The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-07-07

and between times, for recreation,
when the passengers was on deck,
he watched them.
DR.. Farnell talked fuently and
brilliantly, as even Dams uncul-
tured view could perceive. But
his talk was leveled far above the
heads of either the Captain or Mr..
Briggs, who listened with half COM
pretending admiration.
But there were days when the
doctor was absolutely silent, ate
nothing, and paced the deck wrap
ped in profound gloom, his light
eyes darting suspicious glances
from side to side.
On one of these days, Dan, going
down just at twilight to find some
thing he had left in his bunk, saw a
tall figure, which he could not rec
ognize, with a candle cropping about
among the chests of theisailors.
"Who's there?s he shouted.
The man came quickly toward
him. The casd1e threw a yellow
glare over hisSnet face and glaring
eyes. 1t was the passenger. He
caught Dan by the sleeve.
"Here, boy-what do they call
you?'
"Dan."
"You are surprised to see me
here, DAMP with a guilty laugh.
"Took me for a ghost, eh?"
II beg your pardon, sir; ought
not to have called to you. But it
took me aback, sir"
"Naturally, you need not be sur
prised at seeing me in any part OF
the vessel. I am studying its con-
struction, as scientific man. Capt.
Payson has been good enough to
give me admittance to all parts of
the vessel. You needn't shout in
that disagreeable way again. 1t
startles nervous man." and with
vague smile he blew out the can
die and went upon deck, leaving
Dan staring after him.
"It's not all right; or why should
he, being a gentleman, make such a
loud explanation to me, being a
cabin boy" said Dan at last shak-
ing his head.
That night Capt. Payson was
alone upon the quarterback when
Dan presented himself before him
and saluted. His voice shook a
little, for he was terribly scared.
cold Job" was bigger man in
his eyes than any king or potentate.
"Well! what's the matter with
you?" growled tie Captain.
"The-the passenger, SIR"
"What haye you to do with the
passenger"
Il beg your pardon, sir-but are
you sure he isn't thief, or worse"
gasped Dan, forgetting in his terror
the respectful speech he had planned,
in which he meant to state the fact
of DIR. Farnell's visit below deck.
The Captain seized the ropes
end. "Take that for your impu
dencer' he shouted, aiming blow
at Dan, who dodged it, and then
blurtedsout the whole story.
"Seasahing ampn4 hunks ADr.
Farnell" mutteesu the captafa IN
astonishment, dropping his weapon.
And then he walked thoughfully up
and down. Suddenly he stopped
before Dan.
"It's well you came to me and
nobody else with the story" he
said. at is of no account. DR..
Farnell is an eccentric man. If he
wishes to examine the ship in any
part, he is not to be watched or
spied upon. So keep your eyes
open to yourself and your tongue
too. If you go blabbing this
about, I'll fog you"
Dan crept off to his work feeling
as if he had a sound drubbing.
Tears of rage and modification
stood in his eyes.
"Mother's rules do very we'll on
land; but they won't work on ship
board" he muttered. "But there's
something that needs watching in
that man, and I'll watch him"
Nothing of moment happened,
however, for week. Then Dan
observed that the passengers days
of fasting and depression grew
more frequent. There were whole
nights when he paced the deck un-
til morning.
The crew joked together about
him. One declared that he was
murderer; another that he had es-
capped from a hnatic asylum; but
the common opinion was that he
had run away from a termagant
wife.
"D'ye mind" said Irish Jem,
show he eyes every ship we hail, as
though she might be aboard?"
Dan alone never Joined in the
gossip below decks about the mys-
terry.
One day little incident occurred
which .suddenY strengthened his
suspicion.
Just before nightfall, when pass
ing the after hatchway, in the cov-
ering of which was a slide that
could be opened and closed at will,
Dan ,.1et Dr-t,fSaaiaell looming up,
covered with dirt and dust. There
was an unsteady glare in his eyes.
He seized Dan by the shoulders.
"Do you know where I've been?"
he asked hoarseiy.
"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 dropped his hold and staggered
on.
Mad as March harep muttered
Dan.
But half an hour later DR.. Far
| nell was seated at the supper table,
gay, self-possessed, keeping the cap
tain in 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.
aDeath is in the hold eh? Death
lis in the hold" he repeated to him
self.
He did not dare to go to the cap
tain or crew with his story. Yet he
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