Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-16
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE SToWAWAY.

was sitting in the office of the An
Choir Shipbuilding company. where 1
am one Of the managers when l re-
ceived q call from a stylishly dressed
lady.
"You are Mr.. Trevor?"
81 am
81 am Miss Bancroft. You are build
ing a yacht for my father"
Tracy Bancroft? You are right"
Here is a note from my father re-
QueSting you to make a change in the
yacht" and she produced instructions
to put in safe capable of holding
cubic foot of ValuableS. Miss Bancroft
then proceeded To instruct me what
stateroom TO put it in, after which she
left the Office. Two months later the
yacht was ready for 4 trial trip, and l
SO notified Mr.. Bancroft. He appointed
day for the trip, but when il arrived
sent his daughter, writing that he was
i'll and unable to go himself. Miss Ban
croft brought a man to represent her
father in determining il the yacht came
up to contract, but l could not see that
he knew anything about shipbuilding.
ordered made ready for continued use
during the season that was about TO
open. concluded TO COON her for awhile
to make sure there was no weak spot
or if one became apparent TO correct it
if possible before it had done any dam
age.
The party consisted of Mr. Bancroft.
who was carried aboard the yacht;
Miss Bancroft and Martin IIurlbUt
the owners representative on the trial
trip. Mr.. Bancroft went directly to his
stateroOm and stayed there. Miss Ban
croft gave all instructions and Mr.
HurlDut said he had come aboard 10
watch the vessels action. We started
from New York on the morning of the
10th Of June bound for Portland. Ne.
We hadn't been an hour out on old
oceans heaving bosom before some of
the crew came aft dra gg;ng Il boy
dressed in rags whom they had found
slowed away under one of the fOrecas-
tie hunks. He was taken before the
captain, who asked him why he had
slowed away on vessel intending 10
cruise along the coast and from which
he could be readily put ashore. The
boy replied that he had made every eff
fort 10 get work and had failed. lie
hoped if he was found on yacht that
had started on a trip he would have
chance Of being retained. There was
something Very unusual i'll this youth
full stOwaway. something that excited
both my curiosity ana sympathy. |
told the captain that | would take the
lad into my service, ana he was turned
over to me. When we passed New
London we put into the harbor. and
took Billy Brown the name the boy
gave-ashOre and got him Il sailor suit,
including n pea Jacket. in which he
looked rs rosy and as pretty as n fancy
picture of sailor boy.
We'll, we reached POrtIand,- whore,
since had found everything all right,
proposed to take IL train back to New
York. The night before we went into
port l was alone on deck. sitting In Il
wicker chair under the moonlight. when
Billy came to me.
Il have heard you're going ashore to-
morrow, sir" he said.
Yes, Billy. DO you want to go back
to New York with me? If you do III
keep you in my service
No, sir. | want you to stay aboard
the yacht
This remarkable suggestion quite ap-
palled me
why so. Billy"
"Will you keep my secret?"
Your secret? What sccret!"
You won't betray me-
Speak out. boy. What do you
mean"
He came mp close to me and whisper
ed in my ear: I'm not boy; I'm Il
girl. I'm Mr.. BancrOfts daughter
This woman isn't his daughter at all. |
She's his hOusekeeper. Her names
Farnsworth. and that's Hurlbuts
name. This is plan to get father off
somewhere. make away with him and
get his property. At least that is
what l think 1t is. I'm supposed to be |
at school in Massachusetts. | went !
there before this Mrs. Farnsworth |
came to my father. and she has never |
seen me before. one of our old serv- |
ants who took care of me when | was |
n baby wrote me that something was |
wrong. but that Mrs. FarnswOrth was |
4 desperate woman. and Ia better be /
careful what | did. l went TO New |
York. where | met the servant who !
posted me and learned that the yacht |
was about TO sail. Then l concluded To !
play stowaway. l couldn't think Of |
anything else to do"
l was thunderstruck. If it hadn't /