Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-05-06

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
anything 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.
run and speaking with a broken
breath. It's true, SIR, he gasped, if it
isn't old Jack it's the devil. [ heard
him say "I'll punish all of We for drown
ing of me. Head as you will, it's old
Jack as is at the hellum now, and so
stand by n' But, good thunder!
cried /, 'how is a mans voice going to
sound in the forecastle out Of the fore
peak? Answer me that, you fool
We'll, come forrards and hear it your
self. sir he exclaimed, sullenly.
ct instantly assented and walked for
ward, followed by all hands; and not
without a beating heart, i admit, but
with good air of carelessness upon me,
l stepped into the forecastle. 1t was
topgallant forecastle entered by two
doors abreast of the windlass ends;
slush lamp swung under the beams and
the light was very weak. L entered
with the second mate, and stood listen
ing. For some minutes nothing sound
ed but the hard breathing of the sea-
men, who filled the doorway, squeezing
the foremost in, though these pressed
back like a wall, making such JAIN as
might account for louder snoring. Queer
creakings and groanings arose out of
the slightly swaying hull in the silence,
with the faint sound of the bow wave
softly washing from the cut water.
Then on sudden heard a dim, hoarse
voice-weakened as it were, by the
thickness of the deck between, with a
note of rage in it as though the fellow
could barely articulate for his teeth be-
ing fixed-exclaim: Curse the ship, [
say! Curse all hands in her, says |.
I'm murdered man and I'll haunt We
ALL There sir, cried the second mate,
backing to the men whose breathing was
now stormy with emotion. Scarce was
this said when one of the seamen, who
had apparently been forced forward by
the pressure of the others, was run al
most up to me by the long arm of the
chief mate, who, unperceived by me,
had worked his way into the crowd to
learn what was going on. This mate
stood over six feet high and was giant
in strength, and the head of the fellow
who his shoulder-of-mutto fist grasped
by the scruff of the neck was on a level
with his chin. Here's the ghost, sir,
said he. The sailors now came bundling
in swarm, This is the ghost, repeat
ed the mate; giving the fellow shake
which threatened to throw his head off
his deck. Otis deuced clever, my lad,
but it's joke that wants sea room, an
other shake. Own to it, own to it he
cried, before / screw your neck Off
Il own to it,, said the man. Own to
what?' / ask why, sir answered the
mate, he has the trick of throwing his
voice, and wonderfully we'll he does it,
too. had my eye on him this after
noon and suspected him. Pm sure of it
now, for he didn't know / stood close
behind him.
"Some of the men muttered. [ in
stantly perceived that they looked upon
this as a conspiracy between me and
the mate to allay their fears, and clearly
seeing that it must be as the mate said,
and heartily despising myself for the
alarm | had felt throughout the day, |
Immediately formed a resolution.
Your names Andover?' said to the
man. Yes, sir he answered. You
confess it was you who made old Jack
talk on the grating and down here?'
| do, sir, he answered, with writhe,
for the shoulder of mutton chung to him
as a wise. Prove it to the men, said I,
and III forgive you. You can let go of
him, Mr.. More The man coughed;
a moment after we all heard old Jack
cursing us all in the forepeak. The de-
ception was exquisite; in sober truth,
my admiration of the skill of the fellow
was altogether too great to suffer me to
punish him, even had | not promised
him forgiveness. A few further ex-
amples Of his genius sufficed to reassure
the sailors, and | went aft, leaving them
to deal with him as they chose. How
ever, he managed to make his peace by
entertaining them with his art as VEN
triloquist. Indeed, after the first
spasm of temper they were too we'll
pleased to believe that old Jack was
really dead and gone, and too much as
tonished by Andover's cleverness to
feel much resentment. IOften had this
me. He had the ace of born COM
edian, and I strongly advised him to
start as a ventriloquist ashore, where, [
don't doubt, under proper training, he
might have proved fortune for himself
or for an employer. But, unhappily,
he got into some scrape at our first port
of call, and had to leave him behind
me; and when, long afterWard, [ in
uuired after him, I gathered that he had
taken to drink and died in a hospital.
Yet I recall him with gratitude, for he
quite cured me of my superstitions. p
London Telegraph.
A Man Raises HIS Hat.