The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-05-22

sprfnkled once In while III steer
and Thoph and Bill1l row. Tnatll be
enough for one dory. If 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. 81
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 a
craft such weather's this, and Prov
incetown harbor only three hours run
/ or SOP"
| 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 h6aQ-tne san Jose.
stand by, Thoph!" shouted Charlie.
"Spose 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? GuesE that explains
the longboat on the beach, Charlie"
| "Carlate 1t does; but 1t don't ex-
plain why they left her. She amt
leakin' none to speSll of, that's sure.
| Ridess 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 what'll 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
| h. faI cfnnd
hinged lid thrown back.
| Medicine chest" said Burgess, e1-
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 light
which shone through the dirty and
| tightly closed "bull's-eye" window
showed tumbled bunk, the blankets
| soiled and streaked The smell was
sitting.
Say, fellerg," whispered Thoph, Il
don't like this much myself. I'm for
| 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 lit
| tie, mor?" asked Eiery. There's an
| other stateroom there"
He opened the door of it. as he
spoke. It was, if possible, in worse
| condition than the first. And the odor
was even more overpowerinE.
Shippers room," observed Burgess,
peeping In. And that bunk amt been
| slept in for weeks. See the mildew on
| them clothes. Phew! I'm fair sick
| to my stomach. Come out of this"
| On deck, in the sunlight, they held
| another consultation.
| "Queerest business ever see.' OBJ
served Charlie. ] never"
| Il see somethin' like it once inter-
| rupted Bill. Down in the Gulf twas.
| was on the old Fishhawk. Eben
Salters' dad from over to Bayport
skipped her. We picked up a West
Iniy schooner, derelict, abandoned
same as this one, but not anchored,
of course. Yeller jack was the trou-
| BILE aboard her and Where you
bound, Thoph?"
Coin to take a squint at the focas-
tle," replied TheoDhilus, moving for
| ward. The minister followed him.
The fo'castle hatchway was black
and grim. Ellery knelt and peered
down. Here there was practically no
light at all and the air was fouler
than that in. the cabin.
See anything, Mr.. Ellery?" asked
Thoph, locking over his shoulder.
mo, don't see anything. But /
thought"
| HIS seemed to be listening.
"What did you Think"
Nothing. +"
| Hold on! you amt goin down
there, be you2 wouldn't. No tellin'
what you might find Well, all right.
amt curious. I'll stay up here and
you can repcrt."
/ Ellery descended the almost perpen-
Aicular ladder gingerly, holding on
with both hands. At the foot he
| stopped and tried to accustom his eyes
| to the darkness.
/ A room perhaps ten feet long, 80
| much he could make out. The floor
strewn, like that of the cabin, with
heaps of clothing and odds and ends.
More shapes of clothes hanging up
and swaying with the roll of the brig.
A little window high up at the end,
black with dirt. And cavities, hunks
in rows, along the walls. A horrible
hole.
/ LIZ 4onlr n cten tnuard tho oarntor of