Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-02-23

after him.
"It's not all right; or why should he.
being a gentleman, make such long
winded explanation to me, being cabin
boy % said Dan at last shaking his
head.
That night Captain Payson was alone
on the quarterback, when Dan presented
himself before him and saluted. His
voice shook little, for he was terribly
scared.
sOld Job" was a bigger man in his
eyes than any king or potentate.
"Well What's the matter with you?'
growled the captain.
"The-the passenger, sir"
"What have you to do with the pas
senger?"
81 beg your pardon, sir,-but are you
sure he isn't thief, or worse ?" gasped
Dan, forgetting. in his terror, the re-
spectful speech he had planned, IN which
he meant to state the fact Of Doctor
Farnall's visit below deck.
The captain seized the rope's-end.
"Take that for your impudence !" he
shouted, aiming blow at Dan, who
lodged it, and then blurted out the
whole story.
Searching among the hunks ? Doctor
Farnall !" muttered the captain in as
tonishment, dropping his weapon; and
then he walked thoughtfully up and
down. Suddenly he stopped before
Dan.
at is we'll you came to to me and
nobody else with the story" he said.
alt is of no account. DR.. Farnall is an
eccentric man. If he wishes to exam
inc the ship in any part. he is not to be
watched and spied upon. So keep your
eyes to yourself and your tongue too. If
you go blabbling this story about I'll
fog you"
Dan crept off to his work feeling as
if he had had sound drubbing. Tears
of rage and modification stood in his
eyes.
"Mother's rules do very well on land
but they won't wear on shipbQard, he
muttered. "But there's something that
needs watching in that man, and I'll
watch him."
Nothing of moment happened, how
ever, for week. Then Dan observed
that the passenger days of fasting and
depression grew more frequent. There
were whole nights when he paced the
deck until morning.
The crew joked together about him.
One declared that he was a murderer
another, that he escaped from lunatic
asylum; but the common opinion was
that he had run away from termagant
wife.
Dye mind" said Irish Jem, show
he eyes every ship we hail. as though
she might be aboard p
Dan alone never joined in the gossip
below decks about the mystery.
One day little incident occurred
which suddenly strengthened his sus-
picion.
just before nightfall, when passing
the after hatchway, in the covering of
which was slide that could be opened
and closed at will, Dan met DR.. Farnell
coming up, covered with dirt and dust.
There was an unsteady glare in his eyes.
He seized Dan by the shoulders.
'.Do you know where l have been p
he said hoarsely.
"In the lower hold, sir, among the
boxes.'
What dye think is down there, boy
for you and all of US Death Death
But tell nobody-nobody-" He drop
ped his hold and staggered on.
"Mad as a March hare!' muttered
Dan.
But half an hour later, DR.. Farnall
was seated at the upper table, gay, self
possessed. keeping the captain In a roal
with his good stories.
About the middle of the second watch
that night, Dan turned out of his bunk
The boy was really to anxious to sleep.
''Death in the hold, eh ? Death in tht
hold % he repeated to himself.
He did not dare go to the captain o.
crew with his story. Yet he was SUR
that some peril was at hand. He sa
shivering for awhile, then pulled on hi
clothes.
"If deaths in the hold I'll find him,
he said.
He groped his way to the after hatch
way unquestioned for the mate, VIII
had charge of the deck, was reclinin,
listlessly against the rail farther aft
where the hatchway was hid from vie'
by the cabin.
The slide was open.
His heart beat quick with excitement
e but noiselessly as cat Dan crept dow
to the lower deck and groped for th
hatchway that opened to the lower hold
!, He was SO certain that danger wa
e afoot that he was not startled when b
saw faint reddish light, and found tn