Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-03-13

slowly over as he fell and disappeared
in the water feet first close 10 the side
Of the ship-close enough to be saved
BY rope had he appeared and one been
thrown.
Putting his smoking pistol in his
pocket, Mr. carp cut short the chuckle
in his throat to roar out, Reef that
sail; finish that job. You lubbers.' As
they were anything but lubbers, they
finished it. OF what need to describe
the mutiny which followed. A captain.
two mates and steward. armed with
shotguns and helped by a carpenter
with formidable broadax. can. as a
rule, quell any mutinous uprising Of
unarmed sailors that may occur. This
is what happened, and with three
wounded men in the forecastle disci-
pline was restored. But stormy dis
cussion took place in the cabin between
Captain Smith and the first officer.
fragments Of which reached the ears OF
the man at the wheel. and the working
up ceased.
About 10 O'Clock on q calm. sultry
evening about week after the first
officer and the steward descended with
lantern to discover the whereabouts
Of certain cabin stores which the for
mer had slowed in port.
II put them here. 4" said the mate;
"close up to the cabin trunk. You must
have broken them ont"
"No You know I've given you pilot
bread 80 far at the table, and it's only
today that the captain asked for soda
biscuits / haven't seen them, though
/ knew we had them.
Lets look along the wing forward y
The mate went ahead with the Ian
tern. At the extreme forward corner OF
the half deck his under jaw dropped.
his hair stiffened and the lantern fell
from his nsrveless fingers and went out
For, as the circle Of light illumined the
bulkhead. a tall gray figure had arisen
to full height. the pale face surmounted
BY a shaggy crop Of red hair. the fore
head crossed by long. red mark-the
figure and face Of the murdered Bill
ings.
With q squswk Of terror the steward
fed, and the mate followed. Up the
ladder they bounded, the steward turn
ing aft, the mate forward. The latter
looked back The pale, SCARED face was
Just appearing above the hatch, Pos
sessed by blind. unreasoning fear. ne
bounded down to the main deck and
looked again. The tall figure was com
ing, giantlike in the darkness. noiseless
and gray. With a gasping gurgle that
only by effort he raised to scream, he
ran on. The crew saw and scattered to
the other side of the deck. Forward
around the fore hatch went the mate
and the silent gray pursuer. Aft on the
other side. dispensing the crew again
up the steps to the poop. around the
cabin, the mate uttering hoarse, jerky
screams and the terrible thing keeping
up the steady. noiseless pursuit just a
fathom behind. The captain, aroused
by the steward. appeared, only to shrink
back out of the way as the pair passed
the cabin door. Forward they went
again. The mate, evidently growing
weaker, stumbled, fell. arose and went
ON. the figure pausing, only to resume
the pursuit.
Forward, aft, forward again, the
mate falling at intervals, the gray
Nemesis always waiting, always main
tanning an even six feet behind, the
frightful race went on until the terror
lied first officer mounted the forecastle
deck and with last agonizing shrek
sprang overheard, the shrek ringing il
the ears of the others until the water
cut it short. The gray apparition fol-
lowed. Neither was seen again.
There was dearth of soda biscuits
on the cabin table until the ship was
docked at Liverpool. Not man aboard
would enter the half deck, night or day.
As Captain Smith came down the
edge Of the quay late one night he saw
one of the Athol's stern windows open.
This was strange. It should be shut.
A white face appeared in it, then
gray form which slowly and with great
effort climbed down the rudder pend
ants, hooked up to the transom and
slipped into the water.
"That's our ghost" muttered the
captain, "but ghosts don't need to
climb or swim. It's Billings" de ran
closer. The ghost was in trouble.
"That you, Billingsf Come in. III
help you out
"Helpl I'm drowning" gurgled the
swimmer. Captain Smith hurriedly re-
moved the gangway ladder and. drop
ping it over, assisted the exhausted
man to safety. 1t was Billings in gray
underclothes and stockings
'Now. Billings said he to the pros
trate man. "by all reason and logic
you should be half way to the bottom,
thousand miles out. with q bullet
through your head How Is it that you
are climbing ont Of my stern Windows
tonight
ssBecause ! went In them, captain.
The mates bullet glanced. but IL
Knocked mo Oh the yard. and ! went
ond~p <ho boktoxn. Whnn I camo nm. I