The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-04-02
THE HAUNTED SHIP.

shipped in the Norway. for the passage
from CrOnstadt to Hull, and another Eng
lishman, who went by the name of Jack
Hastings, Joined her at the SAME time. He
was a man of considerable Information,
and from his talk had seen his share of the
world. but was not much Of q sailor, as /
had already surmised from the cut of his
jib.
We found Captain Phelps, Of the Nor
way. a Tartar in the worst sense of the
word ; and the voyage was any thing but
a pleasant one. especially to Hastings. He
had shipped for able seaman's wages, and
his Deficiencies were soon apparent, espe-
cially 10 the captain. who had a hawks eye
for the weak points in a man. that he
might come down on him. As l had a
strong feeling of respect for the young
man, 1 stood his friend whenever L could,
by trying to do more than my own share
of duty and cover up his shortcomings /.
but l couldn't always be on hand, OF
course.
One night. when il was blowing quite
fresh, and | was at the wheel, the captain
was up and had all hands putting reefs in
the topsails. The men had lain down on
deck, and were manning the halyards to
hoist away, when poor Hastings, instead
of the reef-tackle, let 60 the weather fore
topsail brace, and away went the yard fore
and aft. However. by lufing up smartly.
we managed TO get il checked in again
without carrying away any thing. But
Capt Phelps, frothing ar the mouth,
vowed he would tan the clumsy lubber's
hide that did il, and would "ride him
down like a main-tack." He rushed AT
Hastings with a piece Of ratlAe stuff and
brought 1t down once, with a terrific cut.
over his neck and shoulders.
As he raised ii aloft 10 repeat the blow.
while all hands stood looking on, hushed
into silence. a voice from aloft roared out,
"Hold your hand :"
The sound. which was wonderfully loud
and clear, seemed to come down out Of the
maintop. The captain fell back aft, so as
10 look up. but could see nothing.
"Aloft there!r he yelled, in a rage.
No answer.
"MaiHtop there ~
"Halloa!'' was answered, spitefully.
"Come down on deck ~
"Come up here, and zee how you like
itin
The captains rage was now fearful to
behold.
"who's aloft thereg Who is it, Mr..
Raynor" he demanded of the mate.
"Nobody thatI know Of, sir, answered
the officer. They're all here in sight"
The men looked from one to another,
but the mum Der was correct. The second
mate. without waiting for orders. sprang
up aloft and looked over the top-rim and
made thecircuit oft, looking all around the
masthead. and reported himself alone.
The captain dropped his ropes end and
went below, his mind In a strange chaos
of rage and fear, and Hastings escaped fur
ther beating for that night.
But a few days were sufficient for the
captain to forget his fears, and l myself
was the next victim of his wrath. He had
ordered me to make a lanyard-knot In the
end Of an old, tagged rope, TO be used for
lashing som where. i did 20 and returned
IL to him, telling him | had made the best
job of IL that l could.
"Well, II that's your best, you're as
much of lubber as your partner, Hast
ings. Iudock you both to Urinary sea-
mans pay" said he.
In vain | demonstrated, saying that the
rope was too much worn and tagged to
make a neat piece Of work.
"Fagged, Is it? Well, I'll finish 1t u p
over your lubberly back"
mo you won'tl" sang out voice from
behind the long boat.
He rushed round in the direction OF the
sound. but there was no one there.
Who Wa that that Spoken he cried.
"h knew who 1t was, I'd cut his heart
outi''
"Hal ha would yep was answered
derisively-from the maintop, now.
IL was broad daylight, and all could see
that there was no n up there. was
quite rs much startled and mystified as my
tyrant Guild possibly be, but the diversion
served as good . purpose Al on the pre-