The National tribune., 1884-12-04
STEER N. W.
4 Mysterious Visitor Who Saved a
Ships Crew.

III, here 10 the north. and were thinking of
making for home. rs the weather had changed
and the ice forms precious quick IN those
latitudes when it once begins. The Captain
naturally wanted 20 hang on TO the last for the
chance s.. another haul.
One bright afternoon. just after eight bells, L
made Up the log and took it TO the Captain S
cabin ] knocked at the door and as nobody
answered, / walked in. i thought it odd the
Captain hadn't answered me- for, there he was
sitting at his desk, with his back to me, writ
ing. Seeing he was employed, | told him l
had brought the log. laid it down on the table
behind hIa, and, as he made no answer, L
walked out | went on deck, and the first per-
son / met was tie Captain. L was puzzled
could not make out how he had got there
before me.
How did you get up herc?" I asked; az
inst left you writing in your cabin"
a. ] have not been in my cabin for the last
half hour" the Captain answered; but l
thought he was chatting, and didn't like it.
There was some one writing at your desk
Just now" ] said; if it wasn't you you had
better go and see who 1t Is The log Is made
up. l have left il in your cabin, sir" and with
that walked sulllily away. l had no idea of
being chaiied by the Captain, to whom l had
taken dislike.
"Mr Brown" said the Captain, who saw 1
was nettled, you must have been mistaken
my desk is locked. But comc-we'u go down
aud see about it,
| followed the Captain into the cabin. The
log was on the table, the desk was closed, and
the cabin was empty. The Captain tried the
desk-it was locked.
lyon see, Mr.. Brown" he said, laughing,
"you must have been mistaken; the desk is
locked"
/ was positive. Somebody may have picked
the lock" l said.
But they couldn't have closed it again."
the Captain suggested; but to satisfy you l
will open it and see if the contents are safe,
though there is not much here to tempt
thief"
He opened the desk, and there-stretched
right across twas a sheer of paper with the
words =" Steer NV" written in an odd, cramped
hand.
The Captain looked at the paper and then
handed It to me.
You are right, Mr.. Brown; somebody has
been here. This is some hoax"
We sat there some time talking and trying
to guess what could be the object of such
joke-if joke it was meant to be. / tried TO
identity the back of the man had seen at the
desk with that of any of the crew. | could
not do it. 1t is true / had at first taken the
man for the Captain, but now points of differ
ence suggested themselves. i had not looked
very atlentively at the figure, but still | was
under the impression that the coat it had on
was brown, and the hair, which appeared under
the cap. seemed, as / remembered it, to have
been longer and whittier than the Captains.
There was only one man on board who resem-
bled in the least the figure / had seen. / sug-
gested 10 the Captain that it might have been
old Shiel, the boatswain. He did not like to
suspect the old man, who was great fayorite;
besides. what motive could he, or indeed any
one else. have had in trying to change the
course of the vessel?
Not to appear 10 suspect any one in partic-
ular the Captain determined to have up all the
Va had hen mn p,aa hN-n No
amined them and made all those who could
write, write Steer \. W. but we gained no
clue. One thing was very clear-it could not
have been Old Shiel, who was proved TO have
been forward at the time was in the Captains
cabin. The mystery remained unsolved.
That evening | sat drinking my grog with
the Captain in his cabin. Wewere neither of
us inclined to he talkative. | tried TO think
of home and the pleasure it would be to see the
old folks again, but still my thoughts always
wandered back to that mysterious writing /
tried TO read, but / caught myself furtively
peepng at the desk, expecting TO see the figure
sitting there.
The Captain had not spoken for some time,
and was sitting with his face buried in bis
hands At last he suddenly looked up, and
said:
Suppose we alter her course to northwest,
Mr.. Brown? ;"
] don't know what it was; / cannot hope TO
make you understand the feeling in my mind
that followed those words-it was sense cf
relief fron a horrible nightmare. | was
ashamed OF the childish pleasure | felt, but
could not help answering eagerly, Certainly;
shall give the order?"
waited no longer, but hurried on deck and
altered the course of the vessel.
1t was a clear, frosty night and as / looked
al tthecomrass before going below felt strangely
pleased, ANA caught myself chuekling and rub
bing nay haads; at what cannot say didn't
know tben, bat great weight had been taken
of my mind.
went Gown to the cabin and found the Cap
tain pacing UP and down the small space. lie
stopped as l came IN, and, looking up. said
abruptly:
8 II can 10 no harm. Mr. Brown"
If this breeze continues" / answered, we
can hold on for 80 hours or SO; but then,
should thiulz--"
6 But then-we shall find ice. How's the
wind?"
Steady north by east"
We sat down and finished our grog I had
the morning watch TO keep next day. ] was
too restless 80 sleep after it, so | kept on deck
the whole oi the day. Even that did not satisfy
me. / was continually running up into the
tops with r1y glass, but every time came down
disappointed. The Captain was as unquiet as
myself Something we expected TO happen,
bat o. what IL was 10 be we could form no idea
q The second oidcer believe thought us both
crazy; indeed, often wondered myself at the
state was ~. Evening came and nothing had
turned up The night was bright and the Cap
tain determined 10 carry Oh under easy sail till
morning.
Morning came, and with the first gray light
was on deck. 1t was bitterly cold. Those only
who have seen them can form an idea of the
delicate tints of the morning sky in those
northern seas But | was in no humor to APP
preciate the beauties OF nature. There was a
mist low down on the horizon; / waited i'm
patiently fer il to lift. 1t lifted soon, and
could not be mistaken-beyond it ! could see
the Skinner OF ice. ] sent down to tell the
Captain, who came on deck directly
Its no use, Mr Brown" he said "you
must put her about"
Wait one moment the mist is ifting more;
it viii be quite clear directly"
The mist was indeed lifting rapidly. Far to
the north and west we could see the ice stretch
ing away ia one unbroken field. | was trying
TO see whether there appered any break in the
ice toward the west, when the Captain, seizing
my arm with one hand and pointing straight
ehcad with the other exclaimed:
Good heavens! there is a ship there"
The mist had risen like curtain and there
sure enough, about three miles ahead, was
ship seemingly firmly packed in the ice. We
stood looking at ii in silence. There was some
meaning after all in that mysterious warning.
was the drst thought that suggested itself to
Inc.
She's nippod bad, sir" said old Shiel who.
with the rest Of the crew, was anxiously watch