The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-01-18

| lne three Oh us CluNS 10 tie lauueT
gazing down, the light from the lantern
revealing our faces. Masters was not
gone a moment, but his voice had
changed.
'Tony's killed, sir" he called up ex-
citedly. "He's lying on the coal In
number one bunker, cut In the back
with knife"
The words were not out Of his
mouth before we were scrambling
down. But our haste gained us moth
ing. The only trail Bascom had left
was the dead Italian, stretched out In
the half emptied coal bunker, his lips
closed forever. 1t was q knife thrust
| which had killed him-just such a
thrust as had done for his two mates
in the cabin above; but the mailman
had disappeared. However, here was
proof positive that the fellow was still
on board; still hiding between decks.
He had not reached the open, or flung
himself into the sea. Masters could
| tell us nothing; he had heard no
sound, seen no shadow. He had been
oiling the machinery, and Il man could
have slipped down the ladder unob-
served, and escaped again in the same
way. There was no other entrance to
the engineroom; the forward bulkhead
was solid: there were two ventilator
shafts, but neither was large enough
Cor the passage of mans body, and
the coal chute was kept closed and
locked at sea. Nevertheless I had these
examined, determined to take no
chances, and our lantern penetrated
every inch of the engineroom and coal
bunkers. At the end, utterly baffled,
White gave vent to an oath.
at beats me, sir" he confessed
hoarsely, "unless it's spook we're
a-huntin' for"
81 wish 1t was; the trouble is It is
man, and mighty dangerous one.
Well, he's not down here, and he must
have gone back by way Of the ladder.
The fellow has either found some
means of getting into the hold, or else
he's managed to slip on deck and per-
haps is hidden in the forecastle-no
one messes there now"
mo, sir"
"Then let's have look up above;
come on, men,"
eyer amt g0in' ter leave me down
here all alone, are yer, captain?' ques-
toned Masters anxiousy, with Tony
lying dead I'm there, an q murderer
prowlin' about?"
Hell not be down here again. but /
suppose you must have a fireman
White, you better stay"
"'Tain't no job l like, sir; I shov-
eled coal here already for eight hours"
"I'll tackle it, sir" interrupted Oh
son quietly. "That big boob would
throw a fit down here every time he
saw shadow. After you get those
matches off send him in on top o. the
cargo. There'd be no danger O. his
gettin' hurt If Bascom was a hidin'
there"
"Yer a dirty liar! amt no more
afraid than you are!"
"Then why don't you stay here?"
| 'T'm plumb tired out shovelin'."
"That will do, men," / broke In
sternly. "There will be work enough,
and maybe fighting enough for both of
you. AS long as you have volunteered.
Olson, you may take turn down here,
and White will go with me. Keep
sharp eye out, you men below"
The two of us clambered up the iron
ladder, the sailor with the lantern in
his hand, the marling spike thrust into
his belt. I tested the bulkhead door
again as we came to it, but it seemed
as solid as the steel wall itself, and
thoroughly satisfied that 1t had not
been opened since the ship sailed, we
mounted to the open deck.