I should have had sufficient courage to explain that on my part it was all an accident; that if there had been any idea in my mind of the danger which threatened, I might not have remained in the hold of the ship to check the rush; but even though I had screamed at the full strength of my lungs none would have heard, so great was the uproar, or, hearing, would have taken heed after Simon’s father had given his account of the affair.
As a matter of fact, I hardly realised that I was receiving praise which had not been earned; the thought of being clasped in my mother’s arms once more, knowing she was convinced I had done my full duty, was so great that all else passed unheeded, and until her dear arms folded me closely to her breast I did not fully understand what part I was playing in this reception given by the good people of Salem.
I came to appreciate it fully, however, at a later day, and to be exceeding proud of its being said on every street corner concerning Simon Ropes and myself, that we had shown ourselves to be the equal of any who sailed from Salem on board the armed ship America.
THE END.
Transcriber’s Notes:
Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected.
Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.
Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.