The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-04-26
CHAPTER XXI
DE PHOFTNpIa


or some unknown force had drawn the
wreck from the aChooner's side and | iound
| had been slowly drifting south, bciaR now
sume ten or a dazen rods of the vessels
starboard bow. by the most intense lie
tcning ! could hear a subdued sound Of
voices but from what part oi the deck Il
proceeded | was too far away TO determine.
All around me was black water, with moth
ing in sight saving the shadoNy hull al the
Phantom and a guiding light, evidently
ywinging over the stern Of The Sputc, though
that Graf, was swallowed 10y the distance
and general gloom. Not star was IN sight,
not a breath broke the glassinesS of the 81.
lent swell a. t rolled northwari. The orcan
never seemed 80 vast nor IT. depths ~ rr.
pulsiyc a. nov, when IN the darkness II
clung 10 me with lie chilly Fingers. The
ialhoms below caprd like an open pit. Bnd
it was with couvulsivc horror that lei go
my hold on the dingy and struck out for
the schooner, rcsolute. come what might,
10 rid myself of the irishtiui loneliness
which all at incc was maguihcd before me
Indeed, / felt that my time had come. For
good or evil there would be a sharp turn
Of ahairs but II evil. / would dic los shot or
sword; not TO the black element shout me
would ! give myself.
Like frightened child fleeing from The
DARK At first swan boldly, but, as my
Vigor sent before me . small surf THAI ruarcd
through the silence, ah5led my speed,
and with slow and nuiselcss stroke headed
myself toward the srhooucr's bow, that
[ might approach her as did when drifting
through the iog The gold 10 ms pockets
dragged on me, but not once did think
Of ridding myself ol the burden. Tor the
Swim wac short, aud ! had won the money
hardly. However, It seemed an arr ere |
saw the phantom's bowsprit OUTLINED against
the sky over my head. and 10y the time |
felt the fruucss Of her hob,tay 20 my hand
samcthing like confidence came hack Ca
me- and my momcu.ary horror Of the deep
was past The touch of tho uEE.ug Vu.
strength IN mc, and ! slowly drew myself
out Of the water thst the torrent from my
clothing might not attract attention from
the deck | could now hear the sound a
voices plainly, and knew % came from for.
ward, but 1t was too muiiied for me 10 make
head or tail Of the conversation. IL would
guide my actions in a measure, for 90 long
- 1t continued. my presence would he un-
suspected.
Carefully dragged myself up untl came
within reaching distance ot the howsprit,
aud thea | brought my head to the level Of
the deck. The jb and Niaysaii hung mo-
tionlcss from their rigging but from be-
ueath the latter | marked the figure oi
man leaning against the larholTd fore
,hrouds and smoking n pipe as De- looked
over the water lie was partly turned to-
ward me, and ~ long as he held this 20.
.tion | could not advance A. far aft a.
could see the deck was otherwise dcsFrted,
though a light. hitherto concealed by the
rail, cleaned from the cabin window. \
s'Ight yellow haze spread from the open
hatch of the fOrecAstic, and from there came
the voices heard.
Putting myself astfidc the howsprt, sat
couceai,l from the iarboard side by the
,shooHer's head cloths. though hy hcuhns
my body could peer beneath the ,ails and
sce the figure that blocked my further prog
ress. The talking from the open hatch
drowned the drip Of the small streams still
flowing from ny clothing, though 1t seemed
to accentuate the m0uruful crrak that
from the top hamper occasionally answered
the heavier rolls Of the sea was nov mo.
mentArily at my wits end, for neither for
ward nor backward could ] 60 Had ]
wished to return to the wreck, ! could have
found that speCk in the darkness. and my
plans had not extended beyond getting on 10
the vessel, and this had been accomplished,
Hut | had not remained passlvely seated
astride the bowsprit many minutes before a
scheme opened before me. IL was born OF ne.
ccssity, and unless he should soon move. dc.
mAnded the life Of the fellow standing b. the
shrouds had barely come to this cunclu-
sion when, as though he read my thoughts
aud felt the sinister threat they contained, be
knocked the ashes from his pipe and turned
himself toward his companions below.
As he came into the radius OF light that
shot from the hatch, | saw he was an ordi-
nary aeamAn--a regulation manOi wa: y
msu-from his light pumps TO his oiled and
eelskincssed pigtai curling clear Of the
collar Of his shirt With a light remark 10
his fellows. he seated himself on the top
step Of the ladder leading down, and, rest
ing his elbows on his knees and his chin
on his elnched hands, started TO palaver
with those below, probably enjoying 10 the
fullest extent the contrast in the discipline
Of the two vessels.
Hie action was a glRring piece Of marine
careleasness, but 1t both saved his life and
opened to me q way to act. Now, with the
taznle Of light full in his face, he might lift
his head yet fail to sec me, and, as the
time was ripe, | felt for the foot ropes and
silently slid to the heel of the bowsprit.
Once there, crept 10 the eathead, ahd from
there with a spring reached the fore
castle opening behind the nnsuApeeting
sailor. With a sudden push ] sent him
headlong GA to his fellows, and then quick.
ly closed the doors. slid the hatch cover, tas-
tened Il, and for the third time had made
the Phantom's forward quarters prison.
There was now little time TO spare, for ]
knrw the rumpus that would come would
attract the cabin. and il behooved me TO set
command of that ere iounshury could act
on the offensive. snatchiug a bcayiHg pin
from its ring on the mast, ran 10 the galley,
but found il dark and ds~ertsd From there
hurried aft, and, without the prccsutien
Of peeping through window, presented my
srlf AZ the open door Of the companion way.
| knew not what would find. but was far
from expecting the eight thai met niy eyes.
The lantern swinging from it, beam had
bees trimmed and washed, and east stToaR
light over the interior. Though no one was
at the table, ID showed that a makeshiil
fAttAl uAd Hcfb HfIi btOia thS t7itaAtt w. ~
the Phantom there were nov no means OF
cooking. as pots. kettles and table gear had
gone the way Of my instruments. In
h..sk the ssrisin~ al which were iinns vide,
and al the eide Of which stood bucket ci
water, lay Ames, his face like chalk aud his
eyes closed, hut whether in death CT sleep
l roald not tell. On iransofn locker 81 the
ether aide Of the cabin spmwled the Doctor,
somewhat more than tipsy, bis head rolling
10 and fro with the plunge VI the vesasl,
while In bis hand was bloody rag OF
hzndase. He was yainly trying TO reach q
bottle and glass that stood near him on The
naor. the hsave ef tho sehooner throwing
hin of bis balance at each attempt TO raise
himself. At the sxtrcsns end OF TIE ecrn
p&rtment was Lounsbury on his knees work
ing a the hulkhead with ssrpsatrr'r ehisfl
ssd mikiss msllet. IgnorinF chs prsssnrs
Of ~ dssnkse sarrs5r. be had torn sway
AL ~ eonlSg 10 the rsFtiti1n, sn6 bed