The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-09-17
Chapter II
Into The Black Ship


NELL suspected that this was
y hallucination. Janet had been
talking wildly ever since he had
found her. If anybody had become
suspicious of their movements, ne
would naturally raise an alarm.
Just to hover around them watch
ing wasn't good sense. But
there might be something in it!
However, the die was cast now.
It was too late to look for another
hiding place. He intended to sink
the skiff, and he hoped that they
couldn't be traced aboard the ship
anyhow.
'Its all right, Jen," he said with
assumed cheerfulnesS. Just an
accidental meeting in the dark.
PEopahly a f. .erman visiting his
nets. :. He went right away so
he means US no HARM"
He cast off the line and rowed
back towards the ship. Before APP
preaching the ladder, he lay on
his oars listening. There was no
sound. Satisfied that nobody
was watching them, he rowed on
and, tying the skiff to the Jacobs
ladder, started up, telling Janet
to follow him.
On deck he had already picked
out coil of steel cable as heavy
as he could lift and a light rope.
Tying the rope to the coil, he low
cred it overheard, and hitching the
rope to a stanchion, set Janet to
watch at the corner of the deck
house, and went down the ladder
again. He tied the steel cable to
a seat of the skiff, and thrust the
oars under so that they could not
float free. Then tying the box of
food and the rug to the end of
the rope, he stood on the gunwale
Of the skiff until she took water.
filed and sank.
Returning to the deck, he pulled
UP their supplies and drew in the
ladder. AS he was rolling up the
ladder, Janet came to whisper:
There's a man coming across
the decks. He has light"
Take off your shoes, said Neill.
He stood the rolled-up ladder
alongside the others and, snatch
ing up their belongings, ran aft
with Janet at his heels. AS they
reached the after ladder and went
up. the light was visible up for
ward, but they were beyond reach
of its rays. They ran forward on
the boat deck. With his pocket
knife. Neill cut one of the ropes
that fastened the canvas cover of
a life boat. Helping Janet under il,
he followed her into the boat.
Peeping out under the cover, he
saw the light mounting the ladder
astern and coming towards them.
He ducked. Soon they could hear
the leisurely footsteps of the
Waterman. He stopped alongside
where they lay, and Neill held his
breath. Janet's hand convulsively
gripped his. There was a moment
of horrible suspense; then they
heard a match struck. The man
pulled at his pipe and moved on.
Neill qulvered with inwa + d
laughter "He might as well catch
us as scare us to death" he said.
Looking out under the cover, he
saw the man going down the for
ward ladder After giving him a
moment, he climbed out of the
boat and, creeping forward, peep
ed over the edge Of the deck. He
saw the Waterman returning over
the gangplank with his lantern,
and let out a long breath of relief.
Down The Iron Stairs 4
WHEN Neill had changed to dry
w garments. they set about find
ing some way into the ship. All the
cabin d oors were locked, but
alongside the engine room sky
light above the boat deck they
found a BOBBY hatch with a door
which had no lock. Neill opened
1t, and cast his light down into the
bowels of the ship. A Spidery iron
stairway descended into the pit.
Far az the bottom cleaned the
cylinder heads of the engine.
Come 0nl" he said.
"Not down therel" murmured
Janet. hanging back.
II was as forbidding as the en-
trance 10 hell and Neil could not
blame her. You had the feeling
that there was something at the
bottom of that blackneSs waiting
for you. But he laughed il of.
The whole ship is ours" he said.
~We can so where we like"
There's no place 20 sleep in the
engine room"
There must be some way down
here OF reaching the engineers
quarters. and from there the rest
OF the ship"
He started down the ringing iron
stairs with Janet following gin