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rO-»AV'S SHORT STORY.] A Night…

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rO-»AV'S SHORT STORY.] A Night on a Derelict. I The big four-master, with her towering ipews, long, tapering yarde, and va.st spread of snowy canvas, was bi>wMng merrily along > through the misty waves of the North Atlantic. On the poop, Captain Soames oontiIvued to pace up and down. Presently the round, jovial face and broad shoulders of Mr. Lanyon, the first mate, appeared upon the companion-ladder. He stepped ;,0 the cap- tain's side, and the two were soon deep in a consultation regarding the weather. A hail from the look-out forward, who reported a vetssel in sight, interrupted, their conference. "Where away?" demanded the skipper. "On the starboard bow. &ir," was the reply. Mr. Lanyon seized a glass and ran forward. Carruthers, Watts, and the other apprentices scrambled into the shrouds, all eager to get a climpse of the strange vessel. Away in the distance, on the far horizon, they could dis- tinguish one solitary tapering mast, standing out alearly against the evening sky. The ma.te remained in the bows for some oonsiderable time, with his glass fixed upon the distant vessel. Then he tucked it under his arm, and walked slowly aft. "Well?" demanded Captain Soames. "What do you make of her?" "A derelict. No sign of life on board, as far as I could see." "We must be sure of that," said the skipper. By five o'clock they were within a ootilPle of miles of her. What a sight she present-ed-that dismantled, crippled ship- lying there at the mercy of wind and waves! Her boats were gone, her bulwarks had been torn away," and her decks were almost flush with the water. The Strathearn hove to, a boat was swung out. and bumped down into the water with a eplaeh. The four men selected by Mr. Lanyon were quickly on board, and then the mate himself slipped down into the stern. At the last moment Carruthers and Watts, two young apprentices, came rushing up. The mate looked an inquiry at Captain Soames, who nodded his he.:td, and the next moment the two boys were over the side. As they approached the derelict the mate saw something moving in the bows. "What is it?" he said, pointing it out to the boys. I think it's a dog, eir," replied Watts. No," put in Carruthers, whose eyesight was remarkably keen. It's-i-t's-a goat!" On approaching the wreck it became evident that the goat was the sole occupant of the deck. As the boat ranged alongside Mr. Lanyon sprang on board, followed by the two boys. Meanwhile the mate had made a hasty examination of the forecastle. It tol-d its own tale—a tale of panic, of hurried desertion. "We must have a look at the cabin next," said Mr. Lanyon. "But stay! You two had better remain where you are." Off he went aft, the boys watching him as he advanced cautiously across the open expanse that lay between them and the poop. Just as the mate was within ten or twelve pacee of the door leading to the cabin a wave came tumbling over the veesel. Mr. Lanyon made a bolt for it, but slipped, missed his footing, and rolled over into the torrent. Down the slope of the deck he went, and the I next moment was sent flying off into the eea. Fortunately, the boat was lying at that side,' tinder the shelter of the poop. The I sailors, hearing a Startled cry from the deck, pushed off at once. The mate, however, was swept away to a considerable distance before they could reach him. While the boys were still anxiously watch- ing the rescue, a thin, vapoury wreath swept down between, growing denser and denser every moment. Then a startling sound came t, > them' from the Strathearn. They knew -11 what it meant—it was the blast of the shi p's fog-horn. y sudden chill, a thrill of dismay ana alan. 1, passed through both lade. Looking out ft I)m the shelter 6f tho forecastle, they saw tb, e Strathearn was no longer visible; the boav • too. had disappeared. The bo-) s bellowed and roared for lielp, and then listened with feverish intentnese. There was little t hance of the boat finding its way back to tO10 derelict, still less of the Siratheasn kitting upon them in such dense fog as this. come, "aid Carrirthers, at lengm, en- deavouring to shaike off these gloomy impres- sions. The Strathearn will stand by till morning, and take us off the moment the fog lifts. Meanwhile, as it is clear we wJl have to spemd t'he -night on board, we may a& well-" ??od havens' what was that? A &oa,rL a. low growl, a sera/Achamg' and teaæi' "° tl- c?in yonder-tbat M what it sounded li.?ke. With a vague feeling of awe and dread they stood there and listened. At intervals the sounds were repeated—the same aaMrY onaxl, the deep growl, and the uoratohing of wood. What could it be? Can't think what