The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-04-28

When he lowered 1t he said:
81 can just discover dark body
rising and falling on the waves, but
nothing more. Backstay Bob, you
have got the best eyesight of any one
on board. See what you can make of
it,"
Bob resigned his place at the wheel
to one of the men and came forward
and took the glass. He held it to his
eye for several minutes without speak
ing, and, to all appearances, without
even breathing, while we waited his
word with the deepest interest.
Finally he gave a great sigh and low.
cred it.
''Blow me, If it amt old Davy Jones
a1oat."
"How does it lookP" several of us
inquired in the same breath.
'I'll be hanged if can tell There's
no bowsprit, and"
Here he leveled his glass again, and
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 ?"
inquired the captain.
mot speck, or any place to put
one, either. Hold minute !" ex-
claimed Backstay Bob; 'I've got her
in range now. She amt got the least
mite of a boom, yard, or anything
like. She looks like some great hulk
of lightboat. Hold on again. 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
lurch to leewards. "
"Can you see anything aboard?"
mot creetur, living or dead"
"Keep away couple of points"
cried the captain to the man at the
wheel.
cay, ny, sir II
And the ships course was altered SO
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 of
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. No
doubt you imagine Old Nick is aboard,
with a crew OF little imps, bound for
the Galapagos Isles with o load OF
birthstone. If you'll content yourself
for half an hour longer, I'll tell you
something about it, for / 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 he meant what he said,
orders were given to heaye to, and to
get one OF the boats in readiness. BY
this time the nondescript was plainly
visible to all.
1t appeared to be an old hulk, with
a'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 were sew.
eral hundred yards intervening, and
it was only dimly discernible.
| A boat Was loWara1 and tho 10 in
having selected crew, pulled away
toward the hulk. l asked permission
to accompany it, but on account of a
recent illness was refused. Forum
ate for me indeed, was that refusal
There was something so extraordi-
nary regarding the appearance and
action of the 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 shsd'
owy forms merged into one. And
then followed an Impressive silence
suddenly broken by howl, a pistol
shot and a scream; and US our hearts
almost stopped beating we saw, a mo-
ment later, the boat put off from the
hulk, and the men rowing with all
their might back TO the ship. As
they came nearer we discerned that
the captain was missing.
Backstay Bob dashed toward the
boat and, shaking his fiet at the men,
demanded furiously:
"You cowardly dogs! Where is
Captain Luster?"
"The demon has got him p
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 hatchway and disappeared from
view. He was hardly out of sight
when the noise they had heard at first
was repeated, far louder and fercer.
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.