The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-10-30

mubetIeu. Dut Bu6re SOmetAlng tnat
needs watching in the man, and LII watch
him.
Nothing of moment happened, how
ever, for week. Then Dan observed
that the passengers days OF depression
and fasting grew more frequent. There
were whole nights when he paced the
deck until morning.
The crew ioked together about him.
One declared he was murderer; an
other that he he had escaped from q lu-
matte asylum; but the common opinion
was that he had run away from termag-
nant wife.
'.D'ye ye mind, said Irish Jem, how
might be aboard 2'
decks about the mystery.
One day an incident occurred which
strengthened his suspicion.
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 DIR. FarneIl COM
ing up, covered with dirt and dust.
There was an unsteady glare in his eyes.
He seized Dan by the shoulders.
do you know where have been ?" he
said, hoarsely.
I'm 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 He Drop
ped his hold and staggered on.
Mad as q March hare r. muttered
Dan.
But half an hour later DIR. Farnell was
seated at the supper-table, gay, self-pos-
sessed, keeping the captain in q roar with
his good stories.
About the middle of the second watch
that night, Dan turned out of his bunk
The boy was really too anxious to sleep.
death in the hold, Ell I? Death in the
hold 2" he repeated to himself.
He did not dare go to the captain or
| crew with his story. Yet he was sure
| some peril was at hand. He sat shiver-
| ing for awhile, then pulled on his 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 who had
! charge of the deck was reclining list
| lesslv against the rail further aft, where
| the hatchway was hid from view by the
| cabin.
The slide was open.
| His heart beat quick with excitement,
| but noiseless as a cat. Dan crept down
TO the lower deck and groped for the
hatehway that opened into the lower
hold.
He was SO certain that danger was
afoot that he was not startled when he
saw faint, reddish light, and found the
lower hatchway open.
| The hold was not so closely slowed but
what one could move about it quite
| freely, and on lowering himself care
| fully, Dan saw the light come from a
| lantern, and that it cast a glare directly
upon the face of the passenger, who was
kneeling and working at something upon
the floor.
$50 that is the way Death looks. hey ?"
| thought Dan. "He couldn't well look
worse" and he eyed the haggard, ghastly
| face.
.'What grating noise is that?' he asked
himself; and in the same instant he
sprang forward with cry of horror.
The passenger had an augur in his
/ hands, and saw lay beside him.
He had bored hold through the side
| of the vessel, below the water line, and
| the WATERWAYS already coming through.
| The boy clutched Farneli, and shook
! him like wild beast. "You are sink
| ing he said. Help helpw
The mailman turned upon him, and
nodded.
Eyes, we'll all go down together. Don't
| make that outcry. Nobody can hear
| you"
He had caught the boys wrist. and
held him with the unnatural strength of
| the insane.
Nobody could hear him. Dan remem-
bered that, and became suddenly silent
Horror and fear only made thought more
vivid.
Death was just at hand. There was no.
| body to drive it back but himself, and he
! was in this mad mans hold.
He stared into the fierce CLASSY eyes
| with an agony of hesitation.
Farrell laughed back at him.
| 81 thought of burning, but this is the
| quietest. I want to go calmly into the
| great hereafter. We shall go together in
| "a few minutes" glancing at the stream
of water gushing out of the opening.
| "Oh, mother, motherp cried the shiv-
| ering boy.
We'll all go together. Kings among
| the ancients went across the river Styx
attended by the slain on their burial, I
| Will po IoAioMSu Ny btic AhnhoS SaPaaiH
and his crew"
A sudden fash lighted Dams eyes.
Not by the Captain" he said.
His own voice startled him, it was so
calm, and in tone SO very different
from any in which he had ever spoken
before.
''The Captain and Mr.. Briggs viii es-
capel'' he cried.
| sSuT1.-- ,,,oo,,
| Farnell Escape How can they es-
cape?"
s'Because they are not in the hold.
They will take to the boats.
Il never thought of the boats"
Dan felt chill run over him. He
tried hard to speak, but his voice failed
/ him. He had but one chance, and he
must try it.
"I will go and bring the Captain and
Mr.. Briggs down, if you like. Then they
can't get away"
s.Ha, hal Pretty good joke. Well, go
| bring them, and be quick /" loosening
his hold, and pushing Dan away.
Dan walked slowly to the ladder, then
/ he made one wild spring up.
/ s.sTo the holdl To the holdi A leaki'' he
| shrieked and fell to the deck.
Within another hour, the mad man
was in irons, the leak had been stopped,
and the water was pumped out of the
hold. The danger was past, and all snug
and tart.
4 The crew made n hero of Dan. Even
Captain Payson spoke ont his heavy
| praise.
1.-THE lad saw what was to be done and
did it. he had courage, and what is
better, good sense. Who taught You to
use your wits, my boy?"
My mother, sir, said Dan.
/ It is well known that fuoric acid will
dissolve glass and the practical execution
~ \ -. H..