Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-04-10
Finally he gave great sigh and low.

inquired IN the same breath.
"I'll be hanged il can tell! There's
no bowsprit, and"
Here he leveled his glass again, anG
shortly after continued his observa
tions.
"There's no sail-no nothin'."
''There must be something"
"Aw-certalnly - aw - something
certainly, if your vision-aw-is able
to discern it," ventured the gentle
Adolphus Fitzgibbon.
"Don't you see anything like sail p
inquired the captain.
mot speck, or any place to put
one, either. Hold minute!" ex'
claimed Backstay Bob; "I've got hel
in range now. She nin't got the least
mite OF a boom, yard, or anything
like. She looks like some great hulk
of lightboat. Hold on again. l see
the bell. They've rugged it up at the
masthead, so that it swing back ards
and for'ards every time the thing gives
a lurch to leewards.
"Can you see anything aboard?'
mot a creetur, living or dead"
''Keep away couple OF points
cried the captain to the man at the
wheel.
GAY, ay, sir!'
And the ships course was altered SC
as to bring her rapidly to the mysteri'
GUS craft toward which all eyes were
directed.
Several of the company now openly
remarked that there was something
supernatural in the appearance OF this
boat, with its tolling bell. To all ol
these Florence Harris and her lover
replied lightly, neither OF them having
the least faith in their credulity.
The captain listened impatiently and
then said:
"You're all set of towards. Nc
doubt you imagine Old Nick is aboard,
with crew OF little imps, bound ior
the Galapagos Isles with a load OF
birthstone. If you'll content yourself
for half an hour longer, Ill tell you
something about it. for I intend to
board that old numbering hulk, even if
it turns out to be the Flying Dutchman,
or Davy Jones' flagship, and shall ex.
plore it from stem to stern"
To show that Le meant what he said,
orders were given to heave to, and to
get one Of the boats in readiness. By
this time the nondescript was plainly
visible to all.
It Itsppeared to be an old hulk, with
single mast in the centre. The bell
was suspended from the masthead,
and ever and anon sent forth its sol.
emn tolling, as the hulk rose and sunk
with the heavings OF the sea.
Before the ship was brought to we
had passed the hulk some distance, so
that when we halted there we're sew.
eral hundred yards intervening, and
it was only dimly discernible.
A boat was lowered, and the captain
having selected crew, pulled away
toward the hulk. I asked per mission
to accompany it, but on account of q
recent illness was refused. Forum.
ate for me indeed, was that refusal
There was something so extraordi-
nary regarding the appearance and
action of ths hulk that the curiosity
OF us all was so intense as to be pain.
full. We strained our gaze, as the
captain and his crew drew rapidly
near it.
We saw the distance swiftly decrease
between the two boats until the shad
owy forms merged into one. And
then followed an Impressive silence -
suddenly broken by howl, pistol
shot and a scream; and us our hearts
almost stopped beating we saw, a mo.
ment later, the boat put of from the
hulk, and the men rowing with all
their might back TO the ship. Az
they came nearer we discernod that
the captain WAS missing.
Backstay Bob dashed toward the
boat and, shaking his fist at the men,
demanded furiously:
"You cowardly dogs! Who're is
Captain Luster?"
"The demon has got him!"
Absurd as the reply might have
seemed at any other time, it was ut.
tered in solemn earnest, as the ghastly
faces of the crew attested.
In reply to our eager questions,
they said the moment they came along
side the craft they heard low, hol.
low, unearthly sound, which caused
them to hesitate. The captain climbed
up the side Of the vessel, descended
the hatohway and disappeared from
view. He was hardly out of sight
when the noise they had heard at first
was repeated, far louder and fiercer.
The next moment the report of the
captains pistol was heard, followed by
terrific shrek, and then all was
still.
Horror. struck, they called loudly
and repeatedly to their commander,
but receiving no answer pulled away
from the ship.
you're purity set OF cowardly
sneaks, amt you, to go and desert
your captain that way, when, like
enough, he needed ysu TO save his life, "
exclaimed Backstay Bob, forgetting in
his fury that the first mate WAS among
those whom he denounced. "I'n, go.
ing back to that old hulk, and If l
cant get at the demon in any other
way I'll put n keg of powder in it and
blow it to blazes!"
"Bob is right, if his excitement does
mako him forget his manners," said
the mate. "It was not my intention
to desert Captain Luster in trouble.
The men were so frightened that l
thought it best to come back and get
q new set."
There was some difficulty in procur.
ing the requisite number; aud, &C.
cordingly. Prescott aud myself were
accepted. As the former went over
the ships side, Florence Harris said !:
"Don't come back, Edmund, until
you have heard what has become of
poor Captain Luster."
He gavo her his promise, and few
minutes later the boat showed of, and
we rapidly neared the hull, which had
acquired such strange interest to us
oil.
D....kk :, 1J;k;op IN his rovolvoy