Year: 1861

oASO OuO VI SAS


In the evening the lady passenger
came on deck and the Commodore as
sured her that he would be able to lane
her early on the next morning. She ex,
pressed her gratitude and satisfaction
and remarked that before she retired
she should like to look and see that hel
husbands corpse was safe. This was
of course granted, and one of the mer
lifted off the hatch that she might &C
down into the hold.


81 declare muttered Daniel Carter
an old sailor who had the wheel, "she
takes on dreadfully,'' -


eyes, poor thing" replied Tucker, as
he heard the woman's sobs and groans


"D'ye notice what'n eye she's got?
continued Carter.


"No," said the Commodara, "only
that it was swollen with tears


"Ny eyes! but they shone though
when she stood here looking at the com
pass.


Tucker smiled at the mans quaint
earnestness and without further remark
he went down to the cabin.


When the woman came UP from the
hold, she looked about the deck Of the
schooner for few moments, and then
went aft. There was something in her
countenance that puzzled Carter. He
had been one of those who objected to
the coffin being brought ON board, and
hence he was not pre-disposed to look
very favora5ly upon its owner. The
Woman's eye ran over the schooner with
strange quickness, and Carter eyed her
sharply. Soon she went to the tatfrail
and looked into the stern boat, and then
she came and stood by the pinnacle
again.


"Look out or you'll jib the BOOM
uttered the passenger.


Carter started, and found the mainsail
was shivering. He gave the beam a
couple of spokes apart, and then cast
his eyes again upon the woman, whose
features were lighted by the pinnacle
lamp.


"Thank'ee ma am," said Dan. cha,
hold on; why bless my soul, there's a
big spider on your hair. No-not there.
Here-I'll-Ugh?"


This last ejaculation was made as he
seemed to pull something from the wo-
mans hair which he threw upon the
deck with the ugh! above mentioned


Shortly afterwards the passenger went
below, and ere long Tucker came on
deck.


Commodore" said Carter, with a
remarkable degree of earnestncss in his
manner; "is the woman turnad in yet" "


Il rather think so,' said Tucker,
looking at the compass. "Look out,
look out, Carter. Why man, you are
two points to the Southwark cf your
course"


BLOW ME, so I ami bringing the
man slightly apart. "But say, Com
modore, don you see something 'culiar
bout that woman?'


"Why, Dan, you seem greatly inter
ested about her. i"


so l am Commodore, and so I am
bout that black coffin, too. Wouidn t
it be well for you and to go down and
overhaul it?''


"PshaE! you are as scary as a child
in a graveyard


"No, not bit of it. just hark bit.
That oman amt no woman at all. d"


The Commodore pronounced the yul-
gar name Of his satanic majesty in a
most emphatic manner.


"It's the truth, Commodore. I can
swear to it. l pretended there was a
spider on her hair, and I rubbed my
hand agin her face. By Sam Hyde, if
'twan't as rough and bearded as holy
stone. You see, she told me as how
I'd let the boom jibe, if [ didn't look
out. [ knowed there wasn't no oman
there, and SO l tried her. Call some
body to the wheel, aad let Us take look
at that coffin


The Commodore was wonder struck
by what he had heard, but with that
cool presence Of mind which made him
what he was, he set coolly to thinking
In few minutes he called one of the
men aft, to relieve Carter, and then he
went down into the cabin to look after
his passenger. The latter had turned
in and seemed to be snoring. Tucker
turned to the deck and took Carter to
one side.


"No noise, now Carter, but follow me
as though nothing had happened" :"


"Sartin, responded Dan.


The two approached the main hatch,
and Carter stopped to raise it, when his
hand touched small ball that seemed
to have been pinned up under the after
break of the hatch.


at is a ball Of twine,' said Dan.


"Do not touch it, but run and get Il
lantern" replied Tucker


Carter sprang to obey, and when he
returned number Of men had gathered
about the spot The hatch was raised,
and the Commodore carefully picked
up the ball Of twine, and found that it
was made fast to something below
He descended to the hold, and there he
found that the twine ran beneath the
lid of the coffin He had no doubt in
his mind now that there was mischief
boxed up before him, and he sent Car
ter for something that might answer for
screw driver. The man soon returned
with stout knife, and the Commodore
set to work. He worked very carefully
however, at the same time keeping a
bright look out for the string.
At length the screws were all out, and
the lid was very carefully lifted from its
place.


"Great God in Heaven" burst from
the lips of the Commodore.
by Sam Hyde!'' dropped like a
young thunder clap from the tongue Of
Dan.


God bless you, Dan!' said Tucker.


II knotced it, uttered Dan.


The two men stood for moment and
gazed into the coffin. There was no
dead man there, but in the place thereof,