The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-05-16
ing with MIR. Reginald Moore on his

= themselves, in the morning, still in fu
n, position of all their worldly good
I This improved condition of affail
I seemed to reassure our passengers, wb
once again began to look cheerful an
al ease.
5. Reginald Moore's pleasant face wor
d its wonted smile, and, as heretofore. h
d enlivened and charmed lis with hi
e vivacity and anecodote. All da
through he worked on the model of tn
!. Janets Pride, still using the top of tn
; empty water-cask for a workable.
v That night we retired to rest wit
IT minds Tar more at ease than the preyi
Gus one. Alas what sense of aiige
i aud distress came with the morning
t Every passenger on board possessini
y Jeweiry had been robbed during th,
night. I,Nl.I
The three old gentleman, the younf
i married couples, and the kind-hesrtet
brother and sister, found themselye,
minus every article of jewelry thai
ihey had possessed. Even the grum
ping old gentleman had lost his golc
snuff-box. e'0
There was no keeping matters quiet
this time. The thief must be traced
and brought to justice. What was the
wlsest method of procedure? What
would Mr.. Moore suggest !?
Il would suggest though not reluc.
tantly," said Mr.. Moore, "that every
sailor and every sailors luggage be
carefully searched"
To this proposition we unanimously
agreed.
"This," he continued, "must be
most Illuminating to the feelings of
your crew, captain, and therefore, in
common fairness to them as fellow
men, let me also suggest that every
passengers luggage be also Thoroughly
| searched"
A little hesitation on the part of one
or two of the passengers was demon
strated before acceding to this last nro.
posal, but our pleasant passenger soon
contrlved to bring those who at first
demurred to his side of thinking.
"Of course,," he said, there is not
passenger on board who is not above
suspicion, yet, in Justice to the feelings
Of the crew, it is in my humble opinion
the least we can do"
This delicacy of feeling and this
thoughtfulness cn the part Of Reginald
Moore rendered him, If possible. more
admirable and praiscworthy in our
eyes than ever.
Many of the crew objected strongly
to this mode of procedure, but ali were
compelled to submit. The old boat
swain was furious with indionation
and vowed that if il cost his life he
would trace the thief who had cansed
him to be searched like common nick
pocket. Even the pleasant PASSENGER
rallied to soothe his sense of injury.
Well, thorough search was made bv
myself, in company with the kind.
hearted old gentleman and his sister. |
Every ones "traps" were ransacked
from top to bottom without success.
Farther search was useless. What
was to be done?
That night, all having been made
snug, and the passengers having turned
IN, none OF them, as you may Imagine,
it being what we call at sea "the can.
tain's watch"
turned in about 4 M, the second
officer then coming on duty NV cabin
was amidships and on deck, and from a
window therein could command view
of the afterdeck of the ship.
Somehow or other l could not rest
one atom; so, dressing myself, deter
mined upon sitting up and smoking. /
drew aside the blind of the window
have mentioned, and looked ont.
1t was just the gray light of early
morning, and there was stiffish breeze
blowing. To my surprise, | beheld Mr..
Reginald Moore.
was about TO open my cabin-door
and invite him to join me in nv rest
lessness, when the peculiar nature ofl
his proceedings riveted my attention.
He looked around on all sides, as ifl
afraid of attracting observation.
Then suddenly, as if assured the
coast was clear, he made rapidly toward
the empty water-cask, on which he was
accustomed to manufacture his model
of the "Janefs Pride" Once more
glancing cautiously about him, he then
applied his hand to the top of The cask.
and with rapid movement, lifted half
of the top bodily off.
My astonishment and my excitement
were Intense. Another hssty glance
round, and he plunged his hand down
into the cask, then quickly Withdrew il.
holding in his grasp a small bag, which
he rapidly concealed in the breast of his
coat.
Again he took hasty survey. and
was about making another dive into this
strange receptacle for hidden goods.
when he suddenly withdrew, having
with astonishing rapidity, replaced the
lid of the cask. In another moment
the cause of his alarm was made appar-
ent, as couple of sailors passed him
on their way TO relieve the man at the
wheel.
When all was again quiet, for an in
stant he seemed determined TO at once
return to the cask, and no doubt with
draw something more that the Interrupt
ton had prevented him withdrawing
in the first instance. But suddenly
changing his mind, he went down the
stairs that led from tho deck 10 the sa-
loon and sleeping cabins.
Scarcely had he disappeared when
another figure, stealthily crossing the
deck, met my anxious observation. III
was the boatswain.
L saw hun glance towards the stairs,
down which Mr.. Reginald Moore had
taken his departure. He then made |
direct for the water-cask. II was now
obvious TO me that the old boat-swain
had been watching the pleasant passen-
ger.
just then he reached the water-cask
a heavy green sea struck the ship to
windward, necessitating the boatswain |
to hold on by the ropes SO as to keep
his footing, and precisely at the same |
moment Reginald Moore appeared at
the top of the cabin stairs. shall ney-
er forget the scene.
The instant the ship had steadied her.
self the boatswain commenced his ex-
animation of the water-cask. For a |
moment only, Moore stood looking at
him with as evil an expression on his
face as ever beheld.
With one bound he was upon the
boatswain, before he could turn to pro-
tect himself. | waited nc longer, but
flung open the door OF my cabin in AN
instant, and in another l was to the res
cue, and in a few moments we had our