The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-12-16

INTO myeeyes as III 10 mhke sure eiihb
was not deceiving him.
answered that / had, most strictly
and conscientiously.
He then asked me several other ques-
tions of a similar nature, to MI OF which
| suppose | returned satisfa tory an.
swers, for he seemed much relieved. and
dismissed me with short laugh, and
pleasant "Good night Thank you."
And before shut his door heard him
mutter, +" Pshaw folly and laugh
again.
To say that l was surprised by this
extraordinary and unusual conduct on
the part OF Capt. Montague wonid not
express half what | felt. There was
much in the ag;tated manner OF such a
man to excite apprehens on for l knew
him sufficiently well to be sure that he
would not he frightened by fancy. He
was Il sensible, well-educated man, and |
had heard him sometimes, when the
conversation had happened to turn on
such subjects, ridiculihg in an unas.
sumed manner the foolish superstitions
of the ignorant and timid. L could not
think that he was suffering from night.
mare, brought on by Indigestion, for he
was always exceedingly temperate. He
had not been entertaining that evening,
and he was in good health. Besides, /
felt sure that he would himself have at
tributed such thing had it been the
case, to It's true cause, and the more i
thought of it, the more convinced L be-
came that there must be something OF o
serious and practical nature TO have such
powerful effect on man possessed OF
such healthy nervous organization.
L was not, however, SO much alarmed
as curious. There arose in me a deter.
mination to solve the mystery-to dis.
cover if there was really anything wrong
in the ship, and what it was. Conject.
ure on conjecture fitted through my
puzzled brain, all equally wild and un-
reasonable. L had no clew to work on ;
but still felt burning desire to find
out the meaning Oft. So, briefly telling
Lieut.. Jones that the Captain had been
talking about the rounds, and that |
thought had better go over the vessel
again, started off on my voyage OF dis
covery, with corpOEal aud two lanterns,
III quest OF | knew not what.
felt as if on the eve of some wonder
full discovery, as / began to go along the
decks, peering with my lantern into the
dark shade between the guns, through
the mems messes, and into every dark
hole or corner large enough to conceal a
rat; but nothing rewarded my search. A
large cat jumped out from under the
muZzle of gun and startled me once !;
but that was all. Everything was quiet;
only the heavy breathing of the watch
below disturbed the stiffness of the night
between decks.
Down / went into the lower depths of
the ship, thinking to myself that now [
should know what it was. Here or no.
where must be concealed what? L
didn't know, but thought that L must
find something but no, nothing reward
ed my toll. L looked everywhere. L
turned over everything, peered into the
water tanks, tried the store-room doors,
crept into dusty recesses that, perhaps,
no one had ever thought of trying to get
into before since the ship was built; but
the only result was, as might have been
expected, TO send score or two OF rats
scampering in alarm over the deck, and
get myself covered all over with dust
and whitewash. So at last had to give
it up, hot and tired with my search, and
Just as wise as when | started.
Lieut.. Jones was clearly in a bad tenn
per when L returned on deck.
where have you been all this time ?"
he demanded.
"Going the rounds, sir, / replied.
Mr.. Jones, however, would not be-
lieve l had taken SO long to perform this
11rfx
marks about "skulking."
The fact of the matter was, that dur
ing my absence it had suddenly struck
him that he was very thirsty, and that
he would be the better for glass Of
grog. Now there was bottle of rum
III his cabin, also tumbler and water.
He was very fond of rum and water !;
but duty forbade his going to get it.
He did not dare send one of the men
into his cabin and, as | was the only
other person he could send, it is scarce
ly to be wondered ut that he should
have become more and more incensed
with me as the time wore on and his
thirst increased. AS soon as l saw how
things were, came to the obvious con-
clusion that the best method of appeas-
ing his wrath was to quench his thirst.
j went down to his cabin as quickly ms
/ could, and mixed him a glass of extra
strength to compensate him for the de-
lay.
L was hurrying up the deck with it,
when, just as L reached the top of the
hatchway, saw what arrested my foot
steps, and rooted me to the spot in
amazement.
The Captain had come up the after
ladder, which was close to his cabin
door, and was advancing quickly for
ward--a bright streak of moonlight,
from which was shaded by sails, throw
ing light as strong almost as day over
and around him. His coat was open, as
if thrown hluriedly on, his feet were slip
pered, his cap pushed back on his head,
exposing to view face on which the
signs of horror were strongly marked,
eyes starting forward and oloodshot,
lips apart and qulyering and checks the
pallor of which appeared quite CHASTITY
III the cold blue moonlight.
He evidently did not observe me
though | could see him sufficiently well
TO note every detail Of his appeurance-