on earth to make or it" said Carruthers. There's some thing or other shut up in the catonr—that,e clear! -P<-Yn my word, I have hali a. mind to go and see what it is." "No, don't!" iirt-erpoeed his companion, in alarm. „ 111 fi„ nd out I'll do it!" cried the 1ad. l',ll ftnd out what it is!" He groped his way alomg, his senses keenly on the alert. Suddenly, with a cry of terroT and dismay, he turned and bolted out on deck, in his alarm quite forgetting to ala-m the door behind him. "To the maot!" he yelled to his-compaanon. "Up the mast for yo.ur life!" Watts seized a ro'p.e that was (tangling down from the yard, and swarmed. up the mast as fast as he could go. After him went Carruthers. Scarceiy was he out of reach than there was a rush-a deafeniufg roar- and, with a bound, a huge speckled beast shot out on deck. It was a jaguar: For a second or two the fierce creature stood still, a.nd glared aroumd the deserted deck. Then a terrified bleat from the unfor- tunate goat attracted its attention, and it "bounded off towards the forecastle. The next moment it had seized upon its prey. The two boys clambetred out upon the yard- arm, and there they clung, palpitating with fea.r. After a time, which seemed ages to the boys. the brute retired again to the fore- castle. "Now's our chance!" whispered Watts. I "ShaJl we slip down?" Better wait a minute," returned the other, in the same low tone. The delay, however, proved faital to their hopes. As if aware of their intention, the jaguar stole out from the forecastle endlaid Kftelf down below the entrance. "Carruthers, what are we to do?" Watts whispered again. "There is noth-ing for it but to remain where we are," was the reply. The sound of a mighty yawn came to them from the deck. Looking down they saw that the jaguar had risen to its feet, and was stretching its powerful limbs. The next moment, with slow, cat-like tread, it moved towards the mast. Round and round it went in a circle, keep- 1ng it? head turned upwards, as if consider- ing the best manner in which to reach the yard-arm. Suddenly the brute bloked away to a 9hort distance and crouched on the deck. Its back was bent in a strong downward curve, fet seemed to brace jts powerful muscles. and to measure its distance carefully. Good Heavens! it was ajxmt to spring. A breathless pa-tise; and, then, like a stone from a sling, the jaguar shot into the air. It struck the mast, which shook under the shock; the terrible claws were driven into the wood. It was a question of a minute or iwo now; if the jaguar maintadned its hold Nothing could save them. At that critical moment, with death hover- tng so near, a sound reached their ears which brought a thrill of hope to their hearts. It was the loud blast of a fog-horn! They looked round, and—ch, joy!—there was the Strathearn bearing down upon them. At the sound of that blast the jaguar. still clinging to the mast, had turned its head round in the direction. Suddenly it relaxed its hold arid dropped back on deck, where it stood glaring across at the boat, which was now rapidly approaching the wreck. In the stern, a. rifle sticking up between his knees, was Mr. Wardlaw, the second mate. The very sight of him brought relief to the boys As the boat drew in close to the derelict the men rested upon their oars. Wardlaw stood ai) I took steady aim at the jaguar, and ftred'. With a snarl of rage the brute bounded into the air, but came down on its legs again. A second, a third shot followed; and then the jaguar was sprawling on its back in the throes of death. When it had ceased to struggle Ca.r- ruthera and Watts crawled feebly back along the yard-arm, a.nd slid down the mast. The terrors of the night, the long etra-in upon their minds, bad told severetf upon both. As they rowed back to the Strathearn the mate informed the boys that Mr. Lanyon's boat had got safely back to the ship the pre- vious evening, after pulling1 about in the fog For an hour or more. They would probably have rema-inkd in tgnorance at" to how the jaguar oame to be on tho wreck, but for one of those curious 'coincidences th-at sometimes occur at sea. The following day they fell in with a couple of boa,ts. the occupants of which proved to be the crew of the water-logged vessel. When they were taken on board, they told how their ship, the Lone Pilgrim, had sailed from ftio with a general cargo. Part of their freight consisted of several wild bea-va, A succession of fierce gales blew them out t>f their course, and drove them far norths As their vessel was badly injured and fast becoming water-logged, they were compelled to take to the two remaining boats. -By this time all the beasts, with the exception ot the jaguar. bad been- weebed-overbcmird.

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