Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-01-04

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4 the sea?' he suggested, half-inquiring
~. Everybody In this neighborhood
seems to be, andsI've no doubt it's q
good calling enough for those who like
it. Not for me, though! Give me the
dry land and my quiet little keepers
cottage to live in. What do you sup.
pose, now, brings me down here
amongst this shipping r.
'Going abroad, maybe?" hazarded
Bradshaw.
! God forbidp' calculated the pseudo
keeper, fervently. 'tNo; am trying ia
ter, who who left New Zealand fol-
who hasn't turned up vet, though his
ship reached port safe enough. They
tell me she's in one of those big docks
here, but that I'm too late this evening
to go aboard Of herr -
!. ''What's her name?" asked Brad
shaw, with an assumed carelessness
which, judging from their looks Of ea-
ger interest, the other two were far
from sharing.
:nrlle Wairoa," answered Trail, after
consulting his pocketbook. :',
sWell, Ill be hanged if you haven't
come across a rare bit Of luck!' ex-
claimed Bradshaw, affecting not to- no
tice the warning glances and gestures
of his companions. 'My two friends
here belong to that very ship: Mr..
I Spratt, bathroom steward, and Mr..
Blogg, fifth engineer. They ought to
know the gentleman you're looking for,
if he was on board"
Eyes, if he travelled in the saloon,"
asserted the pasty-faced steward, sulk-
lily. 1--WE nothing, to do with the Sec
| ond-class or steerage."
GAS for me-" added Mr. Blogg, II
| have no truck with the passengers at
ALL $3.50,
"Well being gentleman Of means"
| explained the inspector, TRANQUILITY, "he
most probably Travelled first-class. And
| his name would be Arnewood; though
l believe he sometimes called himself
| Arnott. for some reason or other.
Know him."
"a Mr.. Arnewood came back with us
last trip, right enough" said Spratt,
after taking thought "But he knocked
off having baths after we entered the
Channel, and saw nothing of him at
the end of the voyage. He must have
landed. though, either at Gravesend or
here. like the other passengers. The
chief steward would probably know"
"Quite so,' assented Trail. "TU in
quire on board. By the way, did You
las YOU were bathing room steward)
ever notice any tattoo marks upon the
gentleman's arm or chest"
eyes; in blue and red ink. One of
the quartermasters pricked the de-
signs in for him during the voyage, and
told me he got two pounds for the job"
"Just to settle the question of identi-
ty,' remarked Trail, apologetically, as
he produced the Cooktown photograph.
els this the Mr.. ArnewoOd you knew
on board?'
Eyes" was the prompt reply. "That's
him. right enough. I daresay you've
seen the gent, too, Joe"
"Why, yes, 1 seem to know the face"
assented Mr.. Blogg. doubtfully. "But
I wouldn't swear to it. don't see
nowt to wol1y about, nohow. Gents
often goes off on a bit of a spree, after
a long voyage. and then turns up all
right when they've had their fling"
IT suppose they do" said Inspector
Trail, drily. "But I've heard Of trav-
elers falling into bad hands and COM
ing to grief However, Pm real CRATE
full to you both for your information,
and I'm only sorry that 1 can't spend
the rest Of the evening in your pleasant
company. Come, Ned, we must be Oft !,
old chap"
/ being the person addressed as Ned,
Bradshaw understood plainly enough
that he was to remain and keep the
men under observation until further
orders. We accordingly left the three
to finish the Hollands at their leisure.
| scarcely need be told that visit to-
the Wairoa was imperative before we
could think Of turning our faces west
ward. A short drive brought us to the
dock gates, and even Inspector TrailI
found it no easy matter to procure ad~
mission without an official pass. How
ever, we got through, and presently
found ourselves alongside the Wairoa.
More delay and explanations before we
| were allowed on board; but, once there,
our efforts We're rewarded, forasmuch
as the chief steward, Mr. Gray, was,
luckily, in his cabin. Upon learning
the object of our visit. he proved to be
most courteous and obliging; and, from
him we ascertained the following
facts:
1. Mr.. Luke Arnewood (undoubIed-
| ly the original of the Cooktown por-
trait had voyaged by the Walroa, ana
had quilted the vessel: in the dock, ear
ly upon the morning of Nov. 10Th: His
luggage had been sent ashore in the or
binary way. But what had become OF
him. or his effects, after leaving the
ship, he (AIr. Cray could not say. It
should, however, be a matter of. no
great difficulty to find out, and he un-
| dertook to make every possible in
quiry on board. The police, he sug-
gested, could similarly inquire among
| the porters and cabmen ashore.
| 2. Mr.. Arnewood' was man Of tac>
turn. almost sulky temperament, and
Stunned all intercourse with his fell
| low passengers. He was wont, at
times, to talk with members Of the
crew, and was liberal with tips for any
| service rendered him.
5. 1t was a fact that he had been
| tattooed on board by a quartermaster
named Payne. then absent on leave.
These items practically. exhausted all
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