Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1912-12-06
Sure I woat De in the way


enough for one dory. If We need
more, We'll signal. Heave ahead -
The steersman, who was starins
hard In the direction they were going
scowled.
"Humph!" he granted again. a
swan to man. fellers, believe she is
Abandoned"
Rubbish" painted Bill, twisting his
neck to look over his shoulder
Course she amt! Who'd abandon
craft such weather's this. and Prov.
incetown harbor only three hours run
eor so?"
The rowers 'hit her up" and the
dory moved faster. Then Burgess. put.
ting his hand to his mouth hailed.
Ship ahoy!" he roared. "Ahoy!"
No reply.
The dory slackened speed, turned in
obedience to the steering oar. and slid
under the forequarter of the an.
chored vessel. Ellery, looking up, saw
her name in battered gilt letters above
his head-the San Jose.
stand by, Thoph!" shouted Charlie.
"S'pose you can jump and grab her
forechains? Hold her steady, Bill.
Now, Thoph! That's the time!"
Thoph had jumped, seized the
chains, and was scrambling aboard A
moment later he appeared at the rail
amidships, rope in his hand The
dory was brought alongside and made
fast; then one after the other the men
in the boat climbed to the briggs deck.
"Ahoy!" yelled Burgess "All hands
on deck! tumble up you lubbers!
Humph! She is abandoned. sure and
sartin."
"Yup," asserted Bill Her boats
are gone. See? Guess that explains
the longboat on the beach, Charlie"
"Cal1ate it does; but 1t don't ex.
plain why they left her. She amt
leakin' none to speak of, that's sure.
Rides's lights a feather Christmas!
look at them decks; dirty hogs. who
ever they was"
Thoph led the way aft. The cabin
companion door was open and they
peered down.
no cologne bottle, is she? Well. come
on below and let's see whatll We see"
The cabin was mess" as Bill
expressed it. The floor was covered
with scattered heaps OF riff-raff. oil
skins, coats. empty bottles. and pa
pers. On the table a box stood, its
hinged lid thrown back.
Medicine chest" said Burgess, ex-
aiming it. And rum bottles aplenty.
Somebody's been sick, l shouldn't won
der"
The minister opened the door of one
of the little staterooms. The light
which shone through the dirty and
tightly closed "bull's-eye' window
showed a tumbled bunk. the blankets
soiled ard streaked. The smell was
sitting.
Say, fellers," whispered Thoph. i
don't like this much myself. I'm for
gettin' on deck where the airs better.
Somethin's happened aboard the craft,
somethin' serious"
Charlie and Bill nodded an en-
phatic affirmative. =,
Hadn't we better look about III
tie more?" asked Ellery. Ihere an-
other stateroom there.
He opened the door of 1t as ne
spoke. 1t was, if possible, in worse
condition than the first. And the odof
was even more oyerpowering.
Shippers room," observed Burgess
peepine in. And that bunk amt been
slept in for weeks. See the mildeW on
them clothes. Phew! I'm fair SICK
to nv stomach. Come out OF this.
On deck, in the sunlight, they helu
another consultation.
"Queerest business ever see oo-
served Charlie ! never
Il see somethin' like it once, inter
rupted Bill. Down in the Gulf WAS
l was on the old FishhaWk. bpeh
Salters dad from over to Baypoft
skipped her. We picked up est
Iniy schooner, derelfet, Abandoned
same as this one, but not anchored
of course. Yeller jack was the tfou-
BILE aboard her and Where you
bound, Thoph?" 49,.
Coin to take a squint al me 10 .a'
tie" replied Theophilus, moE'hs W.
ward. The minister followed nm.
The fo'castle hatchway was oiaek
and grim. Ellery knelt ana pee
down. Here there was practleaiiy nv
light at all and the air was lou4e'
than that in the cabin.
See ANYTHING, Mr.. ElleryE asAeu
Thoph. looking over his shoulder
..No don't see anything. But
thought"
He seemed to be listening
What did you think -
Nothing. / -, so
Hold on. you amt goin' down
there. be you? / wouldn't. NO Tenn
what YOU might find. Well. all rish'
l aint curious. III stay up here ana
you can report.
EIlery descended the almost perpeh-
dicular ladder gingeriy, hoioihs
with both hands. At the 1901
stopped and tried to accustom lis e'.'
to the darkness.
A room perhaps ten feet long
much he could make out. he hool
strevn. like that OF the cabin, win
heaps of clothing and odds ano ehus
More shapes of clothes haneihs W
and swaying with the roll OF the ofis
A little window high up at the emu
black with dirt. And cavities, ounAs
In rows. along the walls. A horfioie
hole.
He took a step toward the center =,
the room. bending his head to aVolo
hitting the fo'castle lantern.
one of the hunks something s.ii