Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-01-30
The Haunted Ship.

L shipped In the Norway Tor the
passage from CronStadt to Hull,
and another English gentleman,
who went by the name of Jack Hast
ings, joined her at the same time.
lie and l lodged together on the
shore, and became somewhat ac-
quainted before We became ship
mates. Re was man of consider
able information, and, fIom his
taxi, had seen his share of the world
but was not much Of a sailor, as 1
had already surmised from the cut
of his jib. r.- L-
We found Capt. Phelps, Of the
Norway a Tartar in the worst sense
of the word and the voyage was
anything but a pleasant one, espe
cialiy to Hastings. lie had shipped
for an able seaman's wages, and his
deficiencies were soon apparent, es-
pccially to a captain who had a
hawks eye for the weak points in a
nan, that he might come down on
lhm. As | had a strong feeling of
respect for the young man, 1 stood
his friend whenever could, by try
ing to do more than my own share
Of duty, and covering up his short
comings but I.couldn't always be
at hand, of course.
s<0ne might when it was blowing
quite fresh, and was at the wheel,
the captain was up, and lad all
hands potting reefs in the topsaiis.
The men had laid down on deck,
and were manning the halyards to
hoist away, when poor Hastings,
iastead of the reef-tackle, let go the
weather foretopsail brace, and away
went the yard fore and aft. How
ever, by luffing up smartly, we
managed to get it checked in ,.again
without carrying away anything.
Sat Capt. Phelps, frothing at the
mouth, vowed he would tar the
clumsy lub5er's hide that did it,
and would ride him down like
maintack. He rushed at Hastings
with piece of ratline stuff, and
brought it down with q terrific
cut, over bis neck and shoulders.
As he raised it again to repeat the
blow, while al hands stood looking
on, nnshed into silence, a voice
from aloft roared ont:
Hold your hand - .,..-.......
The sound. (which was wonder-
fully loud and clear, seemed to come
down out of the InaintoD. The cap
tain fell back aft, so as to look up,
tutcould see nothing. f5i
.Aloft, there i'' he yelled in a
rage. z-@saH = r7=5
Ao'anSWer.s eriE cox EzFC y
"Maintop. there % al9l =
ss'sHalloalp was answered spite
fdlly. sss1sI3A Il8iI4.alA =
Come down on deck I" II
Come up here and see how you
like lib .'s-.s s7arga = .sas7-7s
The captains rage was now fear.
full to behold. - - =. ---a n
aWho,s aloft there |? Who is il.
Ar. Raynor2n he Inquired of tile
mate, yp..gf .g5 s,g. zsss.. ~
s'sEpbody that l know of, sir"
answer ed the officer. They're all
tere in sight,
The men looked from one to an
other, but>the number was correct.
The second mate without waiting
for ORDERS sprang up aloft and look
ed over the top-rim, then made the
circuit of it, looking all around the
masthead, and reported himself
alone. The captain dropped his
ropes end and went Cbelow, his
mind in u strange chaos of rage and
fear, and Hastings escaped further
beating for that night. G sB .s1
ButEafeT days were sufficient for
the-e. attain to forget his fears, and
kmyseH was the next victim of his
wrath. lie had ordered me to make
4 landyard knot in the end of an Old,
ragged rope, to be used for a LASH
ing somewhere. I-did SO, and re-
sarned it to him, telling him I had
made the best job of it that I could.
''Well, if THAT'S your best, said
he, ''you'fe as much Of a lubber as
,our partner, Hastings. I'H dock
you both to orr 'nary seanaan's pay"
In vain ] demonstrated, saying
lltat the roDe was too much worn
and jagged to make a neat piece of
work. .--. ...., -r-- -.,~ 4.
Tagged, is it? Well, I'll finish
it up over your lubberly back"
-'No you won't ?'' sung out a.
voice from behind the long boat.
lie, rushed round in the direction
of the sound, but there was no one
there.
.'Who WAS that that spoke 2" he
c,ied. ''lf knew who he Was I'd
cut his heart OUT
I'll |, he! would ye ~ was ans
wered deri<ivtly-fr0n tA. main