Category: Historical Novels
Perhaps there is no good reason why I should set down here any especial mention of Presque Isle,[1] for every boy knows it is located on the shore of Lake Erie, and, because of the peninsula jutting out from the mainland of the State of Pennsylvania, can boast of an exceedingl...
Perhaps there is no good reason why I should set down here any especial mention of Presque Isle,[1] for every boy knows it is located on the shore of Lake Erie, and, because of...
2. CHAPTER II.It is true that when the enemy came into view from amid the whirling snow, Alec’s first thought, as he has since told me, was much the same as mine--that we had brought disaster...
3. CHAPTER III.How it may have been with Alec Perry while we stood inside that pen, listening eagerly, and yet fearing lest we might hear something, I know not. As for myself, it was as if the...
4. CHAPTER IV.What might be the enterprise in which we were embarked on this 23d day of May, in the year 1813, neither Alec nor I could so much as guess, and we were not troubled because of o...
5. CHAPTER V.Perhaps Alec and I were the only two who placed such great dependence upon the leader of this expedition. It may be that others, better informed concerning such matters, held to...
6. CHAPTER VI.While Alec and I gazed at the frightened-looking occupant of the bateau, our craft was gliding swiftly by, and the lad, believing we intended to leave him in his plight, shrieke...
7. CHAPTER VII.There had been no thought in my mind, when I leaped upon the enemy, of gaining a victory; I was conscious only of the fact that if we were taken prisoners again our lives would...
8. CHAPTER VIII.I needed no evidence to convince me that the Britishers would make every effort to capture us. It was the one thing necessary for them to do, even though they could not hope to...
9. CHAPTER IX.I had reckoned on setting down the details of many small adventures which befell Alec and myself during such time as the townspeople of Presque Isle were in a fever of fear, bel...
10. CHAPTER X.The days passed, and nothing came of Captain Perry’s second appeal for the forces which were needed if the United States would hold possession of the territory bordering on Lake...
11. CHAPTER XI.If we lads had expected to be greeted with enthusiastic praises when we pulled alongside the _Caledonia_, near that portion of the deck where my father was standing, we were doo...
12. CHAPTER XII.As a rule the crews of the several vessels shared the old gunner’s opinion regarding Commodore Perry’s intention of giving us all the work possible, now that his squadron was at...
13. CHAPTER XIII.It lacked half an hour of midnight when I saw dimly in the gloom the outlines of a man in a boat on the port side of the brig, and knew that old Silas had fulfilled his promise.
14. CHAPTER XIV.The unfurling of that blue banner appeared a promise to be fulfilled in the near future, and when the excitement had in a measure died away we began discussing the probable resu...
15. CHAPTER XV.There is a fair excuse for me if I linger long over this battle, when we gave to the English king such a surprise as I’m thinking he never had before, for it was my first real e...
16. CHAPTER XVI.After reading over what has been set down, I am afraid that I have made it appear much as if the commodore, old Silas, Alec, and myself were the only Americans present at the ba...
17. CHAPTER XVII.To men who had come from such a scene of ruin as had we, the _Niagara_ appeared to be in perfect condition. But few of her crew were wounded, and she was in as perfect order for...