When His Ship Came In

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Neptuna lives in the fishing village of Home-Port with her aged grandfather, old Captain Melody, long since retired from active life at sea, and now engaged in the unprofitable occupation of net mending for the neighboring fishermen. It is Neptuna's duty to aid her grandfather in his work and she tasks it toilsome. Josh Rawlins is a sailor on board the schooner, "Maid of the Mist," owned by his uncle, a crabbed old sea captain, whose savings accumulated by hard work, have been thriftily invested in the little craft. The schooner is engaged in carrying cargoes of gunpowder between a distant port and the little fishing village. Josh hastens from his work after the schooner has been snugly berthed to the home of old Captain Melody "to greet his sweetheart. He is dumbfounded to discover that his embraces and affectionate phrases are repulsed by Neptuna, who has developed a peevish disposition since he went away. She tells him she is sick and tired of life in the fishing village, but that she will marry him only if he has money. Josh hopefully declares that he believes his uncle, Captain Cy Rawlins, will help them, so they go aboard the "Maid of the Mist" and Josh presents the subject to the old captain. Captain Cy derides his hopes and declares that Neptuna is a scheming girl without love and affection. Whereupon Neptuna stamps her foot and runs away. Josh has angry words with his uncle, and declines to sail with his crusty old uncle anymore. A short time after this Neptuna, while strolling on the beach, discovers a discarded vest washed up by the waves. She picks it up and to her unbounded astonishment and great joy, she discovers a $5 bill in one of its pockets. Hastening to the house she steals silently in, writes a brief note of farewell to Josh and makes her way swiftly to the railroad station. When Josh discovers the note and reads it, he finds that she has directed him not to seek for her "until your ship comes in." Neptuna finds work in a laundry, but her inexperience and lack of skill render her subject to constant criticism and reproach. Weeks later Josh receives a message announcing the death of his uncle and the fact that he is now the owner of the "Maid of the Mist," which will sail shortly for Home-Port with her accustomed cargo of gunpowder. The "Maid of the Mist" takes aboard her cargo of gunpowder at the wharf in the same city where Neptuna is laboriously toiling in the laundry. There is much excitement among the crew of the schooner when it is discovered that the rats are leaving the ship. This is a sign which invariably awakens the superstitions and fears of sailors. The "Maid of the Mist" crew go ashore in a body and determine that they will not sail in her again, but the captain follows them and after considerable argument they return to their duty. Unfortunate Neptuna toils arduously in the laundry, but unskillfully scorches a shirt with a hot iron. The proprietor notes her lack of skill and discharges her. Out of employment and without friends, Neptuna wanders instinctively to the wharves where she discovers the schooner "Maid of the Mist" all ready to sail. She steals aboard and conceals herself between decks, having supplied herself with sufficient provisions for the voyage. All goes well until the sailors are alarmed by a smell of smoke coming from the hold where the gunpowder is stored. They embark hastily in two small boats and row rapidly away from the doomed vessel as they expect her to blow up at any moment. Neptuna is almost overcome by the smoke, but her good fortune has not forsaken her. A strong wind has raised a heavy sea and the schooner having broached to, and with all sails set because of no hand at the wheel, is overwhelmed by an enormous wave which bursts through the open hatches and puts out the fire. Neptuna makes her way to the main deck and discovers that the crew has deserted the schooner. With some knowledge of seamanship, she is not a skilled sailor and in search of some possible help she enters the captain's cabin. On the table she finds a newspaper on the first page of which is printed the announcement of the death of Captain Cy Rawlins and the inheritance of the schooner by Josh, her sweetheart. Neptuna bravely puts her seamanship to the test, brings the schooner upon her course toward Home-Port and remains at the helm for twenty-four hours. She is sighted from the shore by Josh and her grandfather, who immediately put out in a boat to meet the vessel. They find Neptuna unconscious at her post of duty, but she is easily revived. She brought Josh's ship in herself and thereby furnished her own wedding dowry. Thus were the lovers happily reunited.