San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-01-10

when did you make this discovery, STRIP
five blunderbusses, four horse pistols,
five other pistols and a dozen of cut
lasses.' They must be in the ship" he
exclaimed. 81 don't like the look of
this, sir. I'll not believe" he went on,
s~oftening his voice, with a glance at
the bulkhead of the adjacent cabin,
''that the crew have had a hand in it.
Yet the ~forecastle must be searched.
This was done when all hands were on
deck watching the whaler on fire. Who
sleeps next you?'
Captain Trollope and Nh. Weston,
sir. | don't think myself stammer-
ed the second mate with a bewildered
look.
what, sir, whatP" painted the old
skipper.
II doubt if they are in the ship"
continued the unfortunate officer.
"That window was open when l came
below. I don't recollect leaving it open
when / went on deck at s O'Clock. Who
ever did it has washed my berth out
for me-" and, striding to his bunk, he
grasped and held aloft a quantity of
blanket, sodden with salt water.
The captain made no answer He dart
ed many quick and curious looks around
the little interior.
Tommy Poolei Your captain viewed
but a poorly embellished hole; a por-
trait of Poole's mother cut out of black
paper, the lineaments bronzed; a small
crucifix at the head Of the bunk; q rack
containing a few pipes. But a man who
on sc a month supports an old mother
and a childless wife cannot handsomely
furnish his cabin.
go and call up both stewards, said
the captain.
The two men slept in the steerage.
They promptly arrived, tumbling, aston
ished and eager, ont of their hunks.
They were amazed to find the COM
mander of the ship at this sepulchral
hour of one bell standing hated, his
face inflamed, his hanging arms vibrat-
ing like the legs of a dreaming dog, in
the cabin of the second mate, who was
himself colorless as though he had been
stabbed.
""Trickle," said the captain, ''some
one has plundered the arms chest. He
pointed to it.
Trickle sunk his head and opened his
mouth.
"Did you notice anybody hanging
about the cuddy last evening when all
the people were ON deck looking at the
fire?"
Trickle thought hard. So did John,
the understeward. They stared at each
other; they revolved in the anguish OF
their struggle with recollection. One
seemed to have it, then the other, each
with a jerk of his fist, n finger up,
to no purpose. In fact, both men had
been on the forecastle while the sea
show lasted, and when they went aft
the passengers were coming IN q Douy
from the poop into the cuddy, talking
about the fire and looking about them
for grog,
Captain Benson stepped into the cud-
DIV and moved slowly along the floor,
CHANGING by the dimly burning lamp at
the cabins to right and left of him and
at the berths in the shadow beyond the
companion steps, up which he present
ly stalked. He was astounded. The old
heart of oak was terrified too. What
could the robbery Of the arms chest sig
Nifty but a conspiracy? Certain people
had armed themselves at the ships ex-
pense. For what purpose? His soul
croaked n conjecture that made him
reel ON his sturdy bowlegs as he step
ped out of the hatch into the rush Of
the black, wet wind and the gloom Of
the night, wild with flying cloud and
dipping stars. The mate came up to
him.
THE chest isplundered, sir, " painted
the CAPTAIN.
''W lere's the ammunition, sir?" in
M|