West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-02-15

that opinion, for they eyed him closely.
and for several days treated him with
more respect than is generally shown TO
a common sailor.
But after we had put TO sea an event
occurred which shook their faith in his
respectability. In the morning watch l.
Just after daylight, a raft was discov.
cred TO leeward, with some object upon
1t. The captain was called, and. after
examining 1t through his glass, he gave
orders to port the helm.
There is a mau there-from some
wreck, likely enough" he said.
Accordingly we squared the yards
and ran down To the raft. Ii proved to
be man wearing nothing but a ragged
pair OF canvas trowsers and something
that passed for a shirt-that is, frag-
ments of green baize futtering in the
wind. He wore no hat, but his thicklv-
matted hair answered all the purposes
of one, except that he could not have
lifted 1t in respectful salute to a mer-
maid, If she had chanced to cross his
PROV A few Neither Carey's chickens
followed in his wake, and two huge
albatrosses wheeled above his head. as
If half inclined to pounce upon him.
We had on board a sailmaker. named
Baldwin, who had belonged Ia the navy.
aud as soon as his eyes fell upon the
stranger he pronounced the name of
"Mauley |"
The lone voyager was taken on board
and said that he had been cast away in
a brig.
Baldwin sniled, and afterward tolv
our second mate that this man Maule
was a noted beach comber of Callao.
whom no captain would ship, and who.
having visited the frigate to which
Baldwin belonged, had been ignomin-
iously driven on shore, and forbidden
ever again to set foot on board that
vessel
He has 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 very much against him.
aud no one believed that he had been
wrecked. 1t was thought that in put
ting to sea on this slight raft he had
taken that desperate 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 eve on the
desolate wretch, and soon detected him
in close and confidential conversation
with johnson, the spruce seaman whom
we had shipped just before leaving port.
IL was the mates watch, while johnson
belonged to the watch of the second
mate, yet Johnson had come on deck
for the special purpose of speaking to
Mauley.
Two men stood forward of the wind
lass, under the shadow Of the foremast.
apart from the rest of the watch, and
conversed together in a low tone. The
mate got as near TO them as he could
without being observed, but he caught
only the words
Remember, this must be a dead
secret between you and me-"
IT was but year before that the ter
Tible mutiny on board the shin 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 overheard.
That man Johnsonl Are YOU not
mistaken" demanded the captain.
Why, johnson seems quite gentle
man. Must have been somebody else"
" Yes, sir" replied the mate; but
what secret should anybody have with
that Mauley, which all the crew keeps
clear of in broad daylight? Whisper
ing with him in the dark-thats the
pint, sir. Baldwin swears that the
feller's a murderer. sir"
"Pll have no plotting and whispering
in the dark on board my shipp cried
the captain, suddenly and unaccount-
ably breaking forth into a towering
passion. Now ! recollect that this
johnson has once or twice shown re-
belliOus temper when Mr.. Pease has
ordered him TO scrape tOpmasts or slush
them down, or tar rigging: but /
thought IL was only because he'd never
been used to such dirty work"
" If we don't look out he'll be en-
gagged in dirtier work than slushine ton
masts or tarring down rigging" said the
mate.
" Cutting our throats, eh?"
It's unaccOuntable, sir, this plotting
and having secrets with that Mauley
it's 50 much like the way that Smith
says the mutiny began aboard the
Globe"
That's true" answered the captain
" I've a great mind to put them both in
irons"
" Mabby we'd better wait little and
see" returned the mate; and PIl
keep sharp lookout on both on 'em."
The captain was silent, but he shook
his head threateningly, and the mate
went on deck 70 stand out the remainder
Of his watch.
Before morning there was gale OF
wind" Sail was shortened, and we lay
to under clOse-reefed maintopsail and
storm-staysail. But, in spite Of wind or
weather, the first mate was observed all
day running bullets in the cooks Ca
boose, greatly TO the surprise of the
crew, some Of whom asked.
Have there been any pirates heard
of on this coastT'
In the meantime there was something
about this Johnson, especially his voice
which reminded me OF somebody / had
seen before. / noticed that the captaiu
looked sharply at him, and observed ali
bis movements attentively, as if he also
had some recollection Of him. knew
nothing Of his conversation with Maulev.
and the mates surmises All those
matters were related TO me afterYard i'm
a house where tin pot stands for an
hour-glass and rum runs for sand "
Up TO this time JOhnsOn's ignorance
OF seamanship had been regarded with
resrfaH. l.. aH