The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-06-06
EfSGe Sr ~. W.
THE FIRST OFFICERS STORY.

About two years ago I left the service.
[ was tired Of it; and as | wanted some
more exciting employment, | joined a
whaler. We were unlucky-somehow, [
bring no luck anyw here-and we were
nearly empty. We were cruising up here
to the north, and thinking of making for
home, as the weather had changed; and
the ice forms precious quick in those lati-
tudes when it once begins. The captain
naturally wanted to hang on to the last
for the chance of another haul.
One bright afternoon, just after eight
bells, [ made up the log and took it to the
captains cabin. [ knocked at the door,
and as nobody answered [ walked in. |
thought it odd that the captain hadn't
answered me, for there he was, sitting at
his desk, with his back to me, writing =
| told him | had brought the log, laid it
down or the table behind him, and as he
made no answer, | walked out. [ went
on deck, and the first person [ met was
the captain [ was puzzled-I could not
make out how he had got there before me.
''How did you get up here % 1 said !;
"I just left you writing in your cabin"
81 have not been in my cabin for the
last half hour" the captain answered, but
[ thought he was chaffiing, and didn't
like it.
"There was some one writing at your
desk just now," [ said "and if it wasn't
you, you had better go and see who it
is. The log is made up. / have left it
in your cabin, sir," and with that walked
away.
"Mr Brown" said the Captain, "you
must have been mistaken, my desk is
locked But come-we'll go down and
see about it,
| followed the captain into the cabin.
The log was on the table, the desk was
closed, and the cabin was empty. The
captain tried the desk-it was locked
"You see, Mr.. Brown" he said, laugh
ing, FEyou must have been mistakcn-the
desk is locked"
was positive.
'Somebody may have picked the lock, y
l said.
"But they couldn't have closed it again, y
the captain suggested: "However, to
satisfy you, | will open it and see if the
contents are safe, though there is not
| much here to tempt thief"
He opened the desk, and there
stretched right across twas sheet OF
paper, with the words "Steer N. W.
written in an odd cramped hand.
The captain looked at the paper, and
then handed it to me-
"You are right, Mr.. Brown; somebody
has been here. This is some hoax"
We sat there some time talking, and
trying to guess what could be the object
of such joke, if joke it was meant to be
| tried to identify the back of the man
had seen at the desk with that of any Of
the crew / could not Go it. 1t is true
| had at first taken the man for the cap
tain, but now points of difference suggcs
ted themselves. / had not looked very
attentively at the figure, but still | was
under the impression that the coat it had
on was brown, and the hair which appear
ed under the cap seemed, as | remembered
to have been longer and winter than the
captains. There was only one man on
board who resembled in the least the fig.
ure | had seen. | suggested to the cap
tain that it might have been old Shiel,
the boatswain. He did not like to suspect
the old man, who was a great favoritc
besides, what motive could he, or indeed