No Moss The Career of a Rolling Stone   By: Harry Castlemon (1842-1915)

NO MOSS;

OR,

THE CAREER OF A ROLLING STONE

BY HARRY CASTLEMON

AUTHOR OF "THE GUN BOAT SERIES," "THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES," ETC.

THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO. PHILADELPHIA CHICAGO, TORONTO

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by R. W. CARROLL & CO., In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of Ohio.

COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY CHARLES A. FOSDICK.

CONTENTS.

I. FIRE QUARTERS

II. SAM BARTON'S HARBORING PLACE

III. A NEW PLAN

IV. TOM IN TROUBLE

V. ATKINS REFUSES DUTY

VI. THE GOVERNOR'S STRATEGY

VII. THE GOVERNOR STORMS THE REBELS

VIII. CROSSING THE SHOALS

IX. JOHNNY HARDING'S VISITORS

X. A STRANGE ENCOUNTER

XI. TOM'S SPLENDID IDEA

XII. HOW IT RESULTED

XIII. CRUSOE AFLOAT AGAIN

XIV. THE PHANTOM SCHOONER

XV. TOM HAS ANOTHER IDEA

XVI. JOHNNY IS MISTAKEN FOR AN ENEMY

XVII. THE BATTLE AT THE BRIDGE

XVIII. THE ROBBERS ARE PUNISHED

XIX. THE ARMY AND NAVY

XX. A CHAPTER OF INCIDENTS

XXI. CONCLUSION

NO MOSS,

OR,

THE CAREER OF A ROLLING STONE.

CHAPTER I.

FIRE QUARTERS.

"Four bells, sir!" reported the messenger boy, to the officer who had charge of the deck of the Storm King.

"Very good. Quartermaster, make it so."

The silvery tones of the little bell rang through the vessel, and immediately there began a great noise and hubbub on the berth deck, which, but a moment before, had been so quiet and orderly. Songs, shouts of laughter, and noises of every description, that can be made only by a lot of healthy boys just turned loose from their studies, arose through the hatchway, and presently the crew came tumbling up the ladder. The foremost held a guitar under his arm; the one that followed at his heels brought a checker board; a third had a box of dominoes; and the boy who brought up the rear carried a single stick in each hand, and went about challenging every one he met to a friendly trial of skill. Some of the crew walked aft to converse with their officers; the boys with the checkers and dominoes seated themselves on deck to engage in quiet games; he of the single sticks very soon found an antagonist; and the sailor with the guitar perched himself upon the heel of the bowsprit, and, after tuning his instrument, cleared his throat, preparatory to treating his companions to a song containing the information that he had at one time "Sailed in the good ship Bessie."

The second dog watch (the hours from six until eight in the evening) was a season of recreation with the students attached to the Storm King, and they never failed to make the most of it. A first class boy, or an ordinary seaman, could then walk up to the executive officer and challenge him to a contest with broadswords, without committing any breach of discipline; and the first lieutenant could talk sociably with his men, with no fear of being brought before the principal and reprimanded for unofficer like conduct. The boys played, sang, ran races through the rigging, swung Indian clubs and dumb bells, and, of course, yelled all the while at the top of their lungs.