The Mystery
Book Excerpt
"You're on," said Carter.
"Let me in," suggested Ives.
"And I'll take one of it," said McGuire.
"Come one, come all," said Edwards cheerily. "I'll live high on the collective bad judgment of this outfit."
"To-night isn't likely to settle it, anyhow," said Ives. "I move we turn in."
Expectant minds do not lend themselves to sound slumber. All night the officers of the Wolverine slept on the verge of waking, but it was not until dawn that the cry of "Sail-ho!" sent them all hurrying to their clothes. Ordinarily officers of the U.S. Navy do not scuttle on deck like a crowd of curious schoolgirls, but all hands had been keyed to a high pitch over the elusive light, and the bet with Edwards now served as an excuse for the betrayal of unusual eagerness. Hence the quarter-deck was soon alive with men who were wont to be deep in dreams at that hour.
They found Carter, whose watch on deck it was, reprimanding the lookout.
"No, sir," th
Editor's choice
(view all)Popular books in Mystery/Detective, Nautical, Science Fiction, Fiction and Literature
Readers reviews
- Upvote (0)
- Downvote (0)
There is more than one mystery in the tale, which seems to have been based on the story of the Mary Celeste. A naval vessel discovers a derelict schooner in the south seas. Everything aboard the ship appears and order, but the craft is completely deserted. The mysstery deepens when not one but two salvage parties put aboard the craft also disappear.
It appears the mystery might be solved when a survivor from the schooner is found adrift in a dory. The survivor gives an account of mutiny, murder and piracy, but can only hint at an even greater mystery.
A number of good to very good authors have given their attention to creating a literary solution for this mystery of the sea. This is possibly the best.