The Morning herald., 1877-01-23
CORD AND CREKSR.
CHAPTER XIII,
THE OCEAN DEPTHS.

THE OCEAN DEPTHS.
There lay that object before him. Could
advance again after that warming :?
Iared he? This new realm into which be
d yentured had indeed those who were
adv and able to infict sudden and
;ghtful vengeance upon the rash intruder.
! had passed among the horrors of the
(ral forest; but here, on tI.is plateau,
Iuld he hope to be SO safe? Might not
slightest movement on his part create
disturbance of water sufficient to awaken
|e attention of those departed enemies and
ling them back?
This was his fear. But hope, and res
ute will, and determination to risk all
| this last hazard, alike impelled him on
anger now lay every where, above as well
below. An advance was not more peri
us than an ascent to the boat. Taking
|mfort from this last thought he moved
Iward with steady, determined step.
Hope grew stronger as he dreS nearer
be dark mass gradually formed itself into
more distinct outline. The uncertain
nes defined into more certain shape, and
( resemblance to ship became greater
ID greater. He could no longer resist the
nviction that this must be ship.
slill he tried feebly to prepare for disap-
ointment, and made faint fancies as to the
ason why rock should be formed here
this shape. All the time he secuted
lore tances and felt assured that it was
bt a rock.
Nearer and nearer. Doubt no longer re-
ained. He stood close beside 1t. 1t " Is
deed ship! Its sides rose BIG III over
bad. Its lofty stern stood up like a tower,
Ter the fashion of ship of the days Of
leen Elizabeth. The masts had fallen
ID lay, encumbered with the rigging,
Ter the side. ... w..
Brandon walked all around it, his heart
ating fast, seeing at every step some new
oof that this must be no other, by any
ncsivable possibility, than The one which
sought. On reaching the bows he saw
e outline Of bird carved for the figure
Dad, and knew that this must be the Phoe-
He walked around, The bottom was
pdy and the ship had settled down to
ne depth. Her sides were covered with
le dark shells, like an incruslation, to a
pin Of an inch, mingled with short
oWth Of green, Shiny sea-weed.
At last he could delay no longer. One Of
masts lay over the side, and this afford
an easy way by which he could clam
upward upon the deck.
In a few moments Brandon stood upon
g deck of the Phoenix.
The ship which had lain here through
hturies, saturated with water that had
Fnerated to its inmost fibre, still held to-
liner sturdily. Beneath the sea the water
|et had acted as preservative, and re-
ded or prevented decay. Brandon look
around as he stood there, and The light
at came from above, where the surface Of
sea was now much nearer than before,
owed him all the extent of the ship,
Inc beams which supported the deck
lost their stiffness aud sunk down
'rd the mas's, as before stated, had top
q over for the same reason, yielding to
cir own weight, which, as the vessel was
ghlly on one side, had gradually borne
en- down, the bowsprit also had fallen.
pe hatchways had yielded, and, giving
" had sunk down within the hold. The
ors which led into the cabin in the lofty
up We're lying PROSTATE on the deck.
u large sky.light which once had stood
gre y mad also followed the same fate.
before going down Brandon had arrang
asIgnal to send to Frank in case he
.uu inc ship. In his excitement he had
yet given it. Before venturing further
thought Of this. But he decided not to
IKE the signal. The idea came, and was
seseo amidst world Of varying hopes
lears. He thought that if he was sue
s'lul ne himself would be the best mes
ger OF success and, if not, he would be
~ 9est messenger Of evil.
1Ae advanced toward the cabin, Turn
away from the door he clambered upon
m,
~ poop, and, looking down, tried to see
.al depth there might be beneath. He
somethlng which looked as though it
AZ once been table. Slowly and eau
.aly sy he let himself down through the
enlng, and his feet touched bottom. He
Itea ". downward, and let his feet slide
- uthey touched The floor.
1n, NE was within the cabin.
,h hne llght here was almost equal to that
sa9u'' Tor the sky-lignt was very wide.
~ moor was sunken in like the deck Of
snip. He looked around to see where
nI' Iultht flrst search for the treasure. Sud-
';'y 'y nus eye caught sight Of something
,'' urove away every other thought.
a.: n' one end was n seat aud ,horo, ~ ", I'd
'"'' ''.- g.. Wus' Il skeleton III sitt'ug