Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-11-12
STEER N. w

About two years ago LETT the Serv-
&c. 7 was tired of it, and as wanted
ONE more exciting employment I
oined whaler. We were unlucky-
omehow bring no luck anywhere
and we were nearly empty. We were
@ruising up here to the north, and were
thinking of making for the home, as the
weather had changed-and the ice forms
precious quick in those latitudes when
it once begins. The captain naturally
wanted to hang on to the last for the
chance of another haul.
One bright afternoon, just after eight
bells, made up the log and took it to
the captains cabin. I knocked at the
door, and, as nobody answered, walked
in. 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 had brought the log, laid it down
on the table behind him, and, as he
made no answer, walked out. I went
on deck, and the first person met was
the captain. [ was puzzled could
not make out how he had got there be-
fore me.
"How did you get up here?" asked
Il just left you writing in your cabin"
Il have not been in my cabin for the
last half hour" the captain answered;
but [ 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 it is.
The log is made up. I have left it in
yourcabin, sir" and with that [ walked
,sulkily away. had no idea of being
chs4fed by the captain, to whom [ had
taken dislike.
"Mr. Brown" said the captain, who
saw I was nettled, ''you must have been
mistaken; my desk is locked. But come
we'll 90 down and see about it"
I 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.
you see, Mr.. Brown" he said laugh
ing, 'you must have been mistaken; the
desk is locked"
was positive, Somebody may have
picked the lock-" I said.
"But they couldn't have closed it
again" the captain suggested; "but to
satisfy you I 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 sheet of
paper with the words "Steer N. W.,
written IN an old, cramped hand.
The captain looked at the paper and
then handed it to me.
"Yoa are right, Mr.. Brown; some
body has been here. This is some
hoax"
We sat there some time talking and
trying to guess what could be the OBJ
Ject of such joke-if joke it was meant
to be. I tried to identify 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 difference suggested them
selves. I had not looked very attent-
lively at the figure, but still was under
the impression that the coat it had on
was brown, and the hair, which ap-
peared under the cap, seemed, as re-
membered it, to have been longer and
whittier than the captains. There was
only one man on board who resembled
In the least the figure I had seen.
suggested 10 WIG Cdpod4n Guab LII ulSuG
have been old Shiel, the boatswain. He
did not like to suspect the old man, who
was great favorite; besides, what mo-
tive could he or indeed any one else,
have had in trying TO change the course
of the vessel?
Not to appear to suspect anyone in
particular, the captain determined to
have up all the crew. We had them
up, one by one. We examined them
and made all those who could write,
write "Steer N. W." but we gained no
ciew. 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 mys-
terry remained unsolved.
That evening 1 sat drinking my grog
with the captain in his cabin. We
=. or Of TIC 0Ifno1 ~ H. AoI1xo