The Elbert County tribune., 1912-07-05
Gof George g. 9eg0kou

bridge and rebuilt over the wheel amidships
some OF the upper works were stripped away
ana the whole appearance of the vessel was
changed to such an extent that even her build
ers would hardly have recognized her
AT Santos l bought outright cargo of
conee and headed for Cape Town. South AT
rica, where / consigned 1t to VIM. G. Anderson
Son, with instructions to sell 1t for cash,
and quickly.
made Leigh sailing and we cleared
light for Australia. with a short stop at the
Mauritus for coal. We coaed again at AL
pany. West Australia. From there we went
to Port Adelaide, South Australia and then on
TO Melbourne, where we came to grief on
Fort Philip Head we sgnaled for pilot and
canny Scot came aboard He seemed sus-
picious of us from the first and noticed that
he was studying the ship closely as we steamed
up to anchorage of Wilamstown.
landed at once and went to the Civil Serv-
ice Club Hotel to recuperate from a bad case
OF malaria which had contracted at the Maui
ritlus While not alarmed by the apparent
suspicion Of the pilot I was impressed by it
and gave strict orders to Leigh to allow no one
to come aboard Leighs one weakness was
drink. and to guard against his becoming help
lessly intoxicated instructed Wilson either to
remain on board visit the ship every day.
My fever grew worse after l went ashore.
and In two or three days the doctor decided
that should have nurse, as was all alone.
The doctor was with me when the nurse ar
rived. and as the latter entered the door the
doctor made quick movement as though
something had startled him. looking in amaze
ment from one of us to the other l could not
imagine what had happened until he said:
THAT man looks enough like you to be your
twin brother! never have seen such a re-
semblance between two men"
l surveyed the nurse more critically and
saw that we did look strangely alike even
to the Scared face The nurse said his name
was William Nourse and that he had arrived
in Melbourne only two or three days before
from Tasmania. where he had worked in the
Hobartstown hospital.
While was recovering at the hotel. events
were transpiring in connection with the ship.
Wilson. 1t developed soon relaxed his vigi-
lance and gave himself up to pleasures ashore
but without coming near me. whereupon old
Leigh blithely betook himself to his beloved
bottle. After few days the shrewd Scotch
pilot paid the ship friendly visit. found Leigh
full three sheets in the wind. encouraged him
to proceed with his potations until he fell
asleep and then went over the ship at his
leisure taking measurements and making OBJ
servations.
Naturally his measurements corresponded
exactly with those of the Ferret. which had
been reported as missing
was greatly surprised when late one aft
ernoon about ten days after our arrival at
Melbourne. | received word from Joe that the
ship had been recognized the Ferret and
seized; that he had taken to the bush and
that had better disappear as quickly and
quietly as possible II wished to escape arrest
for the officers were looking for both of us.
told Nourse that warrant was out for
my arrest on some technical violation of the
port regulations, and that. while had no fear
of the result of trial, l did not feel strong
enough to go through with 1t, and therefore
l intended to leave at once and secretly and
stay away until the trouble blew over He
agreed to go with me. and soon after dark
left the hotel quietly by rear entrance
which opened alley
We engaged carriage and drove to sub
urb on the railroad running to Sydney
On the long drive to Longwood became
convinced that my capture was certain, for
the country SO thinly settled that we were
sure to attract attention and be easily fol-
lowed, while If stuck to the railroad l was
sure to be apprehended In seeking some new
way out of the dilemma conceived the idea