The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-05-10
The "Will o the
Wisp" Mystery
By NORMAN DUNCAN
[ Copyright, 1905. BY Joseph B. Bowles.l

with leg lacking and two thumbs toe
many. My good friend (as he sooI
became) was Of the name Of Nichoia:
Top.
Nathaniel, his foster son, who LIVED
with him, was a mystery.
He was a merry, well-favored boy
of Is or Whereabouts, the son Of Nick
old skipper, Tom Galloway, who was
lost with the VIII O. the Wisp on the
Labrador coast, when Nathaniel was
lisping child. 1t was not strange thai
he should abide with his dead father
mate the town gossips could account
for that The marvel was that rough
old Nick Top, whose coat was never
but OF the shabbiest, should deck out
the son Of Tom Galloway, who was
drowned without dollar to his credit,
in a manner so preposterously ex-
travagant.
Nicholas Top was desperately poor;
but there was no end to that lads ap-
parel--to his tweeds and overcoats and
topcoats, to furs and his shoes, to his
cravats and what-not; and each single
item OF that vast wardrobe must be
speckiess and in the fashion, else NICK
would make tuning haste TO provide
another.
The mystery went a deal further.
When first | dined at the little cot
tage--it was Nick Top who gave the
iuvitatlon-I was utterly bewildere1
by the strange circumstances Of the
occasion. At one end of the table ga
Nathaniel CHEEKY, precise in speech.
exquisite in manner; and there was
spread before him, laid on delicate
china and silver and glass, all the deIt-
Cacies that st. Johns might have Of
fered 4 nabob at that season. At the
other sat the grotesque, Scared,
shabby old foster-father, dining heart
lily on salt-junk and cabbage and hard
biscuit, laid upon coarse ware, with
but bottle OF rum to grace 1t all.
The third chair was set at Nicholas
end OF the table; and the guest, to his
chagrin, was invited to partake OF
Nicholas fare Of salt-junk and cab
bage.
"Mr. Gather" Nathaniel began.
"Mr. Gathers t dinner with mel
thunaered Nicholas. He'll not have a
bite O. that fresh beef. Mr.. Gather
knows old Nicholas Tops too poor t
have fresh beef. Mr. Gather didn't
come lookin' for fresh beef He'll not
have a bite Of it-not bite."
NorhadI. But when next sat at table
with them 1t was as the guest of young
Nathaniel my place was at his side
within the glitter OF his Jew els-and
my fare, which was Of the best was
topped off with bottle Of wine in
place Of the hard rum. AS before
Nicholas partook Of cabbage and salt
junk.
He occasionally looked me in the
eye with an air OF deepest cunning and
mystery. Then he pointed down
whether to the cellar or To the bowels
of the earth there was no telling-and
nodded in a way most knowing
It's paid for" said he, hoarsely
Never you fear-it's all paid for"
1t was not long before perceived
that | was no longer cultivating the
friendship OF Nicholas Top-that he.
indeed, was cultivating mine, and most
assiGuously.
This was ooincident with sudIen
do Ia, OF a off "A
of the heart. The surgeons had old
him las he confided to me at the
Anchor and CHAIN that he was like
T. 90 t Kingdom Come afore he
knowed It. II took no extraordinary
perspicacity TO discover that he had
chosen me as a prospective guardian
for the lad, concerning whose future
he was evidently much troubled. With
this plan, when IL was at last frankly
stated, | readily fell in; for ! was fond
CT the lad, and had no son Of my
own.
One night in early winter ! was sum
moned in haste to Nicholas Tops bed
side. There had been a seizure, and
he was greatly alarmed for his life.
l found him propped up In bed, purple
and gasping.
"Mr. Gather, SIR" Nicholas began,
speaking in haste. you'll take my lad ?"
He was eager for positive answer,
Yes" | replied you may depend
upon me-"
"Ah" he sighed, hell be made a
gentleman Of, will Nathaniel"
she was a rotten old tub" he con-
tinued that Win O the Wisp, Tom Cal
laway was skipper, an | was mate;
an we had crew, all hands, O. So
men The gale cotched US off Lab
ador, ten days out. LOr'! twas
ID hard gale, that-a wind full o. frost
an snow-the seas as high az the
truck o. the foremost o. that old Will
G. the Wisp.
Don't ask me what happened. |
don't know nothln' about 1t. Don't
you go askin' me, I'm not sayin'
didn't hear them poor men scrccch
I'm not sayin' that. Ali I'm sayin is
that when | come TO my senses ma 1
grip o that there reef an was starin'
straight into the eyes o. Tom Gala
way.
Nick!' says he. oh, Ntck!' says
he, where's them 81 men?'
Where is they" says |. They're
all dyin' t leeward.'
"'Dyin'? says he.
faye, says |, 'drownin' t'other side
J the rocks
Nick Tom whines. I didn't do It
a purpose. No. didn't, Nick. You
can't say [ done that