Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-05-01
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Devils Packet.
[OrIginal.l


Mexico during the early years of the
Spanish occupation of Central America
disappeared gradually, reappea-ed oc-
casionally and vanished, the last ship
showing up in the early part of the
nineteenth century. One moonlight
night she sailed out of Puerto Cabello,
in Honduras, where she had been lying
| at anchor during a storm, and made
for open waters.
what is that black hulk out there?"
said the man at the wheel to the cap
| tain, land how does she find anchorage
in such deep water?"
"Shes not anchored" said the cap
tain. "She's lying to-"
mo, she's moving. Her yards are
squared toward us, but she has altered
her course, and L can see her sails.
How can those few patches of canvas
move so large a vessel, wonder?'
"Ali the better for u.s." replied the
captain. "a hulk of merchantmen
with such rags will be easily over
hauled Put her moth by half moth
east
Whether the merchantmen espied the
pirate and proposed to get away from
her or no, she turned and moved in
the same direction as the latter. Not
withstanding her meager show of can
vas, she did not seem to lose much
interval
"How does she keep that pace?" in
quired the captain of one of his prin-
cipaI men who came up to ask about
the stranger.
"She's a queer one" replied the 9TH
er musingly.
The captain called the crew on deck
and ordered them to prepare for action.
The guns were run out, ammunition
was brought up, and reserve supply
of cutlasses was dumped at the foot OF
| the mainmast. Then the graphing
irons were fixed in place, and the crew
stood ready. So long as they were
busy they kept their heads, but the mo-
ment they began to watch the strange
vessel moving steadily on under sails
incapable of giving their own little YES
sci a Roadway of half a dozen knots
they began to look puzzled.
Presently it began to be apparent to
the pirates that they were gaining on
the vessel. Notwithstanding that she
was under the same sail as before, she
was scarcely moving. Then of a sud-
den her sails were furled, but, wonder
full to relate. she resumed her former
speed. The captain, the wheelman and
half a dozen of the crew who had come
up to ask questions about the singular
craft all looked at one another in as
constituent.
That's no real shipr' exclaimed one
with blanched cheeks. "She is phan-
tomr'
"Shut up"' cried the captain. ''She's
n ship, a real ship. and We'll be aboard
of her within an hour. The first man
who talks about phantom will feel
the edge of my cutlass" "'t |''''
This d1ieted the crew temporarily,
| though several who had been born
within the fold of the church secretly
crossed themselves. They were of the
| lowest Glasses. and their captain was
no more enlightened than themselves,
though made of sterner stuff. The
breeze freshened. and it was apparent
| to the pirates that with the difference
of sail area they must soon catch the
stranger unless. indeed. she were
veritable phantom. Nevertheless at
O'Clock in the morning, when the moon
| had passed the horizon, the pirate was
as far astern as ever. The mysterious
vessel moved on like jack o lantern,
and the pirates began to believe that
she was under the protection of dark
mist that hung over her. Several times
this mist disappeared. and the pursuers
always noticed that at such times the
strangers pace was either abated or
she ceased TO move entirely. After one
of these changes of gait the pirates
found themselves sailing half mile
behind her and on parallel lines quar-
ter of a mile apart.
| ''Send a shot," said the captain.
The gunners got gun ready on the
forecastle. but there seemed to be some
delay. The captain went forward and
found the men shivering beside the
gun.
whats the matter?' die Numbered.
'sMay be she's under the protection
of the blessed saints" whimpered one
of the men. cit would be impious to
fire. Look, there's something white in
the water amidships! She moves again.
Santa Marial The sea monsters are
bearing Iler forward!
Every man fell on his knees and
made the sign of the cross.
! Suddenly the vessel, Notwithstanding
the direction of the wind, sheered
around and stood on a course that
would take her directly across the
pirates bow. The captain still kept on
his feet in the midst of his kneeling
men and watched her with open mouth
and staring eyes. On went his vessel
and on went the stranger, passing his
course an eighth of a mile ahead. Pres
emily his fighting nature overcame his
superstition. and. seizing an iron that
was heating in a brazier, he applied
it to the vent of the gun. The sailors
covered their eyes with their hands as
the gun doomed. When they looked
again, the vessel had passed their
course, and at the moment there was a
flash, and the light of Tophet fared
through a square opening in her side,
glaring on the figure of Satan, who was
/ 4l,r,,cfipO huOQ nOlxor info fhn nlaCQ