The herald., 1894-12-11


eagerly up at me with white face.
l called down, What is it?'' inter
preting his expression of fear into some
thing wrong. He came half way up the
LADDER and said:
"Some ones been trying to scuttle
the ship, l think. l can hear water run
ming in 'twixt the wall and the lining
in the after cabin in the steerage. F"
| instantly ran aft and repeated the
mans statement to the captain. He
looked at me steadfastlyw his grave,
funeral black eyes and exclaimed in a
dull, slow way:
"Scuttlel Nonsense, sir! Who would
commit such a crime aboard this ship?
Go below with the steward and report
what you hear and see.
was astonished by his cool reception
| of piece of news that, whether the
steward was mistaken ornot, must be
/ charged with significance even in the
lightest, most careless whisper Of it.
/ straightway descended the compan-
ion steps, and the steward followed me
by way of the cuddy front. We entered
the steerage, part of the hold under
the saloon or cabin deck. -Four cabins
were bulkheaded off on either hand.
They were now used mainly as store
rooms. In their day'they had been stock
ed with passengers, for the Sultan was
an old ship, and 1l5 years earlier than
the date of this story had not been with
out renown as brisk, comfortable,
roomy Liner, with regular sailings
from Blackwell for Australian ports.
We entered the after cabin on the
port side and stood listening A small
heave of swell ran through the lightly
wrinkled sea. Sounds of the straining
of cargo in the hold were audible, and
you heard now and again the sudden
shock and jar of the huge rudder turn
ing with the swell, then sharply arrest
ed by its gear But there was no need
to hearken long.
In a minute or two l distinctly heard
fountainliSe Running of water. 1t was
nearly dark l bade the steward jump
for light. He returned with lantern,
and on throwing the hight against that
part Of the lining or inner wall whence
the trickling noise proceeded l instant
ly discovered two auger holes neatly
plugged.
Good mercyl" shouted in sud
den fright. 1.-The ship has been holed
and will be sinking under our feet as
we stand here. "
| told the steward to remain in the
cabin with the lantern and rushed on
deck, shouting for the carpenter to lay
aft While Shirley was coming l re-
ported what l had seen to the captain,
who stiffened himself with dramatic
start of surprise.
Muttering in low, solemn, preach
ing voice: is it possible? Who has
done such thing:' he went below with
more alacrity than l had ever before
witnessed in him.
/ hastily explained the stewards dis
covery to the carpenter, who rushed
forward to his tool chest. He came
along quickly with the boatswain, and
we three went below, where we found
the captain in listening posture, view
ing the plugged holes by the light Of
the lantern he held.
The carpenter quickly whipped the
plugs out, and sure enough in the outer
side or wall Of the ship were two holes
through which the brine was gushing
with % diamondlike flash in the lantern
light as the streams arched betwiXt the
outer wall and the inner skin, slowly
filling the hold.
The holes were promptly plugged and
the well sounded. Two feet of water
was made. The pumps were manned
and presently sucked, proving all tight
and we'll with the auger holes.
There was an ominous growl Of Won
der and temper among the men as they
piled the brakes or stood near, waiting
to relieve the pumping gang. The cap
tain called me and asked if had amy
suspicion.
"None, sir, 1 answered. II can't
imagine any man aboard capable of so
diabolical a crime"
He took several turns, lost in thought.
! see him now, pacing abreast of me,
skewered up in sort of frock coat,
hands behind him, figure erect.
The dusk had gathered around. The
sky was full of brilliant stars, hover
ing sheet of prisms and crystals with
a scar of young moon i'll the west and
great play Of lightning down upon our
port quarter Presently the captain stop
ped and addressed me afresh. but our
talk led to no other conclusion than
this-that some one aboard had at
tempted to scUttle the ship
All hands passed a very restless night
Captain Jortin was necessarily up and
about During the middle watch, which
was mine, his shadowy figure was re-
peatedly shaping itself out of the COM
panion hatch and fitting in ghostly
fashion about the deck.
had some earnest conversation with
the boatswain and carpenter but none
of us could mako head nor tail Of this
piece of rascality nor in the dimmest
degree conjecture who was the villain
who had attempted the atrocious act.
went be,sw at eight bels--that is,
at 4 O'Clock in the niorning-first TAX
ing care to go the 1ounds of the after
part of the ship, very carefully looking
into each cabin and peering and listen
ing. Somehow I had fancy that there
might be q stowaway on board, intent
on a criminal purpose, in league, for all
| knew, with some one interested III the
vessel to defraud the underwriters. See
ing and hearing nothing, | Withdrew to
my berth and turned i'll.