* * *
John McGregor walked out of the store room with his arms full of dry goods. He sat them on the counter and called out to his daughter across the room, “You can organize these and stack them neatly when you finish what you’re doing.” He noticed there wasn’t a single customer in the store. He scratched his head and said out loud, “How’s a man supposed to make an honest living around these parts? I can’t sell my goods near as cheap as Ben Shaffer down at the crossing. I swear he’s selling stolen merchandise to be able to sell so low. If it wasn’t for selling on credit, I wouldn’t be able to stay in business at all. Somehow the law abiding folk around here are going to have to put a stop to those mooncussers and to Ben. If they’d just stop buying his merchandise it would put him and those pirating scallywags out of business.”
Bess was used to hearing her father rant and rave on the subject. Ever since the pirates had taken up business along the nearby shore his sales had dropped off. He was having a hard time staying open. She’d overheard him tell her mother that if this kept up they’d have to relocate. Bess went back to the sweeping. I’ll just die if we have to move. I’d never see Sam again. That just can’t happen! She was almost in tears just thinking about it.
The night had turned cold. Strong winds from the north blew in a chilling rain. The sky was overcast, hiding the moon and the stars. Tom quietly stole out of bed, took his clothes to the front room and got dressed. Then he went to Sam’s room to awaken him. He shook the young man. “Time to wake up, Son. Get dressed and come with me.”
Sam blinked the sleep out of his eyes. His heart started racing. This is it, my first night to go out and help salvage a ship. What an adventure it will be! When he was dressed in his warm clothes and a bulky coat, he pulled a hat over his head and ran for the barn. Tom already had his horse saddled and was almost done with Sam’s when he walked in.
“How do you know there’s a ship wreck, Pa? Did someone come to get us?”
“Be still, Sam. The first thing you have to remember is to stay quiet. I just get this feeling come over me, and when it does, I know there’s work to be done. Come on, let’s go. You follow right behind me. You’re going to be my shadow tonight, don’t forget it. Where I go, you go. You hear me?”
“Yes, Pa, I’ll stay right behind you.”
When they came to the gnarled tree that was the landmark, Tom ducked his head and turned to ride into the clearing. He looked behind to make sure Sam was still with him. “Watch that branch, Son,” he warned in a low voice.
In the open space ahead, Sam saw there were four men there ahead of them. They were busy filling lanterns and getting things ready. Each one seemed to know just what to do. When Sam noticed they were all wearing pistols he looked at his father. He had one also.
Seeing the guns made Sam edgy, he wondered why there was a need for weapons. The group divided, each team took a lantern and made their way out to the beach. Once there, one team went to the north and the other turned south.
Outside the protection of the trees, the wind was fierce. They all had to protect their eyes from flying sand. The sky was overcast, fog hung in the air, and a fine mist dampened Sam’s spirits.
Tom reined in to get closer, and then he talked into his son’s ear, “Be on the lookout for any light from a ship in distress. Tell me if you see anything.”
The three men road their horses next to the pounding surf. They used the lantern to light their way through the nearly total darkness. They had been riding for what seemed like a long time in the nasty weather when Tom called out, “Look up yonder, I think I see something. He led the way to the spot and there they saw a broken spar with the tattered remnants of a sail that had been flung up by the breakers. Tom called over the wind, “Andy, you go get the others. Sam and I will signal for a ship.” He waved his lantern until he saw an answering light out on the water.
When Andy returned, he had seven tough looking blokes with him. They came running up, carrying the long boats with them. Without having to communicate they launched and rowed out to the ship. It took strong arms to maneuver through the rough waves. Sam did his best to hold up his end of the sculling.
The ship was well stuck on a sandbar. Tom, with Sam right behind him, boarded the helpless vessel. After a friendly greeting and shaking hands with the captain, Tom offered his services to float the ship for a large fee.
“My good man, your price is exorbitant,” the captain complained.
Tom gave him a menacing glare. “It costs dearly to get hung up around here. You won’t be offered a better price.”
The captain had seen the number of men alongside his ship, he had noticed the pistol on Tom’s hip. He agreed to the inflated price and paid it, so he could be on his way. By the time he was free and had sailed away the storm had increased in intensity. Tom’s group of rescuers propelled the sturdy longboats back to shore on a turbulent sea… With foam flying, a brutal wind howling, and the pounding of giant waves, they were all glad to get back to the beach, put things away, and go home to their warm beds.
The next morning, while walking his girlfriend, Bess McGregor to school, Sam was dying to tell her about the adventure he’d had the night before. The trouble was, he’d given his father his word to be mum, and a fella’s word was his bond if he was any kind of man at all. This was going to be a hard secret to keep, not only from Bess, but from his buddies also. They would be so envious if they knew. Sam could only imagine what they would say. As soon as Bess had to go inside, Sam ran for home. He had plenty of chores to keep him busy. If he was gone too long his father would be mad.
When class let out that afternoon Sam was back to meet Bess in the school yard. He grinned at the smile that appeared on her lightly freckled face, when she saw him standing there. “Can you walk down to the stream with me? I have something important to talk to you about,” he blurted.
“I’ll have to stop at the store and ask Ma, but I think I can.”
Waiting outside, Sam had nearly given up hope when Bess finally came back out the door. They walked down the dirt road that led to a pretty spot beside the babbling brook. Sam led Bess by the hand to a fallen tree trunk where they could sit comfortably. He was feeling very manly on this day, the afternoon after his first rescue job on the mighty Atlantic. He had the money he’d earned hidden under a loose floor board in his bedroom, so he was feeling very prosperous too.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Bess asked when her curiosity got the best of her.
Still holding her hand in his, Sam spoke up. “Bess, you’ve been my girlfriend since I was in the seventh grade. I think you know how much I love you. What I want to know is…will you agree to marry me?”
Her eyes watered, her heart missed a beat, and she was so surprised she couldn’t speak right off. She nodded her head instead. Then when she found her voice, she said, “Being your wife would make me very proud.”
Leaning toward her, Sam gave her a kiss to seal the deal. “As soon as you get out of school and I have some money saved up, we’ll have a wedding. What do you say?”
“I say yes. I love you too!”
Inside the general store, John McGregor was lamenting the lack of business he’d had again that day. He confided in his wife, “I‘ve tried everything I know how to do, Beth. I simply can’t compete with the other stores in the vicinity when they get their goods from the mooncussers.”
“What are we going to do?” She asked with deep concern.
“I can’t see any other choice. We’re going to have to pack up lock, stock, and barrel and move inland somewhere. Start all over again,” he replied with a heavy sigh.
“That won’t come cheap. It’ll cost to have everything hauled to a new location.”
“Don’t you think I’ve considered that? I’ve put this off as long as possible. We have no other choice.”
“I do hate to rip the kids from the only home they’ve ever known. It’s hard to start over, make all new friends. I’ll miss
it here too.”
A World of Possibility Page 11