Thomas Bailey Aldrich

The Story of a Bad Boy Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Book Excerpt: ... a while by watching the trouble they had in keeping the men in the proper places. just at the most exciting point of the game, the ship would careen, and down would go the white checkers pell-mell among the black. Then my father laughed, but Captain Truck would grow very angry, and vow that he would have won the game in a move or two more, if the confounded old chicken-coop-that's what he called the ship-hadn't lurched."I-I think I will go to bed now, please," I said, laying my band on my father's knee, and feeling exceedingly queer. It was high time, for the Typhoon was plunging about in the most alarming fashion. I was speedily tucked away in the upper berth, where I felt a trifle more easy at first. My clothes were placed on a narrow shelf at my feet, and it was a great comfort to me to know that my pistol was so handy, for I made no doubt we should fall in with Pirates before many hours. This is the last thing I remember with any distinctness. At midnight, as I was afterwards told, we were...