"No; the British authorities called it 'justifiable homicide,' which meant it was all right enough."
"In which decision I, for one, am far from agreeing," remarked Mr. Lilburn emphatically.
"It created intense indignation in this country at the time," said the captain; "but is now seldom remembered, and the two nations are, and I hope always will be, good friends."
The Dolphin ascended the river only as far as Bangor, and returned by moonlight to Castine, where they anchored for some hours; then at an early hour in the morning they steamed out into the ocean again, and pursued a westward course until they reached Portland. There they landed and paid a visit to the cemetery where lay the remains of the brave captains of the Enterprise and the Boxer; also those of Midshipman Kervin Waters.
"They are buried side by side, as if they were brothers, instead of enemies who were killed fighting each other," said little Elsie softly. "But perhaps they were good Christian men, each fighting for what he thought was the right of his own country. Papa, can you tell us about the funeral? I suppose they had one?"
"Yes, daughter, a solemn and imposing one. The two battered vessels were lying at the end of Union Wharf. A civil and military procession had been formed at the court-house at nine in the morning of the 9th of September. The coffins were brought from the vessels in barges of ten oars each, rowed by minute strokes of ship-masters and mates, most of the barges and boats in the harbor accompanying them. When the barges began to move, and while the procession was passing through the streets to the church, minute guns were fired by artillery companies. Also while the procession marched from the church to the cemetery here, which is about a mile distant from the church.
"The chief mourners who followed the corpse of Captain Burrows were Dr. Washington, Captain Hull, and officers of the Enterprise. Those who followed Captain Blyth's were the officers of the Boxer, on parole. Both were followed by naval and military officers in the United States service, the crews of the two vessels, civil officers of the State and city, military companies, and a large concourse of citizens. Only a few weeks before Captain Blyth was one of the pall-bearers at the funeral of our Lawrence, the gallant commander of the Chesapeake, at Halifax."
"That dear brave man that said, 'Don't give up the ship,' papa?" asked Elsie.
"Yes, daughter. Now let us read the inscription on his tombstone: 'In memory of Captain Samuel Blyth, late Commander of his Britannic Majesty's brig Boxer. He nobly fell on the 5th day of September, 1813, in action with the United States brig Enterprise. In life honorable; in death glorious. His country will long deplore one of her bravest sons, his friends long lament one of the best of men. Æ. 29. The surviving officers of his crew offer this feeble tribute of admiration and respect.'"
"It sounds as though they had respected and loved him," said the little girl. "That next grave is where Burrows lies, isn't it, papa? and won't you please read its inscription?"