Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-03-14

and Thoph and Bill1l row. Thatu De
enough for one dory. II we need
more, we'll signal. Heave ahead"
The steersman, who was staring
hard in the direction they were going.
scowled.
"Humph!" he grunted again. Il
swan to man, fellers, believe she Is
Abandoned"
Rubbish" painted Bill, twisting his
neck to hook over his shoulder.
Course she amt! Who'd abandon
craft such weather's this. and Prov
incetown harbor only three hours run
or so?"
The rowers hit her up" and the
dory moved faster. Then Burgess, put
ting his hand to his mouth, hailed.
Ship ahoy!" he reared. "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, a rope in his hand. The
dory was brought alongside and made
| 81 ofh he an
in the boat climbed to the briggs deck
"Ahoy!" yelled Burgess. "All hands
on decki 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"
"Cal'late it does; but it 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.
"Phew!" shifted Burgess. "She amt
no cologne bottle, is she? Well. come
on below and let's see what1l we see.
The cabin was a mess" as Bill
expressed 1t. The floor was covered
with scattered heaps Of riff-raff, oil
skins, coats, empty bottles, and pa
pers. On the table box stood, Its
hinged lid thrown back.
Medicine chest" said Burgess, ex
aiming it. And rum bottles aplenty
Somebody's been sick, shouldn't won
der"
The minister opened the door OF one
of the little staterooms. The hgh'
which shone through the dirty anc
tightly closed "bull's-eye" window
showed tumbled bunk, the blankets
soiled and streaked. The smell wal
sitting.
Say. felIers," whispered Thoph. "
don't like this much myself. I'm To-
, gettin' on deck where the airs better
Sometimes happened aboard this craft
somethin' serious"
Charlie and Bill nodded an EN-
] phatic Affirmative.
Hadn't we better look about Ill
tie more?" asked Ellery. There's an
!. other stateroom there"
: He opened the door OF 1t as b
; spoke. 1t was, II possible, in Wors'
e condition than the first. And the odo
/ was even more overpowering.
r Shippers ROOM" observed Burgess
peeping In. and that bunk amt bee
: slept in for weeks See the mildew Of
them clothes. Phew! I'm fair sic
4 to my stomach. Come out of this.
!. On deck, in the sunlight. they he'll
8 another consultation.
s "Queerest business ever | see" OF
s served Charlie. | never
+ 81 see somethin' like it once" intI'
!. ruptA Bill. Down in the Gulf twas
n I was on the old Fishhawk. Ebe
I Salters' dad from over to Baypoi
s skipped her. We picked up a Yves
Injy schooner, derelict, abandone
q same as this one, but not anchored
l. OF course. Yeller jack was the tro'
q BILE aboard her and Where 20
Q bound, Thoph|'
a Coin to take a squint at the fo'ca
e tle," replied Theophilus, moving 10
II ward. The minister followed him.
l. The fo'castle hatchway was blac
e and grim. Ellery knelt and peere
!" down. Here there was practically 4
Z light at all and the air was foult
% | @har that In the cabin.
d "See anything. Mr.. Ellery?" aske
t Thoph. looking over his shoulder.
a mo, don't see anything. But
thought"
b. He seemed to be listening.
sr What did you think?"
1T Nothing. +"
70 Hold on! you amt goin' dow
there, be you? wouldn't. No tell
what you might find. Well, all rigt
l amt curious. I'll stay up here al
you can report"
4 Ellery descended the almost perpe
dicular ladder gingerly, holding
with both hands. At the foot
stopped and tried to accustom his ey
to the darkness.
A room perhaps ten feet long,
much he could make out The flo
strewn, like that Of the cabin, wi
heaps Of clothing and odds and enc
More shapes of clothes hanging
and swaying with the roll of the br
A little window high up at the Ell
black with dirt. And cavities, bun