The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-10-20
CHAPTER v.
NAT Ed A. A.

call. FlTSt OI all L WANT every uudh
to give up his weapons Burns"
AYE, aye
go over each man. Leave them
their pocket knives Take everything
| else"
The men lined up The situation was
tense, horrible. so that the miscelane-
Gus articles from their pockets-knives,
keys, plugs of chewing tobacco and
here and there among the foreign ones
small combs for beard and mustache-
unexpectedly brought to light, caused
a smile of pure reaction.
l went over to Singleton and put my
hand on his shoulder.
I'm sorry. Mr.. Singleton" l said
''but I'll have to ask you for your re-
volver.'
Without looking at me he drew 1t
! from his hip pocket and held it out. l
took it. 1t was loaded.
Its out of ORDER" he said briefly.
eff it had been working right
wouldn't be here
F., | slid his revolver into my pocket
| and went back to the men. Counting
Williams and the cook and myself
| there were nine of us. The cook
counted out ordering him TO go to the
galley and prepare breakfast. The
eight that were left | divided into two
watches, Burns taking one and | the
other. On Burns watch were Clarke.
Mcnamara and Williams. on mine Ole
son. Adams and Charlie Jones.
! 1t was two bells, or 5 o'clock.
Burns struck the gong sharply as an
indication that order. of sort. had
been restored. The rising sun was
cleaning on the sails; the gray surface
of the sea was ruffling under the morn
ing breeze. From the galley thin
stream Of smoke was rising. Some of
! the horror Of the night went with the
darkness, but the thought of what
waited in the cabin below was on us
| all.
| | suggested another attempt to rouse
Mr.. Turner. and Burns and Clarke
went below. They came back in ten
minutes reporting no change in Tur-
ner's condition. There was open
grumbling among the men at the stu
alton. but we were helpless. Burns
and | decided to go on as if Turner
were not on board, until he was in
condition to take hold
! We thought it best to bring up the
/ bodies while all the crew was on duty,
and then to take up the watches.
arranged to have one man constantly
on guard In the after house-a difficult
matter where all were under suspicion
Burns suggested Charlie Jones as prob
ably the most reliable. and | gave him
the revolver | had taken from Single
ton. 1t was useless. but it made at
least a show OF authority. The rest of
the crew, except Oleson. on guard over
the mate, was detailed to assist in
carrying up the three bodies. Williams
was taken along to get sheets from the
linen room.
We brought the captain up first. lay
ing him on a sheet on the deck and
| folding the edges over him. 1t was
terrible work. Even I, fresh from a
medical college. grew nauseated over
1t. He was heavy 1t was slow work
getting him up. Vail we brought up in
| the sheets from his bunk. OF the three
he was the most mutilated. The maid,
Karen. showed only one injury. a
smashing blow on the head. probably
from the head of the ak. for ak it had
been beyond a doubt.
At three bells the cook brought coffee
and some of the men took it. | tried
to swallow. but it choked me.
! | find it hard to recall calmly the
events of that morning: the three still
and shrouded figures. prone on deck
the crew, bareheaded. standing around.
eying each other stealthiy. with panic
ready to leap free and grip each of
them by the throat; the grim determi-
/ nation, the reason for which I did not
| yet know. to put the first mate in
irons. and over all the clear sunrise
OF an August morning on the ocean,
rails and decks cleaning. an odor of
coffee In the air, the joyous lift ami
splash of the bowsprit as the Ella.
headed back on her course. seemed to
| make for home like nag for the
| stable.
Surely none of these men. some weep
ing, all grieving. could be the fend
who had committed the crimes. One
by one. | looked in their faces-a'
Burns, youngest member Of the crew, a
blue eyed, sandy haired Scot; at Clarke
and Adams and Charlie Jones. old in
the service of the Turner line; at Nc
Namara, shrewd little Irishman; at
Oleson the Swede. And. In spite of
myself, | could not help comparing
them with the heavy shouldered. sod
den faced man below in his cabin. the
owner of the ship.
One explanation came to me. and |
leaped at 1.-THE possibility of stow
away hidden In the hold. some mani
acal fugitive who had found in the
little cargo boats empty hull ample
room to hide. The men. too. seized at
the idea. One and all volunteered for
what might prove to be dangerous
service.
chose Charlie Jones and Clarke as
being most familiar with the ship. and
we went down into the hold Clarke