The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-09-03
(cHAprrR xvr.-coNr1NunD)

y
CHAPTER xvr.-coNrrNu11D) u
! What was more, It had m oily feel nnd
n pt,ngcnt smell. All hands had noticed
the oior.A It was like dead sea III tho
midst OF the ocean. Not n fish swallowed
| tho trailing l,nts OF Ruby nnd Mtnips,
though they had caught Quantities De-
fore. Z. ,,i
15s1ts mighty curious" said the tllt u
doctor. 'fil nnnlyse some Of IL to-tnort'
gcsted Injector. "rhs is volcanic
"Thcre's another point" said Give.
~ think occasionally, but don't talk Il
row. How do you account for It
"I'robnbly hot springs below s,ig-
| lot, except to Manly my scientific pnss.
long time. I can't remember MI he told
me, FOR l was in n funk Flo ought 70
have had n tremendous long md dark
winter. weeks and wctks Of sunless days.
lie surely would have spoken Of 1t. me
t1snppcarance Of the sun would have left
n strong impression on him. But he dld
not sneak a single word on that point.
How is Peril Island lighted IN the dead
months ~
Queer" mllttered Hector. Juan mad
been used to ii tropical sum He must
have commented on the terror OF tho
Antarctic winter I give 1t up It's 2
ridde.''sa
"Bah.' growled T.eckburn, "how that
water rcclss. 1t smells like sulphur
''r-ilthy" said Hector.
1.-The stencil was more pronounced.
They put on their furs, lighted cigars
and went on deck. Warm though the
water was. It gave off no mist. INC
wake looked oily and Shiny In the bright
starlight.
Suddenly. clear and deep through the
singing frosty air, came the chime II
tho bell AS the silvery echoes died away
a loud ana startling cry rang oul:
"Sai ho!''
They rushed forward. Y What ship
would sail this CHASTITY sea! The whaler
is almost a. thing OF the past. for whales
are vanishing before the ruthless pursuit
Of man. They were far out Of the track
of vessels; but there. low down ,,nler
the stars. the dim outline OF cross trees
nicked the greH-blue sky.
s#"Shes got the queerest tops | ever
seed on mortal ship" said Jack Mars
den
"Give me a glass"
Hector scanned the object. Ills voice
grew suddenly hoarse.
"By all eternity" he gasped, there's
never rag on her or puff OF air, but
she's moving.
"Moving!''
Leckburn snatchcd the glass This III
spars we're swaylng TO and :ro. The
water was like glass. like Ice
s"By Jupiter said Lcckburn "shc' 8
coming up true enough What's her
7, rig? Can any OF you give that rig a
| namc?'
a"Let me look"
| In turn Give took the glass. Marsd 81
was straining his eyes.
"Confound it!'' growlcd Leckhurn.
''herc's a mist just when It's not wante-
! ed"
| a grey cloud moved swiftly across the
| bows. Marsden continued to scratch lis
head. Clear and bright above them the
stars glimmered The smell OF the mist
was revolving. 1t felt clammy on their
cheeks and was heavy with the smell OF
| sulphur,
Then suddenly. tragically the curtain
parted.
"Full speed astern!" yelled Leckburn.
| Chang! went the bell in the engine
room. Bllrnand chung to the rail-. sta rrlnS
| forward With CLASSY eyes. The fur- clad
petrlned into statues OF Ice! They did
| not move a finger They stared ana
| glowered.. that was all.
It was a spectral ship on n CLASSY seq.
A three master and a two decker, vita
square ports and tall poop, the ghost =
| n vessel, with broken COrdaSe ana paint
less hull, q ship OF q hundred years ago!
They saw her clearly and none o.
| them ever forgot that sight. The paint
had peeled from her In long strips. max
| ing her hull look like the ribs OF skels-
ton. Her spirit ran between two long
wooden horns that decorated her figure
| head. In the clear starlight the carved
face of the ngurehead seemed to glare
and grin with hideous mnlignity Tho
rotten sea coffin. n dsrellct OF the past.
slowly swung round. revealing tho rustcd
muzzles Of n row OF guns.
Her deck-house had gone. Forward,
the bulwarks had been ripped out OF her.
An anchor still dangled mt the hawse-
hole, and the capstan held a few Delay
jng pins still. She rocked over again
and showed her stern. A cry broke from
Gives lips:
'Thc Sntnn!'
Her name was painted there Leck-
burn walked slowly across the deck his
face white. and looked UP at Burnand
"sow down" he said hoarsely. "and
I'll go aboard her."
"Right!' muttered tho first officer
mechanically.
NIarsdcn found his voice. but 1t was
not like his own: 1t was SO strained and
tense
She's the Flying Dutchman. boys"
he said Tive heard of chaps who'vo
seen her afore.'
"Bosh!" said Hector, "shut up, Jack.
you fool"
III she's two Flying Dutchmcn and
Old Nick captains her In person, I'm
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