The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-11-26
0tre4ntettiQetl
FOULPIAY.
NovH =. ~
BF cHAB. RaADn AND DION pouo1oAULr.
CHAPTER TX.

nlm On the deck with cold and naughty
tcontempt.
BE quietly submitted to IL; and never
i presumed to say ona word to her again.
i only, as his determination was equal
TO his delicacy. Miss Rolleston. found,
one day, a paper on her table, contain
ing advice as 10 the treatment of disor-
dered lungs, expressed with apparent
GOODNESS, and backed by string OF
medical authorities, quoted memoriter.
She sent this back directly, Endorsed
with line, in pencil, that she would
try hard to live, now she had a friend
| to protect from calumny; but should
use herown Judgment as to the means.
Yet women will be women. She had
carefully taken copy of his advice,
before she had cast 1t out with scorn.
He replied, Live, with whatever
motive you please; only i've"
To this she youchsafed no answer;
nor did this unhappy man trouble her
again, until an occasion of very diff
ferent kind arose. 2 8
One fine night, he sat on the deck,
with his back against the mainmast, in
deep melancholy and listlessness, and
fell, at last, into doze, from which he
was awakened by n peculiar sound be-
low. 1t was beautiful and Silly night;
all sounds were magnifed; and the
father of all rats seemed to be gnawlng
the ship down below. NJ
HazePs curiosity was excited, and he
went softly down the ladder to see
what the sound really was. But that
was not so easy, for Il proved to be be-
low decks; but he saw a light glimmer-
ing through a small Bcuttle ahaft the
mates cabin, and the sounds were in
the neighborhood of that light.
II now flashed upon Mr.. Hazel that
this was the very quarter where he had
heard that mysterious knocking when
the ship was lylng-to in the gale.s Il
Upon This q certain degree of vague
suspicion began to mingle with his Gu
riosity.
He stood still moment, listening
acutely; then took of his shoes very
quietly, and moved with noiseless foot
towards the scuttle.
The gnawing still continued.
He put his head through the scuttle,
and Peered into a dark, dismal place,
whose very existence was new TO him.
the cargo and the ships run. This
wooden cavern was very narrow, but
not less than fifteen feet long. The
candle was-at the farther end, and be-
tween it and Hazel, man was work.
ing, with his flank turned towards the
spectator. This party intercepted the
light; but still 1t revealed in titful
way the huge ribs of the ship, and her
inner skin, that formed the right-hand
partition, SO to speak, Of this black
cavern; and close outside those gauut
timbers, was heard the wash of the sea.
There was something solemn in the
close proximity OF that tremendous
element and the narrowness of the
wooden barrier.
The bare place, and the gentle, mo-
notonous wash ofIhe liquid monster, ON
that calm night, conveyed TO Mr.,
HaEel's mind thought akin TO Da-
vid's,
Gas the Lord lIveth, and as thy soul
|ilveth, there is but step between me
and DEATH"
Judge whether that thought grew
weaker or stronger, when, after strain.
Ing his eyes for some time, TO under
stand what was going on at that mid
night hour, in that hidden place, he
saw who was the workman, and what
was his occupation. "a .l=i =
It was Joseph Wylie, the mate. His
profile was Illuminated by the candle,
and looked ghasty. He had In his
hands an auger Of enormous size, and
with this he was drilling great hole
through the ships side, just below the
Water-mark; an act, the effect of
which would be to let the sea bodily
into the ship and sink her, with every
soul on board, to the bottom OF theI
Pacific Ocean.
II was stupehed; and my hairs stood
on end, and my tongue Glove to my
Thus does one OF, virgil's characters
describe the effect his mind produced
upon his body, In a terrible situation.
Mr.. Hazel had always Tidicpled that
trite line as pure exaggeration; but
he altered his opinion after that event
full night. Lfftt& u q
When he fret saw what Wylie was
doing, ObStWpHit, he was merely be-
numbed but, as his mind realized the
fiendish nature of the act, and its ire
mendous consequences, his hair actual
ly bristled, and for a few minutes at
least, he could not utter a word.
In that interval OF Btnpor, matters
took another turn. The anger went in
up to the hiatt: then Wylie caught up
with his left hand a wooden plug he
had got ready, jerked the anger away,
caught up hammer, and swiftly In
serted the plug.
Rapid as he was, a single jet OF water
came sqnirting Yiciously in. But Wylie
lost no time he tapped the plug smart
ly with his hammer several times, and
then, lifting a mallet with both hands,
| rained heavy blows ON 1t that drove Il
In. and shook the ships side, 4
Then Hazel found his voice, and he
uttered an ejaculation that made the
mate look round; he gIared at the man,
who was glazing at him, and stagger-
ing back ward, trod on the light, and ali
was darkness and dead silence.
All but the wash of the sea outside,
and that louder than ever.
But a short interval su1iced to restore
one of the parties TO his natural self
possession.
"Lord, sir" said wylie, show you
startled mel You should not come
uponsa man at his work like that. We
might have had an accident"
what were you doing7" said Hazel,
| In voice that Quivered in spite of him.
nRepairing the ship. Found crack
/ or two in her inner skin. There, let
me get light, and I'll explain It TO you,
\ Hfr."
Mr.. Hazel into his cabin. There he
struck a light, and, with great civility,
4 rendered an explanation. The ship, he
/ said, had labored good deal in the last
| gale. and he had discovered one or two
! hawB in her, which were of no immedi-
L ate Importance; but experience had
1 taught him that in calm weather a ship
4 ought to be kept tight. LAS they say
4 ashore, q stitch in time saves ntne.n
i "But drilling holes in her is not the
Way,n said Hazel, steTnly.
4 The mate laughed. why, sir, said
j he, siRhat OIL her way Is theref We &C N
not stop an irregular crackj we car
frame nothing TO hit il The way Is to
get ready plug measured tribe lar
i ger than the aperture you are going tc
/ make; then drill q round hole, and TO. o
Tin the plug. I know NO other way
than that and was q ships carpenter
for ten years before ] was mate"
Il This explanation, and the manner In
which It was given, removed Mr.. Ha
Zal's approximations for the time being
1 sit was very alarming, said he; "bu
I I suppose you know your business
Nobody better. SIR" said Wylie