Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-06-23
WOLVES |
ofMe SEA !
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS !
BY ]
RANDALL }
PARRISH
CHAPTER XXI.
The Last Of the Namur.
Observation-Disclosures
Corynshi ~ A e. hcClars 4 Co

crushed their way through. The bows
tween rocks. the stern sunk deep. with
cabin port holes barely above reach Of
the waves. Not a living thing appeared
on board. and, as the fog slowly drifted
away, my eyes could discern no sign
Of any boat. no evidence Of the crew,
along the wide sweep of water. A
voice aroused me.
"What was it you said, Jack, bout
treasure on the old hooker? Why not
get it afore it's too late"
"It's thar. all right, Ole" and knew
the speaker to be Haines. Amt 1t,
Mfr. Cariyie?"
ayes, lads, there must be money on
board, unless those fellows took IL
with them in the boats. l know of
fifty thousand pounds stolen in Vir-
ginia, and no doubt there Is more than
that. The bark Is liable to slide off
that rock any minute and go down like
stone. What do you say. DULLES?
Here Is a risky job. but a pocket full
of gold pieces, If we can get aboard
and safely off again. Who'll go across
with me?'
There was babel Of voices, the men
cTumGiug about lie, ali else forgotten
as greed gripped their imaginations.
"Stand back, lads cannot use all
of you. Four will be enough. You'll
not lose anything of what we bring
back it'll be share and share alike, so
fall, to, hearties."
] paused an instant to speak to
Dorothy, seated on the flag locker. ex-
planning to her swiftly my object in
exploring the wreck and pledging my
self not to be reckless in attempting
to board. I read fear in her eyes, yet
she said nothing to dissuade me.
slipped down a rope and dropped
into the boat, taking my place with q
steering oar at the stern, and we shot
away through the green water. Tho
Namur proved to be more complete
| wreck than our distant view had re.
vealed, and lying In more precaricns
position. 1t was no pleasant job get.
ting aboard, but ordering Haines to &C.
company me, and the others to lie by,
i made use of a dangling backstay, ard
thus hauled myself up to a reasonably
Secure footing. The fellow Joined me
breathless, and together we perched
on the rail to gain view of the deck.
It was>a distressing. hopeless sight,
the vessel rising before US like the
roof Of house. the deck planks stove
1T, horrible tumble Of running rig
ging, 5ooms and spars, blocking the
way forward. There were three bodies
tangled in the wreckage WITHIN our
sight, crushed out of all human re-
semblance, and the face Of a negro,
caught beneath the ruins of the galley,
seemed to grin back at me in death.
| Every timber groaned as the waves
struck and rocked the sodden mass,
and l had no doubt but that the vessel
had already broken in two.
Haines was evidently reluctant, but
sailor enough to follow as 1 lowered
myself to the deck, clnging hard to
keep my footing on the wet incline. A
light spar had lodged here, and by
making this species Of bridge, we
crept as far as the companion, the door
of which was open, and gained view
of the scene below. 1t was a dismal
hole in the dim light, but presented no
obstacle to our entrance. and led the
| way down the stairs, gripping the rail
to keep from falling.
The door of the captains room gave,
but it required our combined efforts to
press it open against the volume OF
water. slushing about within. For a
moment my eyes could scarcely recog-
nize the various objects as l chung to
| the frame Of the door and stared blind
~ about in the gloom. Then slowly
| they assumed shape and substance.
| Screwed to the deck, the furniture re-
tanned its place. but everything else
Was jammed in mass Of wreckage, or
else floating about in foot of water,
deepening toward the stern. There
were two chests in the room, one OF
which instantly recognized as that of
Roger Fairfax. The sight Of this made
me oblivious to all else.
"There's the chest we want, Haines,"
I cried, pointing it out "Have the lads
back the boat up to this port; then
come down and help me handle it."
eyes, sir" his voice trembling. "but
but isn't that man over therein
the bunk? Good God, sir; look at
| hint"
The white. CHASTITY face stared at us,
! !cck!ng like nothing human I'm that
awful. twilight. I actually thought it
a ghost, until with desperate effort the
man lifted himself. clinging with gaunt
fingers to the edge of the bunk. Then
| / knew. .t..
Sanchez! You! those towards left
you here to diet"
mo one came for me-" he answered,
choking so the words were scarcely in
tehigible. "Who are you. and what
brought you here?" $40.
I'll tell you frankly, Captain
Sanchez" and I stepped closer. 1--WE
risked coming aboard to save that
chest-Roger Fairfax's chest-before
1t went down. This vessel has its
back broken, and may slide off into
deep water at any minute. We must
,, &c. yon ont Of here first"
"Get me out !" he laughed hideously.
ITO hell with your help. ] want none