THE CAPTAIN OF THE MELVIN.



were ordered to man it. When they were at the oars,
the mate was then invited to take a seat in it, which he
did, after a moment's hesitation, and glancing at his supe-
rior officer. Meek then turned to the Captain, and ex-
tended the same invitation to him. But he was reluctant
to accept the courtesy, blustering considerably, and de-
claring his intention to remain where he was. Meek
slowly drew his revolver, all the time cool and smiling.
  "I don't like having to urge a gentleman too hard,"
he said, in a meaning tone; "but thar is an argument
that few men ever resist. Take a seat, Captain."
  The Captain took a seat; the idlers on shore cheered-
for "Joe Meek "-which was, after all, his most familiar
title; the Captain and mate went to Oregon City, and
were fined respectively $500 and $300; the men took
advantage of being on shore to desert; and altogether,
the master of the Jelvin felt himself badly used.
  About the same time news was received that a British
vessel was unloading goods for the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany, somewhere on Puget Sound. Under the new order
of affairs in Oregon, this was smuggling. Delighted with
an opportunity of doing the United States a service, and
the British traders an ill turn, Marshal Meek immediately
summoned a posse of men and started for the Sound. On
his way he learned the name of the vessel and Captain,
and recognized them as having been in the Columbia
River some years before. On that occasion the Captain
had ordered Meek ashore, when, led by his curiosity and
general love of novelty, he had paid a visit to this vessel.
This information was " nuts" to the marshal, who believed
that " a turn about was fair play."
  With great dispatch and secrecy he arrived entirely
unexpected at the point where the vessel was lying, and
proceeded to board her without loss of time. The Cap-



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