Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-16

placid sea, which danced and fickered
right away to the distant horizon.
The two lights still cleaned on to the
deserted deck and the two watchers still
watched on.
Meanwhile nature had not been idle.
away IN the distant horizon great masses
OF teecy clouds began to pile themselves
up one above another, gradually extending
themselves across the northern heavens.
The cloud packing went on for more than
half an hour, accompanied by hot puffs of
wind which now and again ruf1ed the
waters. The sky every minute grew blacker
and the clouds more dense; wild flashes of
lightning shot across the sky, and there
were mutterings of thunder In the distance.
The silent watcher In, the cuddy saw
nothing and heard nothing of all this.
His head had sunk heavily on his bosom
and he slept. Suddenly there was a noise
beneath the deck like the scratching of a
rat; then, slowly and noiselessly, the
trap hatch under the table was lifted, and
through the aperture a head with curly red
hair and fierce eyes appeared. They were
those Of the Jarvise, the mate. After
pausing to see that all was clear; he placed
his hands on the deck, and then with a
supreme effort, he silently lifted himself
into a sitting posture, and again he paus-
ed to listen. He could hear the regular
breathing of his companion as he sat Sleep
ing peacefully, and a grim smile
of satisfaction passed across his
wildand haggard face. Silently
and stealthily he crawled clear of the
table and then stood up erect on his feet.
His eyes g1ared wildly and his breath came
quick and short as he drew a knife from
he IO~c., 81 x1,-o1 Is-.-olf l. IL
All unconscious of his peril Capt. Dun
of danger from such a quarter,
no idea that the mate had for
two days been laboring with maniacaI patti
ence and t~enacity to clear an opening
through the cargo and had at length sue
ceeded In making his way to the cabin
hatch.
Jarvise stood over his intended victim,
his eyes glittering with diabolical delight,
the blow was in the act of descending
when his arm was arrested. The cabin
was suddenly Illuminated with a blue,
electric light, and a peal of thunder, loud
as the crack of boom broke over the ship.
The maniac stood with his arm raised, as
though ithad suddenly paralyzed.
The crash of the thunder awoke Capt.
Dunnet from his slumbers and he sprang
to his feet. He took in the situation at a
glance and hinging himself on his would
be-murderer sought to disarm him. The
struggle was for dear life and the mate
fought s~avagely. But at last the captains
superior skill and strength prevailed and
Jarvise was once more at his mercy.
"Strike, man, strike!" shrieked the
mate. at is your life or mine!"
You are mad, Jarvise exclaimed the
captain.
Eyes, I am; but strike, man, strike!
Put an end to the torture; | can stand no
more of it."
MOI" cried the captain, throwing him
from him.
Then he turned and lett the cabin, locking
the door behind him.
Out on the deck a grand and startling
sight met his view. The whole of the
northern part of the heavens was envelop-
ed In the blacklist darkness, while the
southern half was clear and bright. The
next instant the northern half was ablaze
with the most vivid light. But il twas not
this that caused suh excitement in the
breast of Capt. Dunnett. The central OBJ
ject IN this scene was a large brig, not
more thar a mile and a half distant, bear
ing down to their succor, under a press of
canvas.
For a second or two he stood rooted to
the spot. Then, In a wild transport
of JOY, he threw up his arms and cried
out:
Saved! Saved! Thank heaven! Thank
heaven!''
All thoughts of Jarvise's diabolical at
tempts on his life vanished, and In an in
slant he had unlocked the cuddy door, ano,
seized the mate by the arm, dragged him,
half-stunned and dazed by his fall, out on
to the main deck, and, as another fash of
lightning disclosed the brig again to their
view, cried:
There! There! See what a merciful
heaven has sent us!''
A second or two afterward a vivid flash
of lightning moved over the mizenmast. it
ran down the mast, which tottered and
with a crash fell over the side. With the
first crash of thunder hat fallowed. Jarvise
rushed toward the side and was in the act
of springing into the sea when Capt Dun
nett seized him by the collar and flung him
violently ON the deck, where he lay stunned
and bleeding.
The lightning flashed almost necessarily,
The wind came in hot puffs. The brig
was within half mile of them. But sud-
uCDlN lIlC IOb DuuS CtdStu dltu SlIC ldl
motionless on the water.
All this time Capt. Dunnett and the
mate who had soonrecoyered his,conscious-
ness, stood watching her In IN agony of
suspense.
The gloom was rapidly deepening; the
clouds were hurry1ng on; themOOn and the
stars had all disappeared, and the sky was
one vast pail of inky blackness. Broad
sheets of lightning now and then shot up
from the bosom of the ocean, illuminating
the whole mass of sea and clouds with a
blue, spectral light, which made the por-
tentous aspect of the heavens more visible.
while the silence, when unbroken by the
thunder, was solemn and oppressive.
But what is that curling up from the
open hatch in the cabin? 1t is smokei At
first it came in small wreaths; but now it
Is Touring out In a great volume.
The ship Is on fire.
The lightning which had shivered the
mizzenmast had descended into the hold and
set fire 10 the cargo and the conflagration
was spreading rapidly.
The two men. when they made the dis
covery, stood appalled, with horror. They
hnew they were standing, as it were, on a
volcano. for in the magazine below was
stored a quantity of ~gunpowder, which
might explode at any moment and blow
the ship to atoms.
The smoke bleached forth in large vol
ums, and now and again d bright, flicker
ing flame shot up from the hatchway.
In another few minutes the flames were
pouring into the cuddy and the whole
structure was on fire. The flames extend
ed and in less than ten minutes the whole
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