The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-02-22

enough for one dory. II we neet
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 look over his shoulder
Course she amt! Who'd abandon o
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!" lie 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"
"Cai'late 1t 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.
"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 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. shouldn't won
1er."
The minister opened the door Of one
If the little staterooms. The light |
which shone through the dirty and
lightly closed "bull's-eye" window
showed a tumbled bunk, the blankets
'oiled and streaked. The smell was
sitting.
Say, fellers." whispered Thoph. 81
lon't like this much myself I'm for
'ettin' on deck where the airs better.
happened aboard this craft,
omethin' serious"
Charlie and Bill nodded an en-
hattie Affirmative.
Hadn't we better look about a lit
lie more?" asked Ellery. There's an
Their stateroom there"
He opened the door Of II as he
poke. 1t was, If possible, in worse
than the first And the odor
Shippers ROOM" observed Burgess,
eeping in. And that bunk amt been
lept In for weeks. See the mildew on
hem clothes. Phew! I'm fair sick
, my stomach. Come out Of this"
On deck, In the sunlight, they held I
mother consultation.
"Queerest business ever l see," OBJ
srved Charlie. ] never"
81 see somethin. like 1t once" intH "
lpt . Bill. Down In the Gulf twas.
was on the old Fishhawk. Eben
alters dad from over to Bayport 4
tipped her. We picked up a West 8
ljy schooner, derelict, abandoned b
me as this one, but not anchored,
course. Yeller jack was the trou- a
e aboard her and Where you b
'und. Thoph?" n
Coin to take squirt at the fo'cas- r
e." replied Theophilus, moving for. v
ard. The minister followed him. q
The fo'castle hatchway was black
I'd grim. Ellery knelt and peered s
'wn. Here there was practically no "
yht at all and the air was fouler a
an that in the cabin. Il
See anything, Mr.. Eflery" asked
loph, looking over his shoulder. n
mo, l don't see anything. But / Z
ought" "
He seemed to be listening. 81
What did you think?" Il
Nothing. L" IL
Hold on! you amt goin' down a
ere, be you! I wouldn't. No tellin' In
hat you might find. Well, all right. b
amt curious. I'll stay up here and Of
u can report" d.
Ellery descended the almost perpen- II
cular ladder gingerly, holding on II
tn both hands. At the foot he CT
'pped and tried to accustom his eyes
the darkness.
A room perhaps ten feet long, 30
ich he could make out The floor -
'ewn. like that Of the cabin, with =.
APPS Of clothing and odds and ends. =.
IRE shapes Of clothes hanging up =,
swaying with the roll Of the brig. =.
little window high up at the end, IT
Ick with dirt. And cavities, hunks ~
rows. along the walls. A horrible '"
lie. Az