Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-01-14

more, well signal Heave ahead
The steersnlan, who was staring
hard in the direction they were going,
scowled.
"Humph!" ne grunted again. 81
swan to man, fellers. I 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
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 reared. "Ahoy!"
No reply.
The dory sackened speed, turned In
! obedience 70 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. 4All 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 be8 ch, Charlie"
"Callate It does; but it don't ex-
plain why they left her. She amt
leakin' none to speak 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 she9 Well, come
on below and lets see what'l 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 box stood, its
| hinged lid thrown back.
Medicine chest" said Burgess, ex-
amining 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 sbull's-eye" window
showed a tumbled bunk. the blankets
| soiled and streaked. The smell was
sitting.
Say, fe.lsrs," whispered Thoph, 81
don't like this much myself. I'm for
| gettin' on deck where the airs better.
Somethin's happened aboard this craft,
somethin serious"
Charlie and Bill nodded an en-
| phatic affirmative.
Hadn't we better look about lit
| tie more?" asked Ellery. There's an
other stateroom there"
| He opened the door of it as he
spoke. 1t was, if possible, in worse
condition than the first. And the odor
was even more oyerpowering.
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 CT this"
| On deck, in the sunlight, they held
another consultation.
"Queefess business ever see" OBJ
served Charlie. l 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 ner 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, Thopn?"
Coin to take squint at the fo'cas-
tie" replied Theophilus, 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, looking over his shoulder,
mo, | don't see anything But
thought"
He seemed to be listening
What did you think"
Nothing. I"
Hold on! you amt gotn' down
there, be you? l wouldn't. No tellin'
what you might find. Well, all right.
l amt curious. I'll stay up here and
you can report" @
Ellery descended the almost perpen-
| dicular 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. so
much he could make cut. The hoor
strewn, like that of the cabin, with
! leaps of clothing and odds and ends
More shapes of clothes hanging up
and swaying with the roll of the brig
A little window high ZIP at the end
black with dirt And cavities, hunks
in rows, along the walls. A horrible
hole.
He took step toward the center OF
the room, bending his head to avoid
hitting the fo'castle lantern. Then in
one of the hunks something stirred
something alive. He started violently
! controlled himself with an effort, and
stumbled toward the sound.
What is it," he whispered WHO
is it? Is anyone there?"
A groan answered him. Then
voice, weak and quayering. said:
Gimme a drink. Gimme a drink,