The morning call., 1893-05-28
"some beast shrieklng in a Dream" said

down the tackles into the boat hard over
hand. The blocks were quickly unlocked
and Mr.. Bates with his boathook in his
hand poied us under the huge dark counter
of the ChiIde Harold. Three oars were
noiselessly thrown over and padded US
clear of the ship.
Scarcely were we gone ten lengths when
again we heard that strange. wild. meian-
choly, halloing cry. Tom said: sis not
that man there on the fok's'le?"
"Yes," said VIII; she is reelng and wav-
ing. He'll be overheard if he doesn't mind
his eye."
The fellow let fly sudden veil.
Course him!" cried Tom. He sees US.
Give way now"
There he goesP cried Mr.. Bates.
A cry like the scream of gull came
across the silent sea, and we heard the
and Will silted their oars as though to put
back.
PULL" cried Tom. fiercely.
won't you return to pick him up?" said
the mate.
PULL" Kissed Tom. Return to that
hell? Pull! Break your backs! A sui
eide in deIirium. Let them all leap!
There's the peace of God over the side :;
there's the devils own hell within board
Pnnw
He strained at hiseown oar with fury;
the others piled with all their might The
boat buZZed over the smooth surface, the
smudge of the craft for which we were
making was dead on the end over the bow.
The moon hung low, large and red; the
situation of our boat put the convctship
right over against the satellite. and the
vessel was painted upon the red surface of
the orb. Never did the ocean offer more
impressive sight-plece. An awful
horror went into the ship out of the fancy
of the man drowning alongside. Her sails
n
against the moon; her rigging ran in fire
black lines: the ship looked to be af0at in
vapOr, so smoky was the obscurity which
moved over the face of that black greasy
calm in folds like smoke.
There was no moSe halloing; so still
was the breast on which the vessel lay
that never sound of the flap OF canvas.
the jar of a wheel chain, the clank of a
tOpsail sheet, came from her. Slowly she
receded 10 the impulse of our oars; then
sliding out of the sphere of the moon. she
glmmered dimiy and lowered like pale
cloud rising off the edge of the sea.
Tom and the others rowed steadily,
they had slackened their pace, and the
boat foamed along TO the steady sweep Of
the blades. They talked as they pulled.
Bates, wouldn't have put back" said
Tom. ''if fifty of Them had sprung over
board. 1t was too late. Once away from
such ship as that, it must be away for
ever with u.s."
You're in the right. 1t was just the
impulse to save life, Butler"
81 smell wind" said Will.
THE mate turned his head and ex-
claimed, Yes. there's dark line of wind
10 the south ard, tombstone"
"What will happen to the con vict ship
if strong wind shou Id catch her as she
lies without a living creature on the look
out or al the wheel?" said !.
Let the masts be ripped out of her."
exclaimed Tom. She'll be fallen in with.
Lie with dogs and rise with fleasl The
mere seeing her people. the mere listening
to them makes man feel beast, because
he's shaped like them. Oh, God. Bates,
think of months of living with them
Where's the brig"
She was now showing in big dark
blotch at the distance Of about two miles.
Already the water was ripping to light
breeze, but no weight was in il to cause
anxiety, by which mean no vessel could be
propelled by the draught as fast as we
could row.
Tom said, BATES, you will leave 1t to
me TO explain. You and Mss tombstone
and her cousin will hear me spin my yarn.
There'll be little to say. Only let this be
understood, you're the mate and Pm the
second mate"
do you know. Tora," said 1, "that you
are still wearing the convict's trousers and
shlrt?'
by heaven. l had forgotten" he cried,
jumping up. Marian, take my seat ami
held this oar
He went into the bows. Often had
pulled an oar upon the Thames and liked
the diversion. / rowed now heartily with
the others, and nothing was lost by Tom
leaving his seat He shifted with a sailors
smartness in few minutes, and hove his
ahOmlnabe convict apparel overheard
His dress was composed of such Stops as
hnF, 10 49, III -nl-
cloth cap. lie took the oar from me and |
seated myself again in the stern sheets.
That brig is move to-" said |. Look at
her. She seems TO be waiting for u.s."
l said this when she was half a mile off
She was then plain IN sight; small brig
under toDsails aud maintop gallant-sail (;
the squares OF those sails were outlined
against the stars. She showed no light.
and hung visionary aud silent in the void
like gloom, the sea and the night hlent
into a sort of flowing darkness by the
blowing of the wind. We drew close, and
Tom, throwing in his oar, stood up and
hailed her. He got no answer. He hailed
deathlike on board.
The lookout sleeps WE'LL" said Mr..
Bates.
She's derelict," said Tom. I've been
thinking so ever since soon after / first
saw her. Shove along side, get aboard and
tiiui IL tHeIe ID one 10 Ut IL LOT u.s. tDlS
breeze will help to nut the Childe Harold
behind the horizon before dawn
The vessel had, as most crafts had in
those days, platforms called channels at
her side for spreading her lower rigging,
She was a little brig; the channels sat
low ana were but step from our gunwale
/ easiIv got over the side with the Others
and VIII took a turn with the boats
painter to secure her. The low moon gave
no light now co see by, the starlight was
faint and the decks OF the brig ,rau dark
fore and aft. We made out a house run
ming the length of the quarterback. The
d DOR was closed. Tom threw it open and
shouted long and loud. No voice an
swered. Not sound was returned in an
swed you heard nothing but the ripplin 9
of the breeZe-stirred waters along the
bends. The mate went forward aud be al
upon the foleScuttle and bawled and still
we got no answer.
1t was sure we haG lighted on an abau-
doned ship, so far as life went; that she
had been the theatcr Of tragedy aud was
yet frightened with some secret horrors
remained TO be discovered.
Has she a boat forward, Bates ?" called
Tom.
mo boat SIR"
Jump into the quarter boat, tombstone.
and hand the things out of her. She'll tow
astern TIL daylight"
There is the hand of God in this, But.
Ter, said Mr.. Bates, splemnly. whilst he
received the things from win out of the
boat.
rs the hand out yonder among those
drenched sleepers? answered Tom. sui
lenly and gloomly. .Who the devil are
we to sail away with providence? You
Halter Yourself, Bates. Is everything ont