The Washington times., 1909-09-17
= By
ROBERT CARLTON BROWN

water and the oars TO the dead man in
the bow
What could be the reason for the men
who had set him adrift to furnish him
with water and oars?
The boat hoated on FOR hours, and
bben did not have a thought of using
tho oars. His mind was busy with a
thousand things
At length morning broke and he
found himself still alone on the sea
with the dead man In the bow.
Eben was afraid to sit with his back
turned 10 the corpse. through a super
stitious dread: and IL was more than
he could bear to sit looking at H.
So. finally, he dropped his head I'm his
hands and remained q huddled heap, his
mind rowing hither and thither In search
Of some explanation.
When Eben opened his eyes again, he
saw two specks in the distance. They
were sails Eben watched them with
fascination for some time: then he
caught sight Of the hideous corpse and
again dropped his mead between his
hands.
An bour later his head boobed up
without warning. and he opened his
eyes to find that his little BOAT was al
most touching edges with one of the
sailing vessels he had noted some time
before.
Hello. mateyi" came a cry from the
fishing smack. and a sailors brown face
was thrust over the side.
What's up?' called the sailor.
Eben held onto the sides of his boat
and stared back at the sailor. The sur
prise at being found made him speech
less for the moment.
Holy snakesi' cried the sailor. a
moment later. as his eyes rested on the
corpse In the bow Of the hfeboat.
What kind OF a mate have you got
there2 Bill Bini'
He broke of abruptly, and turned TO
another man in the smack. who was
busy i.yT-, with some ropes
dressed as Bill.
Here's a queer craft A dumb man
and a dead one" the sailor made re-
Alloy therer' cried Bill. peerinR over
the edge Of the fishing boat
Where am r. cried Eben- I've
With that csrgo?' cried the other
sailor.
He was in the boat when I was
dropped overheard" shouted Eben.
BY this time BIZ had secured Eben's s
boat with a pike pols and drawn it
close alongside.
A hand was reached down to Eben,
and, with difficulty, he clambored
aboard. He sat stupefied In the bottom
rallied himself TO answer tie questions
hurled at him by the two men, who
were the only occupants of the boat be
sides himself.
i was put adr1tL IN 1hiS boat from
the Winnewaba," Eben explained. Then
he gaYe them the details. They watch
ed him closely as he spoke, and their
keen eyes seemed TO contain much
doubt
But how about the dead one in the
boat, matey2F asked Bill.
He was there when I got III I
didn't discover him for a long time -
answered Eben.
The fisherman looked at him narrow
ly, then he spat speculstively and went
TO the end of the boat where Eben' S
roWboat had been tied up IN tow.
When he came back he carried a
short iron bar in his hand. One end
Of the bar was bloody, and II looked TO
be the same size as the wound in the
dead mans mead.
How do you explain this, then -
asked Bill.
that?' cried Eben, turning faint at the
sight, for he had undergone a great or
deal during the night.
Il found ii just now iD the boat. be-
side your mate" answered the fisher
man.
"It's the first time 1 ever saw it.''
cried Eben Nash, trying 70 control him
self
You're sure Of that?"
1T looks bad for you. Here we picked
you up IN a lifeboat from the Winnie
waba- with a keg OF water, a pair Of
oars and a dead man It looks bad,
I say Don't Il. Jack7'
The appeal to his conrade was an
swered by a low Rrow1 Of assent.
IT can't explain II at ALL" Eben went
on, his temples pulsing violently with
the strain.