The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-07-07
By
w. w. JACOBS
july 2, 1900
Copyright 1905 by w. w. Jacobs.)

hoarse whisper; faint you ever seen
them eyes afore? Don't you know
what he used to say about dying!
It's Jem Dadd come back to us. Jem
Dadd got another mans body, as he
always said he would
"Rot!" said Roberts. trying to
speak bravely, but he got up, and,
with the others, huddled together ut
the end of the fo'c's'le, and stared In
a bewildered fashion at the sodden
face and short, squat figure CT our
visitor. For his part, having finished
his meal, he pushed his plate from
him, and, leaning back on the locker,
loked at the empty hunks.
Roberts caught his eye, and, with O
nod and wave of his hand, indica-
ted the hunks. The fellow rose from
the locker, and, amid GREATNESS 81
lence, climbed into one of them--Jem
Dadds! !.
He slept in the dead sailors bed
that night, the only man IN the
fo'c'sle who did sleep properly ana
turned out heavily and lumpishiy IN
the morning for breakfast.
The skipper had him on deck after
the meal. but could make nothing or
him. To all his questions he replied
In the strange tongue OF the night 90.
fore, and, though our fellows had
been to many ports, and knew WORD
or two of several languages, none OK
them recognized It The skipper gave
Il up at last, and, left to himself, no
stared about him for some time, re-
gardless of our interest In his move
ments. and then, leaning heavily
against the side of the ship stayed
there so long that we thought he must
have fallen asleep.
"He's half-dead now!" whispered
Roberts.
"Hush!" said Bill, "mebbe he's been
In the water q week or two. and cant
quite make It out. See how he's look
ing at It now"
He stayed on deck all day In the
sun. hut. as night came on, returned
to the warmth OF the fo'c's'le. The
food we gave him remained untoucn.
ed and he took little or no notice OK
us, though I fancied that he saw the
fear we had OF him. He slept again
In the dead mans bunk, and when
morning came still lay there.
Until dinner time, nobody interfer-
ed with him, and then Roberts, push
ed forward by the others, approached
him with some food. He motioned Il
away with dirty, bloated hand, ana,
making signs for water. drank II
eagerly.
For two days he stayed there quiet
". the black eyes always open, the
stubby fingers always on the move.
ON the third morning Bill, who mao
conquered his fear sufficiently 10 glve
him water occasionally, called Softly
to yis. -.
"Come and look at him." said ne.
whats the matter with himl'
"He's dying!" said the cook, with
q shudder.
"He can't be going to die yet" said
Bill, blankly.
Az he spoke the mans eyes seemed
70 get softer and more life Ike anu
he looked at us piteously and help
lessly. From face to face he gazed In
mute inquiry. and then, striking MS
chest feebly with his fist, uttered two
words.
We looked at each other blankly,
and he repeated them eagerly, and
again touched his chest
TITS his name" said the cook, and
we all repeated them.
He smiled in an exhausted fashion,
and then, rallying his energies. held
up forehnger; as we stared at this
new riddle, he lowered It, and held up
all four fingers, doubled.
Come away" quavered the cook:
he's putting spell on u.s."
We drew back at that, and back
farther still. az he repeated the mo-