Evening star., 1924-06-15

he 0ook that he would not be- left
without the lantern. Brewer, argu-
ing a still possible pursuit, would
allow no lights on deck. So the Por-
tuguese occupied the cabin alone, for
Dibdn had had enough of it. The
result was disturbing.
Some time toward morning the two
on deck were wrenched from their
doze by the bubble and yell Of a man
in nightmare and by sounds Of
frantic struggle below. A moment
later Chrispim burst out failing with
the darkened lantern, clawing as if
to free himself from an invisible ad-
versary. He slammed the little dou-
BILE doors behind him and fell against
them. When the others ran to pick
him up his hands and face were COW
cred with blood.
Don't go down there" he screamed
"Sagrada-don't touch tha' hatch.
Keep'm fast-keep'm fast"
And that was very nearly all they
learned from him.
His hurts seemed slight enough;
fresh outbreak of the plague of red
spots, with such scratches as he
might have inflicted himself. He
showed no signs of any illness they
could identify. By all appearances
the fellow had been literally fright
ened to death. He lapsed into delirs
ium, wherein he found his native
tongue again, and lay babbling until
the dawn. Only a little before he
died he gave them a glimpse of the
vengeance that had found him down
there in the cabin.
They gathered that he had slept:
that while he slept his lantern had
gone out, and that in his dream he
had lived over the action of their
crime, their murdegssron the river
steamer. But the phantasm had
shifted so that he had seemed to
share the agony of his last victim.
the negro shot and drowned from the
pilot house of the boat they had loot
ed He had felt himself sinking and
weakening in the grip of a monstrous
assailant, and had awakened at last
in darkness to vivid persistence of
the illusion
He was all over me" he gasped.
II fight wit him, SO! l twis,' 1 turn.
No good. He pulls me down, down
heavy. 1 faint; 1 holler, an then-I
wake And he there, Something is
there. I tell you; all live an hangin'
on me- All-all over me! D'devils!
D'devils!"
THERE was a little light conversa-
l. tion aboard the Jorguina that
morning. but when the two survivors
had done their graveyard task. had
freed themselves of an intolerable
presence by sending the Portuguese
to join George astern. they consid-
cred each other for a space.
Dibdin was in a bad way. Brewer,
with a face like a skull. had reserves
more nearly adequate.
"I guess we'll take that tip about
keepin' all matches fast, won't we?'
he drawled. II reckon we got no
particular use for anythin' that hap
pens to be locked up inside this old
hooker-at this time, hey?
Charles gesture, if not surrender,
was tribute.
.The treasure? Good heaven, are
you still able to keep up that game?
rm-rm wondering how were ever
going to sleep again on the cursed
craft. For in that sleep, he added
under his breath, what dreams may
come"
Thereafter he crawled away for
ward. His instinct was to hide; ne
made himself shelter among the
rphhish by the foc's'le, where he took
his share of food and stayed
whether he slept or not was no
knowing. But Brewer-of the oucca-
neer breed-Brewer never closed an
eve throughout the rest OF their or
aa.1 IT became the story OF the en-
arronce of that indomitable man.
ua had called for four more days.
rh.;r start from the bayou had
.an made on a Friday. Georges
destb fixed a date at Monday. From
Tuesdav night until late Thursday
.fternoon he remained at the wheel
The Jorguina sailed on. Inc
weather continued fair; the sea d rihs
where none intruded, wherein tney
hung. enchanted save for heaVe ana
send the crush of foam alongsioe,
| the continuous small voices or nun
and rigging. She sailed on, out
| Rrewer took no chances. issue was
| ioined at last between the man ana
the ship-the one solidly 'watchful
and masterful, the other nursing
maIign and hidden power under her
battened matches; each. as it might
have seemed. biding a secret purpose
and a moment of reckoning.
Toward evening of Thursday, when
rho sun had filled the great bowl of
the sky with a crimson flood, they
| raised far over to eastward GER
tain headland like the shadow of a
knotted fist At sight of it Brewer
threw off the drowsiness that bowed
him and became instantly alert. Va
| rious vocal rumors earlier in the day
had indicated that Singing Charlie
was consoling himself with the rum
again, but Brewer had not seen him
| for hours. Peering along the deck
and under the sails. he failed to place
him now. Though puzzled for a time,
he presently lashed the helm, left his
post, and, moving pad-foot here and
there, began his preparations.
| From their looted stock he selected
! all weapons, ammunition, bags Of bis