Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-05
srnon.Is of PrecehInr Chnnters.


CHAPTER 1.-The officers of the
United States ship Wolverine. cruising
in 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,
CHAPTER 1.-THE VOL, crime pioks
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.
is sent aboard the schooner. The mys-
terious light is seen again, and the
wolverine discovers a volcano in full
eruption. The Laughing Lass vanishes
again.
CHAPTER VI--The Wolverine picks
up dory belonging to the Laughing
Lass; It contains Ralph Slade,, jour
naltst known to have been with Scher-
merHorn. and the corpse of the Wolver-
ines bo'sn's mate, who had gone with
Edwards. Slade Is in very bad condi-
ton from fever. thirst and exhaustion.
CHAPTER V1I-Slade RECEIVERS and
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 to
the officers of the Wolverine.
CHAPTER VIII-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 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, a pratt
cal looking seaman with a steel hook
In place of a right hand, and his four
mates mates, me h crew show an unusual h in
ing Lass leaves san Francisco.
CHAPTER X.-Sldde discovers a col
lection OF arms in the captains cabin.
Both Captain Selover and barrow,
Schermerhorn's assistant, are ignorant
OF the schooner's destination.
CHAPTER XII The rev believes
that the doctor is in search of treas
ure.
CHAPTER XII Captain Selover
overawes the crew. Slade and a negro
sailor oVerhear Scherm orhorn 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 XTU-Landing is made on
an uncharted island, with a volcano in
partial action. The wreck of the Gold
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 a 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 XVL-A herd of wild
sheep is found and hunted. The crew
sees barrow engaged in a chemical eX-
pertinent at a miniature volcanic era
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
barrow. 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 he
comes ashore.
CHAPTER XX-Slade is seized and
bound, but escapes.
CHAPTE XXI.-Slade observes one
result of the doctors experiments in a
binding light that Eliminates for a
short time the valley of the laboratory
He is recaptured, but manages to warn
barrow, who comes to tell the sailors
that the time to leave the island has
arrived.
CHAPTER XXII.-The sailors try to
kill barrow and succeed in wounding
him, but he escapes. The volcano be-
gins to erupt violently as Schermer-
horn, carrying the chest, is seen APP
preaching the sailors camp.
CHAPTERS XIII. -XXIV.-The doc.
tor declares that the chest contains the
greatest substance in the world, and
the men kill him to get possession OF
it. The volcano becomes very active
and all, save barrow, embark on the
Laughing Lass. The schooner narrow
ly escapes destruction.
CHAPTER XXV.-The crew open tn,
mysterious chest. AS they do so
weird fire envelopes the entire vessel
themselves overheard. Slade declare!
that he was possessed by an irresisti
bic craving for water.
CHAPTER XXVI.-In the Wolverine!
messroom again. Slade is amazed t
learn that the Laughing Lass, wher
found, showed no signs of fire. He de
clares that the two prize crews are
surely dead. The cruiser approaches
the island, to take off barrow.
CHAPTER XXVIL.-On the island th'
Wolverines landing party fails to fine
barrow, but discovers a book left b!
him.
CHAPTE XVIII. The book is
diary containing entries by Schermer
horn and barrow The former an
nounces his discovery of a solution o
all the worlds problems. The latte
records his sensations after the crew
left the island. He concludes witt
Look for me in the cave"