San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-01-17

ing her feloniously.
"All these ten men are not very pleas
ant company" said the doctor.
"A few of them don't like the looks
of" said the mate. "Mr. Caldwell
would skin his father for guinea
dare say Mr. Davenire's big head blabs
more to his pillow than he would like
the world to know. But Burn, Masters,
Weston, seem to me at times to have the
making of what they call good fellows
in them. think this" said he little
eagerly, outstretching his forefnger, ''if
there's any conspiracy it's been brought
about since the ship sailed, and Trollope
bosses it.
Its an extraordinary state Of affairs
certainly" said the doctor. but the
more think the more / fancy there's
less danger than fear 'Twixt you and
me. Mr.. Matthews, the captain has
shown a degree of irritability of late
that-that-well, it's not a good sign,
and say it as the medical man of this
ship. He's in the sixtieth year Of his
age and has led a very hard life. For
many years he's been burdened with
the responsibilities of command, and l
think you will find that he is outstay-
ing the period when most men are
forced to give up by age or Illness Six
ty at sea corresponds with so on shore. F"
"You re right in that, said the mate,
CHANGING at his watch and then remov-
ing the sextant. Its life TO kink the
spine of an elephant Going to sea is a
new birth, and many young daisy
comes back to his mother with the with.
cred face of the monkey"
"What advice" said the doctor,
should one be able to offer to the com
mander Of a ship under such circum-
stances as these?"
"There it is" said the mate.
~ believe nerve tonic" explained
the doctor, would extinguish very
large part of this amazing suspicion.
"Well, have got what want from
you," said the mate, going to the door.
~ have observed his irritability, and
my place as chief officer should not stop
me from very privately seeking your
opinion on that head. There ought to
be delusion somewhere in it, " he add
ed, with a slow smile, "for I've sat
with those ten fellows at the foot for
some days, exchanged minds middling
freely with some Of them, and never
till just now got hold of suspicion-l
mean of the captains sort.
They left the cabin. The mate took
L., lnnly aud fhn lnotnr want
below to his berth in the steerage to
mediate over the above conversation
with pipe in his mouth. the fumes
from which somewhat disguised the dis
gushing smell of drugs breathed into the
atmosphere of the confined, oppressive
crib by scores of dirty bottles on shelves.
The ladies and Mr.. Dent and Mr..
Storr were shocked, and some of them
Mortified in various degrees by Miss
Mansel's mysterious disappearance.
There had even gone whisper of muir
der among them, and more than one
pair of eyes belonging to this group
would 60 to Mr.. Dayenire, but more
particularly to Mr.. Caldwell, as those
two gentlemen walked the lee side of
the deck, while the captain and mate
were screwing at the sun.
All through dinner time in the fore
castle little more was talked Of than the
girls disappearance.
Seems as if the fox sle had got into
the cuddy this bout" said a hairy faced
man called John, saving at piece Of
pork upon biscuit, which he used as a
trencher. "By the noble Joseph, mates,
but it 'ud be good news for sailors to
Farm that the crew of vessel had been
asked by the skipper to protect him from
the passengers. "
81 don't allow myself that she was
drowned" said Bill. you'll find it
was an accident. Not even soocide, as
they tarm it. These here young ladies
get romantic notions. They come up on
deck, when they ought to be below, to
look at the steears and to watch how
beautiful the white sails pull the vessel
along. They'd boiler and run if they
saw a rat, but don't understand proper
danger, at least at sea. They get mess
ing about ON the rail, peering over the
side to dream Of their sweethearts,
while they see nosegays and love knots
and valentines in the fire that burns in
the water passing along, till all in
minute over they CO."
"Her time was up" croaked Tom.
"Her soul was under orders to sail.
What does it matter how the call was
obeyed? Whether she fell overheard or
jumped overheard or was chucked over
board, as AIRY here thinks. y
81 think it, and I'll tell you why"
said AIRY, who though Dane by birth
shipped always under an English name,
while he spoke the tongue much more
fiuently than most of his English mates.
"What did that man come out to the
lib boom for last night? He said he walk
ed in his sleep. He's a blooming liar,
and I'll tell him so if he likes to come
here. Do sleep walkers sing out as
though they'd got rat in their CUTS?
What did he want to make all that
noise for2 My notion is it was to bring
ayarythipo forrads so as the decks