National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-08-22

81 don't know what it is, ;" he said.
4" 1t came ON board just before we left
Beyrout. The captain was out of the
ship at the time, / remember, and the
paymaster asked me to stow it away in
my store-room, as they had filed til heirs
up. Thought it was only pickles or
jam; but we shall soon see what's in
it,"
The c9se came on deck, and some men
accompanied it, with tools for forcing it
open. / drew the captains attention to
them, for he was looking the other way.
He turned round, and looked at the box,
and said" Yes, that's it. Now, two
men t..ke it up very CAREFUL ly-dont let
it fall, mind!--and bring it up here on
the bridge"
His voice was rather husky; but he
seemed to have regained his compo-
sure, though his face looked still very
pale.
There was nothing peculiar outward
ly about the case in which so much IN
terest was centered.
1t was about three feet long, by foot
and half wide and deep, made of 'com-
mon deal, roughly put together, and
with a narrow iron band round ch
end. The name of some dealer at Bey-
rout was stamped on it in black letters,
but so much defaced as to be alrnost il
legible. Underneath that was printed
Ward-room Officers, H. M. s. Aster."
Outwardly, it was nothing. What could
it contain?
Now" said the captain, when the
two men were beside him, "give it a
good swing, and launch it overheard.
One, two, three, and over I"
A dull splash-the mysterious case
was 'one
Down, down, through many fathoms
ried secret of such dread import that
it had blanched the cheek and palsied
the hand of man accustomed to the
perils of the sea from his youth, and
who, in the most critical mo ments of
danger, had never before show II to those
around him that the sensation of fear
was known to him.
Down, down it sank, the W aters closed
over it, the mighty sea took 1T to her
self, forever hiding it from the sight of
men. The clear bright noon shone On
the place the bubbles That marked the
spot burst and melted away. The rest
less ocean showed no trace of the place
where the mysterio us box was engulfed;
but the ripples danced to and fro in the
moonbeams, as they had danced before,
and the slip glided silently and swiftly
away.
was sorely disappointed. thought,
of course, when the case was ordered to
be brought on deck, that it would be
opened before the captains eyes, and | |
sh ould be made acquitted with the rea-
son of his unusual excitement.
The old carpenter started aghast.
" Good Lord ~ he calculated, "what
has come over him? Depend upon it,
he's seen ghost"
And he wiped the perspiration from
his brow, for he was n superstitious old
man.
Ghost What's a ghost got to do
with box of pickles?" sneered old Tom
Ratlles, the boatswain's mate-a privi-
legged oddity. cts my opinion he's
gone stark, staring mad.
Them things in that ere box wero.
MT hlsn't to chuck overheard. He'll be
a chuckin my bag over next, grumbled
another mana discontented and insub-
ordinate character.
l moved away. The conversation
was not meant for nv ears, and | had
no wish to play the es-dropper.
Full an hour did Captain Montague
pace up and down the deck with the
officer of the watch and for that space
Of time l had to curb my impatience to
hear the story which knew he would
have to tell me.
Captain Montague had turned in as
usual after giving his orders for the /
night to the officer of the first watch, ,
and having nothing to disturb him, and {
being i'll good health. he was soon fast /
asleep. How long he slept he did not f
know but suddenly he heard loud {
cry of "Firel" Only half awakened, and f
not sure whether the voice was in the I
cabin or outside, he started up, and in G
said c
"Where ?" |
To which question he distinctly heard
a voice in his cabin answer
"A case of infammables in the fore
most locker, starboard side of the car
penters stare-room, marked Ward g
room Officers has ignited." \
just then the bell struck four times Il
He sprang out of bed, and searched fer s
he owner of the voice; but no one was @
here. Then he rang his bell, and sum- v
noned the sentry outside, and ques- =
Toned him as to who had come into his O
'abln; but the sentry-a reliable man =
vas certain that nobody had passed his g
post. The time, too, was close on eight t
,ells. So satisfied that he must have O
,een 1rpomiDp and thar osbo m ad Of Z
laving agitated himself about nothing, G
lie dismissed the sentry, and proceeded s.
o turn in once more; but he could not s.
ucceed in quite dismissing the subject a
rom his mind, and when he at last fell k
sleep again, he was visited with this C,
earful dream: d
The vessel was the victim of that n
lost awful catastrophe that can happen ly
o ship at sea-she was in flames. He ID
'as on deck, amidst a scene of confu- ST
ion and horror perfectly indescribable, tn
nveloped in hot and choking smoke,
trough which the lurid glare of the
ngry flames cast dingy red light on
ne forms of dead and choking men;
lille on all sides the shrieks of anguish e,
nd despair, wrung from the scorched ri
nd drowning sailors, mingled with the bl
Dar of the flames and the splashing and of
issing of the burning fragments of the 7,
essel, as they separated themselves ne
'om her hull, and fell into the deep th
ater. tb
He awoke Everything was quiet and te
eaceful. The moon was shining bright tn
through the port, and the steady at
amp of the sentry keeping time to the pa
ckinp of his clock was the only sound Of