Milford chronicle., 1905-02-03

By this time the captain, Wilbur and
all on board could plainly make out
sail some eight miles of the starboard
bow. Even at that distance and to eyes
so inexperienced as those of Wilbur II
needed but a glance to know that some
thing was wrong with her. 1t was not
that she failed to ride the waves with
even keel; it was not that her rigging
was in dlsarray nor that her sails were
disordered. Her distance was too great
to make out such details. But in pre-
cisely the same manner as a trained
physician glances at a doomed patient,
and frem that indefnable look In the
face OF him and the eyes Of him pro-
nounces the verdict death" so Kitch-
ell took in the stranger with single
comprehensive glance and exclaimed;
"Wreekw
ayes. sab. l tinkum velly sick"
"Oh, 20 to. or go below and fetch
up my glass-hustleP
The glass was brought "Son," ex-
claimed Kitchell-"where is that man
with the brains? Son, come aloft here
with me-" The two clambered up the
ratlines to the crows nest Kitchell ad-
( justed the glass.
"she's a bark" he muttered, iron
built-about 700 tons, guess-in dis
tress. There's her ensign upside down
/ at the mizz'nhead-looks like Norway
an her distress signals on the spanker
gaff. Take a blink at her, sOn-what
do you make her out? Lord, she's
ridin high"
Wilbur took the glass, catching the
stranger after several clumsy attempts
She was. as Captain Kitchell had an
nounced, a bark. and, to judge by hel
flag. evidently Norwegian.
How she rOllsv' nuttered Wilbur.
'0That's what 1 can't make out" an
swered Kitchell. "A bark such as sh'
amt ought to roll thata way; her bal
last d steady her"
whats the flags on her boom art
ones red and white and square shaped
and the others the same color, onll
swallowtail in shape"
'That's H B, meanin' 4 am in nee'
Of assistance
"Well, where's the crew? I don't se
anybody on board"
"Oh, they're there right enough"
'Then they're pretty well conceale,
about the premises" returned Wilbu
as he passed the glass to the captain.
"She does seem kinda empty" sal
the captain in a moment, with a sue
den show Of interest that Wilbur fai
ed to understand.
"Au' where's her boats" continue
Kitchell. 81 don't just quite make ou
anv boats at ALL" There was a lon
silence.
"Seems to be a sort Of haze owe
her" observed Wilbur.
81 noticed that-air kinda QuiveI
= oily-like. No boats. no boats. an / can
+ see anybody aboard" Suddenly Kitcl
ell lowered the glass and turned
Wilbur. He was a different maj
There was a new shine in his eyes;
> wicked line appeared over the most
the jaw grew salient, prognathous.
+ "Son." he exclaimed, gimleting WI
{ bur with his contracted eyes, Il nav
n ree-marked as how you had brains.
u kin fool the coolies, but 1 can't To-
3 YOU. 1t looks to me as if that bar
wonder was derelict. An do yc
know what that means to usE Cha
on it a turn"
l. "a derelict?'
"If there's a crew on board, they
u concealed from the public gaze. A
II where are the boats then? l tigg
she's an abandoned derelict. DO "
D know what that means for us-for y
L and I? 1t means"-and, gripping w
u bur by the shoulders, he spoke u
word into his face with a savage
{ tensity-"it means salvage, do "
n savvy? Salvage, salvage! Do you Il
~ ger what salvage on 200 tom