Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-29

synopsis of Preceding Chapters.

CHAPTER 1.-The officers of the
United States ship Wolverine. cruising
I'm the Pacific, are mystified 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,
q scientist
up the Laughing Lass. with everything
shipshape save that there is no living
being aboard.
CHAPTER IIT.-Ensign Edwards is
sent aboard the Laughing Lass with Il
prize crew.
CHAPTER IV-The Wolverine sees
the strange light again. In volcanic
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-
terious light is seen again. and the
Wolverine discovers n volcano in fun
eruption. The Laughing Lass vanishes
again.
CHAPTER VI-The Wolverine picks
up a dory belonging to the Laughing
Lass. II contains Ralph Slade, Il jour
naIist known to have been with Scher-
mel Norn, 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 VII-Slade RECEIVERS and
directs the Wolverines course toward
the volcanic island, on which he de-
clares man named barrow is maroon
ed. Slade begins to tell his story to
the officers of the Wolverine.
CHAPTER NIlI-Sladc's 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 un-
known. The doctor displays eXtraor-
binary care in taking aboard a heavy
brass bound chest.
CHAPTER IX.-Slade makes the ac-
quaintance OF Handy Solomon. pratt
cal looking seaman with a steel hook
in place of a right hand, and his four
mates. The crew show an unusual in
tercst In book on alchemy. The Laugh
ing Lass leaves San Francisco.
CHAPTER X.-Slade discovers a coll
lection OF arms in the captains cabin.
Both Captain Selover and barrow.
Schermerhorn's assistant, are ignorant
of the Schooner's destination.
CHAPTER Nj The crew believes
that the doctor is in search of treas
CHAPTER XII - Captain Selover
overawes the crew. Slade ana a negro
sailor overhear Schermerhorn tell Oar
row he has the secret of the transmuta-
tion Of metals locked up in his brass
bound chest. The negro tells the crew.
Captain SeIover is Indifferent to the
mems plotting, but gives Slade a re-
vOlver.
CHAPTER XIII-Landing is made on
an uncharted island, with volcano in
en- Horn is discovered. barrow picks
out small valley in which he and the
professor are to stay.
CHAPTERS XIV. and XV.-A labora-
tory, guarded by n stockade. is built
for the professor. The captain puts
the crew to work cleaning ship and
them employed. After seven weeks
there is nothing left for them to do,
and he becomes afraid of them.
CHAPTER XNI.-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
CHAPTER XVIII. - Idleness makes
the crew surly and quarrelsome, until
Darrow. sets them to hunting seals for
the animals whiskers etc. Selover
who has taken to drink, remains aboard
the Laughing Lass.
CHAPTER XIX.-The crew, made
bloodthirsty by the slaughter of The
seals, murder Captain Selover, when hC
CHAPTER XX.-slade is seized and
CHAPTE XXI-Slade observes one
result of the doctors experiments in
binding light that Eliminates for :
short time the valley of the laboratory
He is recaptured, but manages to war;
Darrow, who comes to tell the sailor:
that the time to leave the island ha:
arrived.
CHAPTER XXII-The sailors try tt
kill barrow and succeed in wOundins
him, but he escapes. The volcano be
gins to erupt violently as Schermer
horn, carrying the chest, is seen ap
preaching the sailors camp.
CHAPTERS XXIII-XXIN.-The doc
tor declares that the chest contains tn
greatest substance in the world, am
the men kill him to get possession o
IL. The volcano becomes very activ
and all, save barrow, embark on tn
Laughing Lass. The schooner narrow
~ escapes destruction.
CHAPTER XXV.-The crew open tn
mysterious chest. AS they do so
weird fire envelopes the entire vesse
and all on board including SIade. throN
themselves overheard Slade declare
that he was possessed by an irrcsisti
BILE craving for water