Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-01-28
The former seemed quite as an

he never spoke to any one, and al
ways answered as shortly as possible
when be answered at all whenever
any one spoke to him.
AS for the box itself, it was more
of a mystery than ever. The stew
ards reported that he had warned
them so earnestly against touching
it, or even going nea it, as to inn
ply that the contents, whatever they
might be, were very dangerous in
deed.
81 think he's a Fenian carrying
over one of those dynamite torpedoes
to Liverpool said a young British
officer, homeward. bound from Cana.
da.
"More likely a bank clerk abscond-
ing with SPECIE" grunted a big red
faced cotton-spinner from Lancas-
ter.
"Box amt heavy enough for that
purpose" objected a lanky New
Yorker.
"Perhaps, after all, it's nothing
more wonderful than a rare statue
or picture for some museum
Every one looked disappointed for
this last idea, which had somehow
never occurred to us, now seemed
natural and likely enough, and it
was a sad come-down after all our
romantic imaginings.
But just then a new turn was Civ
en- to the discussion by a long, wiry,
keen-eyed Cape Colder, who had
hitherto been perfectly silent. TAX
ing his short pipe out of his mouth,
he said slowly and emphatically:
"Taint that, boys; but | reckon l
could tell you what it is"
"What ? What ?" cried every one
eagerly.
"A baby" answered the Yankee,
with the solemnity of perfect con-
viction.
AT this there was a shout of laugh
ter so uproarious that a passing
stewart peered amazedly into the
smOking-room to see what all the
fun could be about. But the gentle
mao from Cape Cod was not "a whit
abashed.
Laugh as much as you like, boys;
but what | say l stick to. Every
day regular, at breakfast and at tea,
I've seen that air critter after he'd
had his share start for his state-room
with a cup of milk and a hunk of
bread, and if that don't means baby
somewharS roun' Pm a Mexikin !"
There was a general start, for we
now remembered to have seen the
stranger do this, and wondered that
we had not noticed it before.
For a few moments every n was
in high glee at the apparent solu-
tion of the riddle; but the remorse-
less New Yorker speedily blighted
our happiness.
"Guess you're consid'able wrong,
stranger" he objected. For the
baby that could be four days aboard
ship, or anywhere else, either, with
cut raising N squall, has got to be
discovered yet. I've got three of
'em myself, and l guess l ought to
know"
This unanswerable argument put
us all back to where we were before,
and a sullen silence followed broken
at last by a dashing young sopho-
more from Harvard-one of the
briskest and boldest spirits of our
company.
"Baby or no baby" said he, firm
ly, "I'm bound to get at the inns
and outs of this job, somehow. I'll
either know what's inside that box,
before it goes ashore, or I'll never
wear the crimson of old Harvard
again !"
Bnt this valiant pledge seemed
likely to go unredeemed, after all,
for as if the man of mystery had
known of the plot Matching against
him, he seemed to be if possible, far
more vigilant than ever.
Day followed day, until at length
we came in sight of Queenstown,
where the stranger was to land, and
the secret of the box was a secret
still.
But the time came at last. We
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