The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1860-08-29
al know, sir !; but theu | saw him.o

crew..
81 hope you have always found me will
ling to do what's reasonable" Bruce replied,
changing color; "but if it's all the same 10
you sir, Pd rather we should both go down
together"
The captain descended the stairs, and
the mate followed. Nobody in the cabin |!
They examined the state-rooms. Not a
soul TO be found
swell, Mr.. Bruce" said the captain, did
l not tell you, you had been dreaming 2"
''Irs all very well 10 say SO, sir, but if
didn't see that man writing Oh your slate,
may never see my house and family
again !"
"Ah writing on the slate ! Then it
should be there STILL" And the captain
took it up.
"By-," he exclaimed, "here's some.
thing, sure enough Is that your writing,
Mr.. Bruce ln
The mate took the slate; and there in
plain, legible characters, stood the words,
''Steer 10 tie nor i0esf"
"Have you been trihing with me, sir ?'
added the captain in stern manner.
'On my word as man and a sailor,
sir" replied Rruce; "I know no more Of
this matter than you do. have told you
The exact truth"
The captain sat down at his desk, the
slaie before, in deep thought. At last turn
ing the slate over, and pushing it towards
Bruce, he said, "Wrile down, Steer to the
nor west"
The mate complied and the captain, af-
ter narrowly comparing the TWO handwri-
tings, said 'Mr. Bruce, go and tell the Sec
ond mate to come down here"
He came; and at the captains request, he
also wrote the same words. So did the
steward. So, in succession, did every man
OF the crew who could write at all. But
not one of the various hands resembled in
any degree, the mysterious writing.
When the crew retired, the captain sat
deep in thought. "Could any one have
been slowed away p' at last he said, "Ihe
ship must be searched and if don't find
the fellow, he must be good hand at hide
and seek. Order up all hands,
Every nook and corner of the vessel from
that with all eagerness of excited curiosity
for the report had gone out that stranger
had shown himself on board but not liv.
ing soul, beyond the crew and officers, was
!ound.
Returning 10 the cabin, after their fruit
less search, "Mr. Bruce" said the captain,
"wha, the devil do you make of all this !'
"Cant tell, sir. l saw the man write !;
you see the writing. There must be some
thing in it."
Well, il would seem SO. We have the
wind free, and have great mind TO keep
her away, and see what will come of it.
ri surely would, sir, if | were ia your
place. It's only a few hours lost at the
worst"
t'Well, we'll see. Go on deck and give
the course nor west. And, Mr.. Bruce" he
added, as the mate rose 10 go, shave look
out aloft, and let it be hand you can de-
pend on"
His orders were obeyed. About three
o'clock, the lookout reported an iceberg
nearly ahead, and shortly after, what he
thought was vessel OF some kind close to
it. AS they approached the captains glass
disclosed the fact, that t was dismaniled
ship, apparently frozen 10 the ice, and with
a good many human beings on it. Shortly
after they hove 10, and sent out boats to the
relief Of the sufferers.
1t proved TO be a vessel from Quebec,
bound 10 Liverpool, with passengers on
board. She had got entangled in the ice,
and finally frozen fast, and had passed sew
eral weeks in most critical condition
She was stove, her decks swept-in fac:, a
mere wreck all her provisions and almost
all her water gone. Her crew and passen-
gers had lost all hopes of being saved. and
their gratitude for the unexpected rescue
was proportionately great.
As one of the men who had been brought
away in the third boat that had reached The
wreck was ascending the ships side, the
male, catching glimpse of his face started
back in CONSERVATION. 1t was the very face
he had seen :hree or four hours before,
looking up at him from the captains desk.
At first he tried to persuade himself it
might be fancy; bu: the more he examined
the man, the more sure he became that he
was right. Not only the face but the per-
SON and the dress exactly corresponded.
As soon as the exhausted crew and .am-
ished passengers were cared for. and the
Il
the captain eside. s'It seems that was not
ghost saw to-day, sir; the mans alive!"
"What do you mean ? Who's alive !"
"Why, sir: one of the passengers we
have Just saved is the man | saw writing
on yonr slate at noon. / would swear il in