Milford chronicle., 1885-11-13

midst hung low on the water, and
still the mOurnful sound of that bell
was borne to the ears that listened all
through the night on board the Dare.
Few left the deck, and all night long
that sad, weird tolling kept them COM
pany-now seemingly closer to them,
and again so faint and far away. 1t
was uncanny, and to the sensitive ones
sounded like the strokes of doom.
Just before the early dawn, while
it was yet only clear starlight, the
mist lifted, and at once came the cry
from the masthead: Something to
windward.'
What is she likeY
"'Well, it's a queer sort of a craft
altogether
"'NIr. Crabbs will you go up and
see what you make CT herY said Cap
tain Stanley; and Mr.. Crabbs, light
footed young middle. sprang up the
rigging, and in a few moments re-
turned, saying:
"'She, or it, is very queer-looking
thing, sir; it is pretty dark yet, but, as
well as l can see, it looks like big
natboat with a sort of house on tit
floats low in the water. And that bell
sir-keeps on tolling sir, said little
Crabbs, hesitatingly.'
i" 'Yes-yes-we can all hear the
bell plainly enough, Mr. CrabbsP ? and
turning to the first lieutenant, Cap
tain Stanley went on; Mr.. Fraser, see
boat lowered away at once: send Mr..
Crabbs in command of her, to board
this stranger and find out what this
means
"a few minutes later one of the
ships boats, manned with a crew of
six men, and little Crabbs in the stern,
was pulling towards the flatboat, which
had become visible, from the ships
deck. There was no steady wind, but
slight puff or two had been made
the most of to draw a little closer to
the strange thing, and the Dare now
lay almost OF quite becalmed about
two miles distant from it; the house or
cabin-the top of it at least-could be
seen, and a sort of crossbeam arrange
ment on which hung the bell whose
solemn voice was heard as the boat
rose and tell with the waves; but no
living soul was visible. Every glass
was directed upon the little boat as it
came up alongside Mr.. Crabbs was
seen to climb up the side and instant
ly disappear, while in the same-mo-
ment the boat pushed off and made
for the ship, pulling in disordered.
hesitating manner, stopping for a few
minutes discussion seemingly then
their way with long, regular stroke.
arrived at the ships side, they
came on board in a dazed sort of way
with white scared faces; and upon
Captain Stanley's stern demand for an
explanation, they managed to tell their
story.
"They saw no human being, they
heard sound of human voice on that
haunted thing; but as Mr.. Crabbs
stepped upon the top of the high bull
wark, large black figure reached up
and seized him with its long arms and
dragged him down; and there was a
sound of rattling of chains and shrieks
and yells of fendish laughter; and the
thing was loaded with devils, and the
Foul Fiend himself had got poor Mr..
Crabbs, and they got away as fast as
they could.
"And sad and terrible enough it all
was, and that horrible bell went on
tolling an awful knell for poor, bright
hearted little Crabbs. There were
sobs and tears, and pale cheeks, and
mourning for the lad; and after a lit
tie the captain said, with hard voice,
and a set, stern look on his pleasant
face:
"'Mr. Fraser, send that boat back
with a fresh crew; or, rather take COM
mand yourself, sir-take the best men
and plenty of arms
"And in few moments the little
boat went back, carrying men who
had rather fight a man-of- war twice
their size than face a foe that was un-
known, and doubtless belonged to the
unseen world; but they went, and res
olutely, for everybody loved little
Crabbs.
allow earnestly and anxiously they
were watched from the decks of the
Dare one can well imagine. Mr..
Fraser and the boatswain, well armed
and revolver in hand, climbed cautious
ly up the sides of the hatboat, and
were seen to raise their heads slowly
above the bulwark. And this is what
they saw: a magnificent Bengal tiger
of the finest breed Just finishing his
revolting meal They fred together,
and the great creature fell over and
died without a struggle.
"Then the boats crew were ordered
to come up, and they carefully climbed
on board, and with pistol in each
hand, began an exploration of the cab
in; there was no door to it, and as they
entered the wide doorway, there right
before them they saw two skeletons
of a man and woman, chained, one