Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 19, 2025
"Both sails reefed down. Ready for that squall. Been no weather since to call for reefs. Must have quit her during the squall." "Then they jumped," cried Carter, "for I saw her boats. It isn't believable." "Neither was the other," said Trendon grimly. A hurried succession of orders stopped further discussion for the time. Ives was sent aboard the schooner to lower sail and report.
His mind, still absorbed in the events which he had been relating, groped backward. Trendon came to his aid. "Barnett asked you about him, you remember. It was when you recovered consciousness. Our ensign. Took over charge of the Laughing Lass." "Oh, of course. I was a little dazed, I fancy." "We put Mr. Edwards aboard when we first picked up the deserted schooner," explained the captain.
"There is not enough for danger," said Darrow, quietly. "As a point of interest," grunted Trendon. Everyone looked at his outstretched hand. A little pocket compass lay in the palm. The needle spun madly, projecting blue, vivid sparklings. "My God!" cried Slade, and covered his eyes for a moment. He snatched away his hands as a suppressed cry went up from the others.
"Dead," said Trendon bluntly. Then, breaking his own rule of repression, he asked: "Did he come off the schooner with you?" "Picked him up," was the straining answer. "Drifting." The survivor looked around him, then into Barnett's face, and his mind too, traversed the years. "North Dakota?" he queried. "No; I've changed my ship," said Barnett. "This is the Wolverine." "Where's the Laughing Lass?"
"You have heard his?" "Yes. It needs filling in." "When may I see him?" "That's for Dr. Trendon to say. He came to us almost dead. I'll find out." The surgeon reported Slade much better, but all a-quiver with excitement. "Hate to put the strain on him," said he. "But he'll be in a fever till he gets this thing off his mind. Send Mr. Darrow to him."
By the following afternoon Dr. Trendon reported his patient as quite recovered. "Starved for water," proffered the surgeon. "Tissues fairly dried out. Soaked him up. Fed him broth. Put him to sleep. He's all right. Just wakes up to eat; then off again like a two-year old. Wonderful constitution." "The gentleman wants to know if he can come on deck, sir," saluted an orderly. "Waked up, eh.
No sound, no animate motion came from aboard that apparition, as she fell astern. A shudder of horror ran across the Wolverine's quarter-deck. A wraith ship, peopled with skeletons, would have been less dreadful to their sight than the brisk and active desolation of the heeling schooner. "Been deserted since early last night," said Trendon hoarsely. "How can you tell that?" asked Barnett.
"It's out," grunted Trendon. From the face of the cliff puffed a cloud of dust. A thudding report boomed over the water. Just a wisp of whitish-grey smoke arose, and beneath it the great rock, with a gapping seam across its top, rolled majestically outward, sending a shower of spray on all sides, and opening to their eager view a black chasm into the heart of the headland.
"About as healthful as prussic acid, those volcanic gases," explained the surgeon. The ship edged on and inward. Presently the sing-song of the leadsman sounded in measured distinctness through the silence. Then a sudden activity and bustle forward, the rattle of chains, and the Wolverine was at anchor. The captain came down from the bridge. "What do you think, Dr. Trendon?" he asked.
"Don't explain enough," grunted Trendon. "Deserted ship. Billy Edwards. Mysterious lights. Slade and his story. Any explosives in those? Good enough, far as it goes. Don't go far enough." "It certainly leaves gaps," admitted the other. He turned over a few more pages. "Formulas, formulas, formulas. What's this? Here are some marginal annotations." "Unbehasslich," read Trendon. "Let's see.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking