The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-11-08
CHAPTER I.
The Mad Sea.Captain.

~
received command Of n submarine, col
IIded violently with tall, elderly nun
of singular aspect.
The stranger was dressed In n quasi
nautical costume OF his own deylsing,
resembling nothing known to any navy
In the world. His iron-gray beard
swept down to his waist giving him
the aspect Of twentleth-century
Noah; and Just then he was very angry
indeed, for, standing stock-still at the
entrance Of the building he shook his
enormous fist at one OF the porters'
whose black and highly shocked ex-
preston indicated his unhappy frame
OF mind at this breach Of. decorum.
"Confound you, sirl" exclaimed the
lieutenant angrily rs he recoiled from
his ispact upon the sturdy figure ON
which the collision had made no more
impression than II he had fallen
against the Washington monument.
"why don't you look"
Then, catching sight OF the long
beard-"Why. Captain Masterman y
he exclaimed.
Donald Pagetl" cried the elderly
man, grasplng him by the hand. "Ex-
cuse my being upset, but these jacks
in-offlce will be the death of the repub-
lie one of these days. have just
been trying to see the secretary on n
matter affecting not only Amerlca-in
which case his Indifference would not
surprise me-but the entire human
race. What do you suppose they told
mel"
IL nm inclined to think that you got
no further than the porter, captain"
replied the lieutenant.
"Iilght, slrl" exclaimed Masterman.
beginning to grow angry again. "And
II were not man Of superhuman
patience, combined with lnexhaustible
tact. singular clarity Of mind, and te-
unclty of purpose-ln fact, an obsti'
nate old mule-I should let the human
race go hangw
Lieutenant Paget took the irate old
man by the arm. ~ wouldn't do that,
captain" he said, smiling, "Come and
tell me all about 1t, and let us see
whether we cannot devise some means
Of saving the race. You see. now that
the navy department is so busy on ac-
count OF the war, perhaps little leni-
ency with Its shortcomings might be
In order, ehf"
"The wnrl What warf" demanded
Masterman.
"Why, our few words with the Ger
mans, Masterman."
"What's that? War with the Ger
mans? You don't mean to tell Inc we
are at war with Germany
"Do you mean to say you don't
know that America and Germany are
ut warT" demanded Paget incredu-
lousy.
"No, sIrl And, what's more, 1t
doesn't interest me. How the deuce
should know all the gossip and frivol-
tiles of the day when | only returned
TO the capital yesterday"
"But, my dear captain-gosslp and
frlvolltles!" exclaimed the lieutenant.
"Surely you have seen newspapers, or
heard people talking about lt?"
~ tell you haven't seen or heard
anything I've got more important
things to think about. Anyhow, 1t will
have TO be stopped Mt once" said Mas
terman, half turning. "rll have to go
bnck and see the secretary immedi-
ntely."
However, he suffered his companion
90 lead him out of the building ana
along the street, while the lieutenant,
firmly convinced that his old friend
was mad, held him by the arm tightly
and listened to the captains disJointed
mutterlngs in the hope Of discovering
the nature Of his delusion.
Donald Paget had known Captain
Jonathan Masterman when he was OF
Annapolis, where the old man, who
had once been quartermaster In me
navy, held u subsidiary position Oh the
instructors staff. The acquaintance
had continued Internationally. Master
man had risen in life until he obtained
the command of ship fitted out, part
ly by private subscription partly With
the aid of government suhSidy. fol
the purpose of deep-sea exploration.
In this and subsequent expeditions
he had made euIne for himself by
the remarkable nature Of his discov
cries. lie had discovered the prOlon
gnt.on Of the submarine spur of tht
continental shelf, extending from the
Norwegian coast toward the Faroes
he had invented an improved net fol
scooping up the larger deni2ens of thu
ocean depths; and then he had NULL
fed all the personal appreciation an,
fame which he had acquired durin!
his various voyages by asserting thl
mammalian life existed on the SCI
floor, and by champlonlng the caus,
OF the sea serpent.
That was the end of Captain Mas
terman's activities so far as the gov
ernment was concerned. In final In
tervlew the secretary Of the navy hat
said to him:
PERSONALLY ! believe In you. Mas
termnn. But II isn't the dlscoverle
that count, It's getting the scientili
world TO believe In them. believe /
the sea serpent, myself, because Nv
seen three Of them; but / wouldn
dare to admit It, even In my clu
smoking rom. and we can't get 20
another subsidy.