Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1894-11-22
stepped to the pinnacle.

In Inc course OF tnat morning askeu
the stewart if it was true the man jack
son had been see 80 walk out of the
cuddy. He answ cred that, happening
to come up through the steerage hatch,
he had seen Jackson going forward close
from the culdy front as though the man
had just stepped from the cuddy itself.
We'll, but said ], you were in the
steerage, and had he been there with
an augcr, you'd have seen him, wouldn t
you p
u don't think it was him that did it, =
said the man.
I looked hard at him for to be sure.
if the thing was not the work Of Il stow
awsy-of some one hidden in the steer
age it must at least b, the act of a
person living aft with access, without
suspicion, to the cabins.
Well, l,nothing happened for three days
after this. Then, as I we'll remember,
it being very beautiful, glowing fore
noon watch, the wind ight breeze aft,
and the ship swaylng upon the delicate
pulse Of swell with scarce more than
steerage way on her, the carpenter came
from the pumps, where he had been
sounding the we'll, and standing under
the break of the pood, with the sound
ing-bell in his hand, called up to Inc :
Where's three foot of water in the
hold, sir 7
The steward was on the main deck
when this Was said, and instantly ran
into the cnddy. The captain was
walking aft, I bawled the news to him
and added that it the ship had not been
scuttled afresh she had sprung a leak.
He told me to cal the carpenter on
to the poop; and just then the steward
white as sheet, came running up the
companion-steps, crying out, as he
sprang through the hatch, that he could
hear the water running into the ship n
the same cabin where the holes had be
fore been discoyered.
The captain ran below as stilly as is
stiff, angular figure would permit. l
and the boatswain aud carpenter and
steward followed. On entering the
cabin we Immediately heard a loud noise
Of cascading waters.
1t Was high morning, and there Was
plenty oflight. This time the would
be scuttler hal given him self as little
trouble as possible; he had simply
knocked out the plugs from the ships
side, leaving the holes in the skin open.
The carpenter rushed forward for
tools and broom handle to serve az
plugs. Once again the leak was stopped
and as on the former occasion, on our
returning on deck the pumps were
manned and the hold free from water.
But now the sailors grumbed furi-
ously. First they insisted on Jackson
being released /; next on the ship being
narrowly searched.
From ten o'clock till four bells in the
afternoon watch we were employed in
overhaulng the vessel. We probed
every nook and Granny of her from the
forepeak to the lazaret, diligently seek
ing likewise for any signs of Il hidden
man in the steerage-all to no purpose.
The william, whoever he was, must GER
tainly be one Of the ships company.
For my part, I suspected the steward
and so did Shirley, the carpenter ; Mat
thews did not know what to think. The
captain stalked apart, gloomy and
silent.
That evening, i'll the first dog.watch,
I was in my cabin snokinga pipe, turn.
ing over in my mind some scheme for
protecting our liyes by stationing a
watch day and night aft, and wondering
if Captain Jortin would see his way to
some arrangement of this sort, when the
steward knocked on my door and walked
in.
The fellow addressed me civilly,with
an air Of reluctance and astonishment.
He said Captain Jortin had just given
him instructions to lock me up in my
cabin, where 1 was to consider myself
as under arrest, on suspicion of attempt
ing to scuttle the ship. My meals would
be served regularly. I'm sorry, SIR
added the fellow, TO haye to do this
duty
So saying, he closed and locked the
door, and l heard him withdraw the
key.
I sprang from my bunk, put my pipe
down, and stood overwhelmed with sur
prise and CONSERVATION. To be mere y
suspected Of such crime was to be pro
fessionally ruined.
I thought the captain must be mad to
lock me up without first charging me.
Why did not he confront me and accuse