Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-20
synopsl. of Preceding Chapters.


CHAPTER 1.-The officers of the
United States ship wolverine, cruising
in the Pacific, are mystifed by a
strange radiance which appears sud-
denly on the face of the sea and van
ishes as suddenly. The officers discuss
the strange disappearance, two years
previously. of the schooner Laughing
Lass, chartered by DR.. Schermerhorn,
a scientist.
CHAPTER 1.-THE wolverine picks
up the Laughing Lass, with everything
shipshape save that there is no living
being aboard
CHAPTER III.-Enslgn Edwards is
sent aboard the Laughing Lass with a
CHAPTER Iv.-The wolverine sees
the strange light again In a volcanic
mist the Laughing Lass drifts away
and is found again with no one on
board and her boats untouched.
CHAPTER VA second prize crew
is sent aboard the schooner. The mys-
FERROUS light is seen again, and the
Wolverine discovers a volcano in full
eruption. The Laughing Lass vanishes
again.
CHAPTER VI-The wolverine picks
up a dory belonging to the Laughing
Lass. 1t contains Ralph Slade. a jour
nalist known to have been with Scher-
merSorn, and the corpse of the Wolver-
ines bos'n's mate. who had gone with
Edwards. Slade is in very bad cOadi-
ton from fever. thirst and exhaustion
/
directs the Wolverines course toward
the volcanic island, on which he de.
clares a man named barrow is maroon.
ed. Slade begins to tell his story tC
the officers of the Wolverine.
CHAPTER VIII-Slades story. He
ships under the name EaSen, as mate
aboard the Laughing Lass. Captain Sci
over, commander, after the schooner
had been engaged by SchermerhOrn fol
two years, her destination being un
known. The doctor displays eXtraor
fra r~tr nrn in, F1lr oh oNI hoo ~
brass bound chest.
CHAPTER IX.-Slade makes the ac
quaintance of Handy solomon, a pratt
cal looking seaman with steel hool
in place of a right hand, and his fou
mates. The crew show an unusual in
terest in a book on alchemy. The Laugh
ing Lass leaves San Francisco.
CHAPTER X--Slade discovers a col
lection of arms in the captains cabin
Both Captain Selover and barrow
Schermerhorn's assistant, are ignoran
of the schooner's destination.
CHAPTER XII The crew believes
that the doctor is in search of treas
ure.
CHAPTER XII. - Captain Selove
overawes the crew. Slade ana negr,
sailor overhear SchermerhOrn tell Oar
row he has the secret of the transmuta
tion of metals locked up in his bras
bound chest. The negro tells the crew
Captain SeloVer is Indifferent to TIT
mems plotting, but gives Slade a re
VolVer.
CHAPTER XIII-Landing is made OF
an uncharted island, with a volcano il
partial action. The wreck of the Gold
en- Horn is discovered. barrow pick
out small valley in which he and tn
professor are to stay.
CHAPTERS XIV. and XV.-A labora
tory, guarded by a stOckade, is bull
for the professor. The captain put
the crew to work cleaning ship an,
stripping the wreck in order to kee
them employed. After seven week
there is nothing left for them to dc
and he becomes afraid of them.
CHAPTER XVI-A herd of will
sheep is found and hunted. The GREY
sees barrow engaged in a chemical eX
pertinent at a miniature volcanic era
ter.
CHAPTER XVII.-One of the sailor
mutinies, and Slade fails in an attemp
to overawe the men. The mastery o
the situation passes to Handy Solo
mon.
CHAPTER XVIII. - Idleness make
the crew surly and quarrelsome, unit
barrow sets them to hunting seals 70
the animals whiskers, etc. Selove
who has taken to drink. remains aboar
the Laughing Lass.