Evening journal., 1912-10-01
A
.DERELICT
BY LEnTlA EDWARDS


Captain" said the first mate OF
the Swallow, having come aft TO the
quarterdeck with marine glass IN his
hand, that vessel of on the port
how Is either disabled OF a derelict
] don't see any signal OF distress, 30
I suppose she Is a derelict"
The captain OF the Swallow gave
orders to the quartermaster TO put
the vessel of her course in order to
visit the disabled ship, and when the
hitter was reached boat was lowered
and the mate was pulled 70 her. He
found her In very good condition, ex-
ccpt that she was half full Of water.
She would have sunk had not air got
confined IN the cabin under the main
deck, which bouyed her up. What the
cargo was could not be learned on ac-
count Of the water Having inspected
her. the mate was pulled back to the
Swallow and reported TO his captain
ns follows:
"She's the brig Susan Crane OF New
Bedford. half full Of water and no
signs OF having been disabled by
stress Of weather Ny opinion is that
she was scuttled 10 beat the under
writer's and the sinking OF her was
failure air having been held be-
tween decks"
At this Captain butcher OF the
swallow looked grave. He was a
young man scarcely thirty, lived when
mt home at New Bedford and knew
all about the Susan Crane and her
captain.
HAS she been abandoned a long
while7" he asked.
81 think" replied the mate, "that she
has"
''Then she must have drifted. is she
worth savingT
yes. sir; tho vessel would be all
right II pumped OUT
WELL" said the captain, evidently
with reluctance. Il suppose wen have
10 take her in"
The Susan Crane was taken In tow,
and the Swallow continued on her
course to New Bedford. But the next
day the mercury began TO fail rapidly.
do you think. SIR" said the mate,
that we viii be able to hold our tow
through a Storm
II fear not"
IF we part company with her she'll
be a danger to navigation"
Perhaps we had better sink her"
said the captain, drawing a sigh OF
relief. go aboard Of her and let the
air out Of her"
A boat with a couple OF axes in her
holes were chopped in her upper deck
aud the men had scarcely regained
the Swallow before the derellct sank
Captain butcher stood leaning over
The tatfrail looking at her till he saw
her 90 down, then turned his atten-
ton to his own ship Having wealth
cred n three days storm, he was near.
Ing port when he called his crew to-
gether on deck and said to them:
,----elt Is evident that we overhauled a
case OF rascality I'm the derelict, and
when we make port Wen find that
whoever directed her has got there
before us and told a story of ship
wreck. wish each and all Of you to
promise me to keep the matter in your
knowledge lockers TIL l give you the
word to speak. II you tell you1l make
nothing. for since we didn't bring her
IN there's no salvage for us. n you
keep mum those who scrttled her
might pay you something to keep
quiet or course we can't permit the
Insurance companies TO be swindled
in any event.
Anything you orders, SIR, goes"
said an old salt who took Il upon him
self to reply for his mates as well ms
himself, and the men returned b the
forecastle.
When the Swallow was locked Cap
tain butcher went uptown and stopped
At a dwelling house and rang the bell
The door was opened by young woni-
an twenty-five or twenty-thrce years
old At seeing butcher her face lit up
with pleasure They went inside to.
gether and butcher asked:
Has the Susan Crane got IMP
NO. She was wrecked. but the crew
we're all saved"
Has the insurance been collected -
Not yet ! believe there's some trou-
bic IN proving the loss OF the ship"
''reli Ben wish to see him at once
why soT' asked the girl, turning
pale
Keep what tell you secret. His
ship was not lost overhauled her
and was towing her IN when a storm
came up and / was obliged 10 sink
her"
why should keep this a secretY"
He hesltated. then said: Margaret
would wrong you by refusing you
reply. You may not have made mis-
take IN refusing me. but you erred in
accepting Ben" And he told her Of his
discovery Of the fact that Ben Haw.
kins. captain OF the Susan Crane. was a
criminal
The shock stunned her butcher left
her to recover from It and sought the
man who had supplanted him.
~On Margarets account" be said
I have arranged this matter so thai
You can get out OF II without holm,