Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-07-26

man, and then recoiling with a heave
of his breast and a long wipe of his
mouth down the length of his hairy
arm. 1 ordered the body to be carried
to cabin and put the second mate
along with a seaman to watch it; but
their report to me was that If the fell
low was alive he gave no signs of it,
but that, on the contrary, he initiated
death so incomparably as to oblige
them to beg me to allow some others
to relieve them. as they did not feel
strong enough to go on Ithen viewed
the body myself, and, no longer having
a doubt, gave orders that it Should be
stitched up afresh and once again
brought to the gangway. 1t was now
eight bells in the afternoon. OF course
it was right that this old Jack should
be buried decently, and ] resolved to
go through with the funeral service,
but let it be known that there was
no obligation upon the men to attend
outside the few who were needed to do
the work. Nevertheless, all hands
turned up as before. Well, l started to
read as l had in the morning, but at the
very moment of my pronouncing the
same words was delivering when the
interruption happened there came a
most audible but half-choking and
half-smothered groan or grunt of
oh! Lord, they mean to drown me,
after allr from under the ensign. The
fellow that held the right corner of
the grating let go, and went backing
&c fnS nf
but the other man, bawling out with
a face darkened by passion: You old
villain! how many burials dye expect,
and be cursed to your tilted the graf
ing. and away flashed the hammock
overheard. We all stood looking on
like idiots. For my part. captain as l
was, l hadn't word to say for a mo-
ment. In fact, / was thunderstruck.
The groan Of the corpse was scarce
gone, and yet you couldn't think of
us having drowned him either. for
nothing could have seemed deader
than did this old Jack when l took
my last view of him. However, no
purpose could be served by making
fuss; and it was one of those breaches
of discipline that defy your cool rea-
son, though you may handle them as
you will a passion. Besides, a moment
or two's reflection, coupled with look
round, satisfied me that the men would
be easier in their minds for being quit
of the body, and SO, telling the mate
to send the hands forward, l went to
my cabin; but more mystified under
livelier CONSERVATION of mind, in
short, than it would suit me to admit
to every body. 1t was idle to talk of
tricks. I might have reconciled my
self to some notion of that kind had I
made one of two or three spectators;
but there had been forty or fifty of US
all Jumped together, and the reality Of
the thing came out in the sincerity of
the fright, for the morning panic was
much greater than have put it, while
the terror in the afternoon might have
shown as wild had the fellows at the
grating let fall the body again among
the men.
well, at ten o'clock that night I
left the deck to lie down. All was
quiet. The influence of that days
work was expressed in the manner of
the men, who had moved and talked
very soberly, with subdued gestures
and tones, and in dOg-watches l had
noticed them hanging together in
knots, like people fresh from an execu-
ton. / was aroused from my sleep by
the second mate, who had charge of
the deck. There's the whole watch
hol 81 of 70 lair no
they can't get any rest What's the
matter? said l, starting up. Why,
they say they can hear old Jack voice
calling to them down in the forepeak.'
old Jacks voice?' l cried, and with
that / followed him on deck, where,
sure enough, found all hands massed
together on the quarterback. What's
the matter, men?' called out, leaping
over the rail at the break of the poop
to speak to them. The carpenter spoke
up: There's old Jack hailing us in
the forepeak, sir Nonsense, man
'Smite me, sir, if it amt the blooming
truth; not only hailing, but a cussing
us for having drowned him. But you
must know that that can't be- said |;
he's leagues astern and fathoms deep
A voice answered: He's cussin' us all
the same. He swears he'll haunt US
all overheard told the second mate
to go forward and report if he could
hear any thing of this strange voice.
A shadowy group of men went with
him; indeed. doubt if he would have
had heart to drop into the forecastle
alone. Presently he returned. coming
aft with run and speaking with
broken breath. It's true, sir he
gasped, If it amt old Jack it's the
devil l heard him say: iii punish
all of We for drowning me. Head as
you will It's old Jack as is at the he'll
lum now, and SO stand byr'' But.
good thu rderr cried |, How is a mans