, 1915-02-04

III L YOU ~
81 am rather bewildered.' | said
slowly: but, under the circumstances.
I suppo you do not wish me to look
after Mr.. Turner
Mrs. Johns got up and lounged to
the table.
eve have decided" she said inso-
lently, that, If the crew may esthb
lish a dead line. so may we. Our dead
line is the foot of the companionway.
One of us will be on watch always.
am an excellent shot"
81 do not doubt It," l faced her. 81
am afraid you will suffer for air. other
wise the arrangement is good. You re-
l,eve me of part of the responsibility
for your safety. Tom will bring your
food to the steps and leave it there"
"Thank you"
And | turned to where Elsa sat.
81 shall not come back unless you
send for me- ! said. But | want you
to know that my one object in life
from now on is to get you back safely
to land; that your safety IN first.
and that the vigilance on deck In your
Interest will not be relaxed"
Fine words!' the stewardess nut.
tered.
The low mumbling from Turner's
had persisted steadily. Now 1t
rose again in the sharp frenzy that had
characterized ii through the long night.
Don't look ut me like that, mani"
he cried, and then-"He's lost a hand!
A handr"
1t rained heavily all that day. Late
In the afternoon we got some wind,
and all hands turned out to trim sail.
Action was n relief, and the weather
suited our disheartened state better
than had the p~itiless August sun, the
glaring white of deck and canvas and
the heat.
| watched the weather anXiously.
We were too short handed to manage
any sort of n gale, and yet the urgency
of our return made 1t unwise to short.
en- anvas too much. 1t was as well
perhaps that | had so much to dis
tract my mind from the situation IN
the after house.
The second of the series of curious
Incidents that complicated our return
voyage occurred that night. | was on
watch from eight bells (midnightj until
4 In the morning. Jones was In the
crows nest. Mcnamara mt the wheel.
l was at the starboard forward corner
of the after house looking over the
rail. | thought that | had seen the
lights of a steamer.
The rain had ceased, but the night
was still very dark. | heard IA sort
of rapping from the forward house
and took "A step toward 1t, listening.
tones heard it. too. and called down
to me ~nervously to see what was
wrong.
called up to him cautiously to come
down and take my place while l in
Vestgated. | thought It was Single
ton. When Jones had taken UP his
position at the companionway / went
forward. The knocking continued, and
l traced it to Singleton's cabin. He
was at the door hammering frantical-
ly. called to him through the open
window, but the only answer was re-
newed and louder pounding.
ran around to his door and felt for
the key which | carried.
What is the matter?" | called.
For Gods sake, open the door,"
unlocked 1t and threw 1t open. He
retreated before me with his hands out
II ddle against the wall beside
the window. ! struck n match. His
face was drawn and distorted, and he
held his arm up as If to ward off a
blow.
"Well| ! demanded.
1T was there" he said, looking over
his shoulder. It's been there three
times, looking mall in white and
grinning at me"
"A mani"
Tit hasn't got any face"
How could 1t grin at you If it hasn't
n facef | demanded impatiently.
Pull yourself together and tell me
what you saw"
1t was some time before he could
tell a connected story, and when he
did l was inclined to suspect that he
had heard us talking the night before,
n heard Adams description of the
Intruder on the ~forecastle head and
that, what with drink and terror, he
mad fancied the rest. And vet | was
not so sure.
Il was asleep, the first time" he
said. 81 don't know how long ago it
was. | woke up cold, with the feel
Ing that something was looking Mt me.
raised up in bed, and there was a
thing at the window. 1t was look
ing in"
"a white head?'
1T wasn't a head. For Gods sake
Leslie, | can't tell you any more thar
that! | saw it, That's enough. |
saw 1t three times"
1T isn't enough for me- l said dog.
gedly. 1T hadn't any head or face,
but 1t looked In. It's dark out there.
How could you see?"
For reply he leaned over and, turn.
Ing down h lamp, blew 1t out. We
sat In the smoking darkness and sI,u,