The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-03

going aboard" said 1.eckb,rn grim1y.
/ "Ypt can make your minds eHsN on that
point. Hello she's rolling ngaiil. Look
at her copper sienthng. Ms bright as
the dny they last scrnped her" j.
i She showed n thin limo Of polished
copper rs she lurcl,cd. The strange
watc, allowed no bnrnnces to live. rhe
metal flashed clearly,
Flower away the long boat : cried his
lordship
Not man moved n muscle. jill
t,eckburn gave them glance TINT
canvas with his own hand. Then, with
Il laugh, Nlnrsdcnl sprnng TO his side.
! "VHkc up lads" he said cheerlly DO
YOU mean TO let his lordshlp go alone?
II you do YOU amt worth your rntions.
!. I'm goln'. anyhow. and II cnn get a
grip OF Old Nick III pull his horns off,
'ealtt out Of 'cm2 afterwards. Come, lads,
tumble bnlong. Who's suln to get his
! foot on tho old coffin flrst?"
| They went 10 the davIts. but with no
good will. Some one shrieked that there
was figure on the terelict's deck. 1t
was some trick Of the shadows. s
"Stay behind. Hcc'' whispered 1,ecls-
burn. THEY seem milk hearted pack.
Put the scarchlight on her. and get
closer up. wonder II her old planks
will stand my weight, or drop mo clear
| into the cockpit? Let her 30. Jack
The boat with Give In the stern
sheets. touched the water. The search
light flashed on tho strange. uncanny
| dercllct as I.eckburn swung himself
down. N1arsdon dropped after him anil
took an oar.
| Light glim. Give. =
| Give called out for some matches.
They pulled under the satan's stern.
| ~, folk 3l,rt IN AZ
men in the world were less s,,persti-
tions. She must have had amazing heels.
| She was built for speed. and the breadth
| Of tho decaylng spars spoke Of sprend
OF canvas that would have made any
modern vessel OF similar tonnage turn
turtle. Her rusty guns srnned ct them.
They were helpless and harmless
enough now. though once they had been
the terror OF the seas. and had strew,1
the ocean bed with the bones OF many
n gallant merchantmen. They rowed
round her silently. ,s4
one Of us viii have to crawl through
think a grapnel would hold. She ought
TO be about ns rotten MS cheese. Won
der IL I can clear n passage. Hang tight.
! Jack while try
He stood erect, and pushed upwards
nj the muzzle OF gun. Ills strength
almost pushed the boat flush with the
| water. lneTe was d au'' W. q no
| crash.
"Got him!" said Leckburn. "The
/. question Is how nm TO get through? 7
don't think there's room enough for my
litto body" i
Let me go said Give.
Are you funky?"
/ Just a trlnlc. There's nothing to no
f,nky about. but ! don't feel inclined to
/ Nigh Give me n leg up. old chap. ana
/ then pass me light and a natchct. q nd
tIIll chop a path for you.
/ ''I.ook out for holes" said Lcckburn,
warnngly.
4 'Il watch that"
Give scrambled through the lower part
i OF the two-d and took the lantern.
she was built for fghting and for speed.
| The lower fighting deck was too loft
to allow OF much space below. Ia
4 flashed the light through the mysterious
shadows OF the ship OF the dead.
i Il The gun carriages stood In lines. Arms
i we're piled round the butt OF the mast
i rotten sold nintlocks and. cutlasses TINT
i were only threads Of brown rust. Flo
i trod upon a pile Of rope. and his foot
went clear through IT, sending UP cloud
! OF dust E6
"Are you all right. old chap" cried
Leckburn.
/ Yes, \ think the boards Will bear
i you Look out for splinters.
i Ffe hacked away with his axe. but the
! teak offered n stout resistance.
YOU'D better let me try to pull you
through. Ned. can't manage this.
4, I.cckburn peeled to the shirt. lie stuck
midway Lcckhurn wriggled and the
! baronet tugged He got through. hot,
i painting and dusty and his coat and furs
4 were pushed up to him.
! "Pouf'' he growled. that's warm
work. See all those leg-irons and rings.
! Old Juan did little In the slave line
I f. 'lt~ h,,o u,aa
Keep your eye peeled for holes, my boy.
i Where does this go to? Cabins. / en-
/ pect."
pulled down the first one and held the
! light above his head. The floor was
strewn with empty bottles and broken
1 pines. There were glasses on the table.
still telling OF night OF wild debauch-
whats that?" asked Give, blowing
tho dust from the table.
A name had been roughly hacked IN
the wood by a seaman's knfe-";ph
| VANDERBILT, 1924
On the wall, as fresh and clear as when
the long dead hand had drawn It, was
the CHASTITY picture OF man hanging on
i tho galows Below was scrnwled MAY
!! Black Juan hang like this is the wish OF
! Seth Lake" There was charrcd tobacco
.Iin the pipes. and the dried skeleton OF a
| cat, with tNe d luE Sill S'''S w, " 49,
white bones, lay under chain.
They entered cabin after cabin, and
| then made for the hold. Leckhurn drew
back with cry OF disgust
| what Is It. Ned?'
i Nothing, old chap, But don't come
any nearer"
! "But what Is III"
ut was once q man. Don't come.
! Give: It's hideOus."
Give pushed his way forward For q
moment he did not speak. Leckburn, OF
the iron nerves, held UP the light The
derolict was not tcnantless. grim and
silent guardian watched over TIA hui
| man skeleton.
Better get, Give" said Leckburn,
| "Con1e away my boy
TN moment" answered the baronet
shaklly !.
The horrid thing fascinated him It
was kneelng before a crumbllng locker,
its eyeless sockets turned down. and
,,o,d III No man could have died In such