The Forrest City times., 1913-04-11
C0oE4lCI7Z L9L2, 4 C HecZW7c & co.

1 went to the rail. My impression is 1 that 1t was not. I'll admit it is mys- terious. The whole awful thing is mysterious"
 My candor seemed to relieve him.
 Well, MT. Clyde" he said with equal sincerity, maybe I was out. 1 spoken, but l wanted to know what you'd say to the points that were l puzzling me"
 You did perfectly right" I told hum. As you have said, there must be no secrets between us" And then, as resumed my seat, I asked: What about the fisherman? He hasn't evad- ed his guard, has he?"
 Macleod sat down again too
 Hes in where 1 put him, now" he answered with a shade of reluctance "but-1'm not sure; it's almost as mysterious as the other-but 1 could have sworn l saw him come up that | for'ard hatchway and go sneaking aft l while was on the bridge" When was that?" l pressed, eager. ly.
 About a quarter of twelve"
 What did you do?" Nothing. just then I waited. And while l was waiting I saw that black spooky craft come out of the dark and go skimming astern of us. A little after eight bells l came down from the bridge-I stopped there for l just a minute to have a word with Brandon when he came up-and then l went myself to look after Johnson and the man I'd set to watch him. The | fisherman was in bunk sound asleep and the man swore he had been lying there snoring, for the past two hours l Who was it came up the ladder twen- at me as if he thought I was gone suddenly loony. Before the watch changed?" he asked l nodded. Not | soul came or went,' he said since l been here.'"
 And the boat without lights?" questioned Did you inquire about her? Who else saw herr" T asked the lookouts; but-well, no, sir-and that's very strange to me neither of them saw her l gave them both rating. If they weren't asleep l don't See how they could l have missed her"
 The thing was growing more and more baffiing. Macleod was the last man to be accused of imaginative fan cies. He was thoroughly in earnest in what he had told me- and yet for neither of his statements had he the smallest corroboration. For my own part l was sure that, at the time he | mentioned, no vessel of any descrip- tion had passed anywhere near us. What did you make the craft out to be-"
 Well. sir, I couldn't say exactly. She was in sight only a minute, com ing in range of our own lights. She looked more like a tug than anything else; but she had more speed than any tug l ever saw. She hadn't the lines of yacht"
 She wasn't pilot boat?" 1 "Oh, no, sir. New York pilots don't cruise this far east, and the Boston pilots wouldn't be so far away from | home either"
 l offered the captain cigar, which he declined. filling his pipe in prefer enoe. When l lighted a cigar myself, I asked:
 , T suppose you have some theory, Macleod. You don't seriously think 1t was suicide?"
 AS usual he was slow to answer. After thoughtful second he said I'd be sorry to think that, MT. | Clyde. Taking into consideration what you told me about the threat, and connecting that boat with 1t, 1t looks" and then he paused, thought full again. It's not in possibility" he went on. after a second that they could have plucked him off with line. But if that fellow l saw going aft-Oh, Lord, no, sir! It's past me to see a way out. All the same we are keep ing that craft in sight. and if we can only get thirty knots out of the Sibylla 1 again, we'll find out what she is and what her business Is, before morning. "