Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-18

Synopsis of Preceding Chapters.
n GaAP TER iMTRs officers of the
in the Pacific, are mystified by
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,
CHAPTER 1.-THE Wolverine picks
up the Laughing Lass, with everything
shipshape save that there is no living
being aboard.
CHAPTER III-Ensign Edwards is
sent aboard the Laughing Lass with a
prize crew.
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-
merNorn, and the corpse of the WOlver-
ines bos'ns mate, who had gone with
Edwards. Slade is in very bad cOndi-
ton from fever. thirst and exhaustion.
CHAPTER NII-Slade RECEIVERS and
directs the Wolverines course toward
clares man named barrow is maroon
ed. Slade begins to tell his story to
the officers of the Wolverine.
CHAPTER NIII-SladeS story. He
ships under the name Eagen, as mate
aboard the Laughing Lass, Captain Sell
over, commander. after the schooner
had been engaged by Schermerhorn for
two years. her destination being I'M
known. The doctor displays eXtraor-
binary care in taking aboard a heavy
brass bound chest.
a TDFTNf- CI.
quaintance of Handy Solomon, a pratt
cal looking seaman with a steel hook
in place of a right hand, and his four
mates The crew show an unusual in
terest in a book on alchemy. The Laugh
ing Lass leaves San Francisco.
CHAPTER X.-Slade discovers col
lection of arms in the captains cabin.
Both Captain Selover and barrow,
SchermerhOrn's ASST tant, are ignorant
of the schooner's destination.
CHAPTER XI-T The crew believes
that the doctor is in search of treas
ure.
CHAPTER XII. Captain Selover
overawes the crew. Slade ana a negro
sailor overhear Schcrmerhorn tell Oar
row he has the secret OF the transmuta-
ton of metals locked up in his brass
bound chest: The negro tells the crew.
Captain Selover is Indifferent TO the
mems plotting, but gives Slade a re-
VOlver.
CHAPTER XIII.-Landing is made on
an uncharted island, with volcano in
partial action. The wreck of the Gold
en- Horn is discovered. barrow picks
out Il small valley in which he and the
professor are to stay
CHAPTERS XIV. and XN.-A labora-
tory, guarded by a stockade, is built
for the professor. The captain puts
the. crew to work cleaning ship and
stripping the wreck in order to keep
them employed After seven weeks
there is nothing left for them to do.
and he becomes afraid of them.
CHAPTER XVL-A herd of wild
sheep is found and hunted. The crew
sees barrow engaged in a chemical eX-
pertinent at miniature volcanic era
ter.
CHAPTER XVII.-One of the sailors
mutinies. and Slade fails in an attempt
to oVerawe the men. The mastery of
the situation passes to Handy Solo
mon.