Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1889-12-14

presented himself before him and
saluted. His voice shook little, for
he was terribly scared. "Old job"
was bigger man in his eyes than any
king
"Well, what's the matter with you ?"
growled the captain.
"The-passenger."
"What have you to do with the pas
senger ?"
81 beg your pardon, sir but are you
sure he isn't thief or worse p gasped
Dan.
The captain seized the ropes end.
Take that for your impudence," he
shouted, aiming blow at Dan, who
lodged it, and then blurted out the en-
tire story.
Searching among the hunks ? Doc
tor Farnall I" muttered the captain, in
astonishment, dropping his weapon.
Then he walked thoughtfully up and
down. Suddenly he stopped before
DAN
at is well you came to me and no.
body else," he said. "It's of no account.
Doctor Farnall is an eccentric man.
If he wishes to examine the ship in any
part he is not to be watched or spied
upon. So keep your eyes to yourself,
and your tongue, too"
Dan crept off to his work, feeling as
if he had had a sound drubbing. Tears
of rage and modification stood in the
lads eyes.
"What dye think is down there,
boy-for you and all Of us? Death !
Death but tell nobody-nobodyp
He dropped his hold and staggered
''Mad as March hare? ?" said Dan,
to himself.
But half an hour later Dr. Farnall
was seated at the supper table, gay,
selfpossessed, keeping the captain in
roar with his good stories.
About the middle of the second
watch that night Dan turned out of his
bunk. The boy was really too anxious
to sleep.
death in the hold, Ell? Death in
the hold?" he repeated to himself.
He did not dare go to the captain or
crew with his story. Yet he was sure
some peril was at hand. He sat
shivering for awhile, then pulled on his
clothes.
of deaths in the hold, I'll find
him." he said.
He groped his way to the after
hatchway unquestioned; for the mate
who had charge of the deck was reclin
ing lstlessly against the rail further
aft, where the hatchway was hidden
from view by the cabin. The slide
was open. His heart beat quick with
excitement, but noiseless as a cat Dan
"Mother's rules do very well on land,
but they won't do on shipboard," he
muttered. "But there's something that
needs watching in the man, and I'll
watch him."
Nothing of moment happened, how
ever, for week. Then Dan observed
that the passengers days Of depression
and fasting grew more frequent. There
were whole nights when he paced the
deck until morning. The crew joked
together about him. One declared he
was murderer another that he had
escaped from lunatic asylum but the
common opinion was that he had run
auav from q tnrmnuaOt wife
"D'ye mind" said Irish Jem, chow
he eyes every ship we hail as though
she might be aboard? ?"
Dan never joined in the gossip below
decks about the mystery. One day an
incident occurred which strengthened
his suspicion. Just before nightfall,
when passing the after hatchway, in
the covering of which was a slide that
could be opened and closed at will,
Dan met Doctor Farnall coming up,
covered with dirt and dust. There was
an unsteady glare in his eyes. He
seized Dan by the shoulders.
"Do you know where have been ?"
he said, hoarsely.
"In the lower hold, sir, among the
boxes"
crept down to the lower deck, and
CROPPED for the hatchway that opened
into the lower hold. He was certain
that danger was afoot, so he was not
startled when he saw faint reddish
light, and found the lower hatchway
open.
The hold was not so closely slowed
but what one could move about quite
freely, and, on lowering himself care
fully, Dan saw that the light came from
lantern, and that it cast glare di-
rectly upon the face Of the passenger,
who was kneeling and working at
something upon the floor.
$50 that is the way Death looks,
Ell ?" thought Dan. "He couldn't well
look worse" and he eyed the haggard,
CHASTITY face.
"What grating noise is that ?" he
asked himself and in the same instent
he sprang forward with cry of hor-
rOr.
The passenger had an anger in his
hands, and saw lay beside him. He
had bored hole through the side OF
the vessel, below the water line, and
water was already coming through
The boy clutched Farnall, and shook
him like a wild beast.
"You are sinking usp' cried Dan
"Help! Help!"
The mailman turned upon him, and
nodded.
eyes, we'll all go down together
Don't make that cutlery Nobody can
hear YOU"
He had caught the boys wrist, and
held him with the unnatural strength
of the insane. Nobody could hear him
Dan remembered that, and became sud
denly silent. Horror and fear only
made Thought more vivid. Death was