Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-02-08

collar OF his shirt. with llght remark to
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 clnched hands, started to palaver
with those below, probably enjoying to the
fullest extent the conteast in the discipline
of the two vessels.
His action was a glazing piece Of marine
carelessness, but it both saved his life and
opened to me way to act. Now, with the
dazzle of light full in his face, he might lift
his head yet fail to see me, and, as the
time was ripe, felt for the foot ropes and
silently slid to the heel of the bowsprit.
Once there, l crept to the cathead, and from
there with a spring | reached the fore
castle opening behind the unsuspecting
sailor. With a sudden push | sent him
htSdlong on to his fellows, and then quick
ly closed the doors, slid the hatch cover, fas-
tened it, and for the third time | had made
the Phantom's forward quarters prison.
There was now little time to spare, for /
knew the rumpus that would come would
attract the cabin, and it behooved me to get
command of that ere Lounsbury could act
on the offensive. Snatchng Delaying pin
from it's ring on the mast, ran to the galley,
but found it dark and deserted. From there
| hurried aft, and, without the precaution
of peeping through a window, presented my
self at the open door of the companion way.
/ knew not what | would find, but was far
from expecting the sight that met my eyes.
The lantern swinging from its beam had
been trimmed and washed, and cast strong
light over the interior. Though no one was
at the table, it showed that a makeshift
meal had been sent from the Sprite, for on
the Phantom there were now no means of
cooking, as pots, kettles and table gear had
M N
bunk, the curtains of which were flung wide,
and at the side of which stood bucket of
water, lay Ames, his face like chalk and his
eyes closed, but whether in death or sleep
/ could not tell. On tranSom locker at the
other side of the cabin sprawled the doctor,
somewhat more than tipsy, his head rolling
to and fro with the plunge of the vessel,
while in his hand was bloody rag or
bandage. He was vainly trying to reach
bottle and glass that stood near him on the
floor, the heave of the schooner throwing
him off his balance at each attempt to raise
himself. At the extreme end of the COM
partment was Lounsbury on his knees work
ing at the bulkhead with carpenters chisel
and calking mallet. Ignoring the presence
of the drunken surgeon, he had torn away
half the casing to the partition, and had
finally struck upon my hidden gold, which
now lay as plain to my eye as to his. For
this, and probably for this alone, he had
once attempted to betray me, threatened my
life, and well-nigh lost his own. He had
guarded the secret well as /, and now,
after months of waiting, hard fare, and
harder blows, he doubtless felt a full meas
ure of sordid pleasure as my little hoard lay
uncovered before him. And not so little,
either. Five hundred pounds would make
him passing rich among his fellows.
Though his face was from me, it's exulta-
tion seemed to strike through him and shine
from his back. | could almost see the dry;
greedy grin and close set OF his ragged teeth
as he laid his hand on the bag to Judge it's
worth by lifting. With the inboIn sus-
picion of the everfearful thief or miser, he
threw cautious look over his shoulder, and
as he did so his eyes met mine.
| once saw a laughing man shot clean
through the heart, and the sudden change of
his expression as death seized him, was APP
palling; but it was nothing to the swift al
teration that came over the face of Louns-
bury as that villain recognized me. Crouched
low at the top of the companion way, with
one foot on the steps and the other on deck,
/ remained immovable as | witnessed the
effect of my sudden appearance. Without
shifting his position, the wretch held his
head craned over his left shoulder, his jaw
dropped, and his small, piglike eyes opened
to their farthest extent, glaring at me as
though their owner was in trance. His
face was too blackened and weather beaten
to allow of a change of color, but pallor and
fright were plain in his very attitude. Not
sound or movement was made by either of
us as we thus faced each other, and the
surgeon, marking nothing amiss, still made
desperate though ludicrous bobs toward the
liquor on the floor.
Perhaps for a minute Lounsbury held his
position, and then with a slow, snakeike
motion, his eyes still fixed on mine, he
twisted till his back was to the bulkhead
where, extending his arms against the wood
work, he fattened himself as though try
ing to shrink through the partition, horror
and dread written over his swollen and re-
pulsive features.
1t had never been in my mind to play
| part, but it was plain that to this ignorant
| and superstitious man | was nothing less
| than veritabe spirit of the dead. Indeed,
| the glistening of my dripping clothes, the
| plastered hair on my head, unshaven, and
with the paleness of long immersion on my
| face, these, with the probable glitter of ex-
citement in my eyes, all tendeHto make me
uncanny in appearance, especially as my
figure was backed by the absolute blackness
of the night. Lounsbury had seen me IN ap-
PdItl 0cSpSi dtlOH pluhSN OfCibo anu
doubtless thought | had been drifting faith
oms deep below the Phantom's keel, yet in
the hour of his success | had come to tor
ment him. Like Banquo's ghost-and ghost
| was to him-I would not down.
The agony working in his mind would
soon find an outlet in some fashion, but it
stirred him in way hardly expected. Still
piercing me with his glance, his broad chest
heaved spasmodically and his right hand
gradually moved to the hilt of the cralass
hanging on his left hip. Slowly, like a man
asleep, he drew the blade, and with SLAYER
now running from the corners of his mouth,
he left the bulkhead and crept toward me.
Fascination ruled him. The pent-up energy
of the man showed in his crouching catlike
step as he glided along the edge of the
table and into the space between it and the
foot of the lsdder Madness, murder, and
every evil famed from his eyes, and | knew
| that now he or | must die though | wOuld