouth Sound on a summer's evening towards her accustomed
berth in Catwater, a few years before the termination of the last war
between England and France. She had no pilot on board; indeed, her crew
averred that the old craft could find the way in and out of the harbour
by herself; at all events, her master knew it better than most men
trading from the port, as did his young mate, Ralph Michelmore.

The last rays of the setting sun were glancing on the topgallant
mast-heads of the brig when her anchor was dropped, and by the time her
sails were furled and all was made snug the gloom of night had set