Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-11-12


is stowaway below"
Its no living voice. was the re-
ply; lit sounds us il it came from u
skellington."
found crowd OF men standing in
awed postures near the hatch and the
most frightened OF all looked to me
to be the ordinary seaman Dick. who
had backed away on the other side OF
the hatch and stood looking on. lean
ing with his hands on his knees and
staring rs if he were fascinated. |
waited two or three minutes which
in a business like this seems long
time, and hearing nothing | was go
ing to ridicule the men for their nerv-
BUSINESS when hollow voice under
the hatch said distinctly. 'It's terri
BILE thing to DO a ghost and NOT be
able TO get out. l was greatly
startled and ran aft TO tell the cap
tain. who agreed with mo that there
must be stowaway in the hold. and
that he mad gone mad We both went
forward and the hatch was lifted and
We looked on top of the coal aud /
was about to ask some Of the men to
Join me iu search in the fOrepeak.
for upon my word l had no taste.
single handed. for job of that kind
at such . moment when the voice
said: There is no use looking
you'll never find me; I'm not to be
seen"
.'Conround me- cried Captain
Rothery polishing his forehead with
a pocket handkerchief IF / ever
heard OF such a thing. Ill tell you
what il is he shouted looking into
the hatch. dead men cant talk and
so as you're bound to be alive you'd
better come up out OF that and smart
ly too dye hear? or you'll find this
the worst attempt at skylarking that
was ever made.
There was u short silence. aud one
saw all hands straiuing their ears.
for there was light enough for that
given out b. lantern one OF the men
held.
You couldn't catch me because
you couldn't see me said the voice
in die away tone, and this time it
came from the direction of the main
hatch. as though it had fitted aft.
Well, said the captain. may |
be dn' And without another
word he walked away on TO the poo D.
/ told the men to clap the matches
on again and they did this in double
quick time evidently afraid that the
ghost might pop up out OF the hold
if they did not mind their eye.
All this made US very superstitious
from the captain down to the boys.
| We talked it over in the cabin. and
the second mate was incredu'ous and
| disposed to ridicule me
Anyway" said he. Its strange
that this voice is only heard on your
watch. It's never favored me with
any remarks. The creaking and
grooming of an old wooden ship is
often like spoken words and what
you've been hearing may be nothing
but n deception OF the ear. !"
III it's anybody's ghost said l.
1T mist be the Italian's-the chap
that was starved in the forepeak."
Il doubt that said Captain Roth
cry. Il didn't detect anything for
eign in what he said To my mind il
sounded more Whitechapel than
Italian" l went down the poop on
the lookout for a deeper shadow upon
the sea to indicate the approach oil
wind. when man came to the ladder
| and said: There's someone attacking
to the ship under the bows"
Are you awaken" said |.
Heaven help me as l stand here.
sir. exclaimed the fellow. solemnly.
.if that there voice which talked in
the hold tother day amt now over
the side"
ran forward and found most o.
the watch huddled together near the
starboard cathead. l peered over.
and there was dead silence.
What are you looking over that
side for? I'm here.' said a thin.
faint voice that seemed more in the
air than in the sea.
.Therem exclaimed one OF the sea.
men in a hoarse whisper that's this
third time. Whichever way we look.
he's on the other"
but there must be someone in tht
water " said another man. Anybody
see his houtline. Cuss me il l couldn
swear see q chap swimmin' jus
now"
NO no. " answered someone graf
~. nothing but phosphorus Joe
and the right sort Of stuff, too for i
this amt Old Nick"
You're liar Sam. came th,
voice clear ana. as one could swear
plain from over the side There wa
general recoil and sort OF groal
among the men. At the same mo
meat colared a figure standing nea
me and slued him around to bring hi
face fair TO the starlight clear OF tn
staysail. Come along with me
Master Dick. said ], and I marched
him off to the forecastle along tn
main deck and up on the poop. 81
you're the ghost eh?" said ]. Why
to have kept your secret you shout,
have given my elbow wider berth
No wonder the voice only makes OBJ
serVations in my watch You re to-