Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-03-15

the day before. Tne vaeaut place
was suggestive. aud We drank oa- cur
Of coffee in silence. We served our.
selves noiselessly. and gldosay still.
ness, interrupted only By The slight
noise Of our knives and forks. rsigaed,
until it was broken by ths steward,
who, noticing that my cup was empty,
asked If I wanted more ssuiIse.
nodded assent, and, after had been
served. the.captain said:-
"I'll have come, too. stsrard.
understand. Mr.. Atherlon. BE cen
tinued. addressing the tIird nate.
while The coffee was being rsased out.
sthst yoa aoast Wa - - Mr.
Decker's place."
"No, sir, ! don't"
"Why not?'
because don't think it's lucky to
jump into dead mans shoes so quick.
Besides, I should mt expect to live
very long if I did"
81 can't understand how young
man with as much intelligence as you
can believe in this nonsense.
II can't help it, sir. I've tried
hard MOI to several times, but just
SO sure as l do, something happens.
Now four nights ago when Jack saw
the Flying Dutchman"-
Hold onl Did you ever see him?"
mo, sir; and l hope never shall.
"Well, you can make up your mind
you never will, Mr.. Atherton."
al don't want to. But when be
crossed our bow the other night he
looked very savagely at this ship. l
tried not to think of it and was be-
ginning to believe that he meant us
no harm. when, the first thing l knew,
Mr.. Decker was spirited way"
"Well, we'll say no more about it
now. You don't want to be second
mate then?"
mo, sir. Whoever is will disap-
pear in the same way as Mr.. Decker"
"There blowsl there blowsl blows!"
resounded from the masthead, and
! we all rushed on deck.
"Where away?' cried the captain.
About half point on the port
bow, sir"
"Keep her half point more to the
northward."
GAY, ay, sir, half point more to
the northward," replied the helms
man.
How far off are they?" asked the
captain Of the lookout.
About four miles, sir. don't
think there's more than one"
"a lone bull, I'll bel" said the
captain, jumping into the rigging and
running aloft.
He did not remain at the masthead
long, but soon came down.
"It's an old bull" he said. rubbing
his hands gleefully.
an this weather, we'll be sure to
fasten," said, as I jumped upon the
rail to assure myself that my boat was
all ready with everything belonging
to it in its place.
"Yes, we're pretty sure of hun
dred barrels then. What had we bet
ter do about the waist boat?''
"Why not let the boat steerer head
it?" l said.
Then who'll steer it?'
The bow oarsman, he's a good
man; and you can fill his place with
one of the shipkeepers."
"All right, see to it; we can't DO
better now. II lower too.
1t had moderated sufficiently TO en-
able us to carry the same sail We had,
when the time came to luff up TO the
wind. But it still blew, and the sea
ran high enough to enable US to get on
the whale ahead of us with ease. The
boats were ready, and the necessary
arrangements had been made regard
ing the waist boat (the second mate's)
as agreed between the captain and
myself. The boat steerer was glad OF
the chance to "head" the boat, and
the bow oarsman was equally pleased
with the prospect of being enabled to
show how we'll he could handle an
iron.
The whale was now not more than
a mile ahead.
Hoist the jib! J" ordered the c,r.
tain, and that sail was ct.
Now, port fore-brsees and star
beard crOss-jack- -braces-brace up SHARP
l-there-belay all! Ease down yOuI
helm T.
The vessel lufed up on the star
board tack, with the maintopsail Il
the mast.
Stand by your bOats-lower away
Down wen. the larboard, waist anC