The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-12-31
THE STROUD
! OF THE SEA
a Thrilling Story Of Marine


3 A Thrilling Story of Marine 3
2 Adventure
.iE9@+-+.44 Observation-Disclosures
"You don't believe me. Well, look for
yourself" The speaker pointed to where
a greenish patch stained the rich blue Of
the sea, close under the cliff.
The other glanced superciliously in the
direction indicated. 81 see nothing" he
said, "that might not be caused by shoal
of small fish or patch of seaweed. 1t
is probably another of those blunders into
which your too lively imagination has led
you" He spoke with a sarcastic en-
phasis which made the younger man flush
hotly.
81 tell you, Haynes" he replied earnest
ly, there is no mistake about this thing.
Ask Julio. There is not a fisherman on
the coast who doesn't believe in the man
ia raya."
Haynes turned cold gray eye upon
his subordinate do you mean to tell
me, Leigh" he said. "that you are going
to bring forward the superstitions OF
parcel of ignorant Mexicans as proof Of
scientific fact? hardly think Mr.. Grant
would be pleased to hear you talk So"
81 think" said Leigh quietly, that
your attitude in the matter is more to be
depIored than mine"
Haynes came as near losing his temper
as his cold nature ever allowed him. "The
burden of proof is with you," he said
acridly. Bring a specimen of your pre-
cious raya aboard. Then you can talk.
But''-with a fresh sneer-"I forgot. Ac-
cording to Julio, the beast is too terrible
to be caught. l suppose | shall have to
go and examine your green patch myself
Perhaps a few specimens of it in
shrimp net will set your mind at rest"
Leigh's eyes cleaned, but he made no
reply, and, Haynes leading the way, the
two men returned to their boat and pulled
to the yacht.
Mr.. Harold Grant was a millionaire
who spent his millions wisely. His hobby
was sea exploration. A new fish or an
uncharted island was more to him than
any pleasures land offered.
Mrs. Grant had been dead for years,
but Nellie Grant, pretty girl of twenty,
accompanied her father on his long
cruises in his splendid 1000 ton yacht,
the Athene.
DR.. Haynes was in charge of the sci
entifc side of these expeditions. Young
Frank Leigh had been lately chosen by
the millionaire as assistant naturalist.
This was his first voyage, and he thor
oughly enjoyed the work. He would have
been quite happy if it had not been for
the strong dislike his superior had con-
ceived for him and which he wasted no
opportunity of showing. The fact was
that Haynes, attracted as much by the
young ladys prospects as her beauty, had
made up his mind to marry Miss Nellie,
and he was furious with Frank for his
manners, looks and youth in all Of which
points he felt his own inferiority.
When off Samoa, some weeks before,
Frank Leigh had caught fish which he
imagined to be a new species and wished
to name after Mr.. Grant. Haynes had
succeeded in proving that the fish was al
ready classified and had never ceased to
taunt the younger man with his mistake.
Now that Leigh imagined himself on the
track of a new discovery he was giving
his tongue freer rein than ever.
The Athene lay in Guaymas bay, on the
Pacific coast of Mexico. 1t was here that
Leigh, who spoke Spanish. learned from
a fisherman, Julio Montijas, of the manta
raya, a creature which seemed peculiar
to a short stretch of this volcanic coast
and Of which he could find no description
in any work on the subject.
At dinner that night Haynes began
again. Leigh" he said. you will have
to hurry up and catch that pet nightmare
of yours ! hear we sail the day after
tomorrow"
hat fDhf
about?" inquired Nellie, with interest,
looking at Frank
Haynes cut in: ooh. Leigh and one of
these Greaser fishermen have invented a
new sort of devilfsh. They have even
decided where it lives"
Every one stopped eating and listened.
Frank got hot and uncomfortable.
what is the creatureF asked Mr..
Grant.
st is what the fishermen call the man.
ia raya. or striped mantle, Mr.. Grant"
said Leigh. Another name for it is
'shroud of the sea- So far as | can I'M
derstand, it is a creature of the octopus
family, but has this remarkable peculiar
Ity, that it does not live like other large
cuttlefsh on the bottom, but hangs just
below the wash of the sea, ready to ingulf
is wider and thinner than that of the octo-
pus, and | should fancy it is an even
lower organism, partaking more of the
nature of the hytraps among plants.
Some of the men declare it grows large
enough to pull down a boat There is lit
tie doubt. however that it can catch and
drown swimmer A man called Leude-
jas rpcently so lost his life. and the very
spot where it happened is near where we
are anchored"
"What a dreadful creaturel' broke in
Miss Grant DO be careful where you
battle, Mr.. Leigh"
mo need to warn Leigh about that"
said Haynes. HE wouldn't even row
with me today to the place where this
monster lurked."
The yachts second officer, a man called
Henson, smiled. So did one or two 9th
ers. Haynes went on, encouraged:
"Tell you what III do, Leigh. Tomor
row morning I'll have out the small din
gey and row to the fatal spot, and dare
you to come with me and battle off the
rock near by"
II must decline to do anything of the
sort" said Leigh very quietly. "But l
will follow you in the skiff and only hope
fou will not need my assistance"
Better not" said Haynes extensively.
1.-THE pretty creature might catch you as
WELL"
Henson laughed again. Nellie looked
uncomfortable. Fortunately dinner was
just over.
Later Mr. Grant met Leigh on deck.
Leigh" he said, rather sharply, 81 hope
that you have some grounds for your as
sertions at dinner. Haynes thinks it is
all nonsense, and you know how ! dislike
any unpleasantness of this kind. Have
you seen the creature"
Julio Montijas pointed out to me
green patch which lies always behind
that pillarlke rock under the cliff He
says that his cousin Leudejas was upset
near there from his boat and that this
green patch closed over him and pulled
him down."
"Humph! | don't think much of fisher
mems tales!" said Mr.. Grant.
Leigh went to his bunk feeling sore and
unhappy.
Half dozen people, including Mr.
Grant and his daughter, were on top Of
the cliff next morning when Haynes, in a
bathing suit, came pulling across from
the yacht in the dngey.