The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1879-06-20

1 But, after we had put to sea an event
occurred which shook their faith in his
respectabilitY. IN the morning watch,
Just after daylight, raft was discovered
to leeward with some live object upon it.
The Captain was called, and, after exam
ming it through his glass, he gave orders
to port the helm.
"There is a man there-from some
wreck, likely enough, he said.
We squared the yards and ran down to
the raft. Il proved to be man wearing
nothing but a ragged pair Of canvass
trowsers and something that passed for
a shirt that is, fragments Of green ba;ze
auttering in the wind. He wore no hat
but his thickly matted hair answered the
| purpose Of one, except that he could not
lift it in respectful salute to a mermaid
if one had chanced to cross his PROV. A
few Of Mother Carey's chickens followed
in his wake, and two huge albatlosses
wheeled about his head as if half inclined
to pounce upon him.
We had on board sailmaker named
Baldwin, who bad belonged to the navy,
and as soon as his eyes fell upon the
stranger he pronounced the name Of
"Mauley."
Tha lone voyager was taken on board,
and said that be had been cast away in a
brig.
Baldwin smiled, and told the second
mate that this Mauley. .was noted beach
comber Of Callao, whom no captain
would ship, and who, having visited the
frigate to which Baldwin belonged, had
been ANONYMOUSLY driven on shore, and
forbidden ever again to set foot on
board that yessal.
"He has a very bad name," added the
sailmaker, and he is suspected Of having
murdered the carpenter Of our frigate at
Valparaiso.
In fact the personal appearance Of
Mauley was much against him, and no
one believed that he had been wreck d.
1t was thought that in putting to sea on
this slight raft, he had taken that desper-
ate method to get on board some vessel.
"KeeP an eye on him." said our Cap
tain to his first mate.
The mate did keep an eye on the desc
late wretch, and soon detected him in
close and confidential conversation with
Johnson, the spruce seaman whom we
lad shipped just before leaving port It
vas the mates watch, while Johnson be
onged to the second mates watch, yet
Johnson had come on deck for the special
purpose Of speaking 10 Mauley.
The TWO men stood forward Of the
windlass, under the shadow Of the fore.
mast, apart from the rest Of the watch,
and conversed in low tone. The mate
got as near to them as he could without
being observed, but be caught only the
words:
''Remember-thls must be dead
secret between you and IT,
1t was but year before that the terri
bic mutiny on board the ship Globe had
taken place, and when the mate heard the
words which have quoted, he passed
softly down into the cabin, and finding
the captain awake, told him what he had
heard.
"That man johnson Are you not
mistaken 2" demanded the Captain.
"Why johnson seems quite a gentleman,
it must have been somebody else"
ayes SIR" said the mate, ''but what
secret should anybody have with that
Mauley, which all the crew keep clear Of
in broad daylight? Whispering in The
dark with him-that's the pint, sir.
Baldwin 8wears that he is a murderer,
sir"
"I,7 have no plotting and whispering
in the dark on board my ship" cried
the captain, suddenly and unaccountably
breaking forth into towering passion.
''Now / recollect that this Johnson has
once or twice shown a rebellious temper
when Mr.. Pease has ordered him to
scrape topmasts or slush them down, or
tar rigging but I thought it was only
because he'd never been used to such
dirty work."
If we don't look out he'll be engaged I
IN al er work than slushing topmasts OF
tarring down rigging said the mate.
"Gutting our throats, eh ?"
"It's unaccountable, sir, this plotting
and having secrets with that Nauley its
50 much like the way that Smith says the
mutiny began aboard the Globe"
"That's true,n answered the captain
I've a great mind to put them both in
irons"
4MebBy we'd better wait 4 little, and |
see, returned the mae; "and I'll keep a
sharp look out On both of EN-
The captain was silent, but be shook
his head threatingIy, and the mate went
c,, anol- IN stand ont Ahe remainder of bis I