CHAPTER X.
THE PAPERS ON THE WRECK.
As the waters of the bay were quiet, it did not take Ben long to row Dr.Mackey over to the wreck on the rocks.
"Be careful how you steps out, sah," said the colored man. "De rocks amslippery, an' you kin twist an ankle widout half tryin', sah."
"I will be careful, Ben. So this is the wreck?"
"Yes, sah."
"I presume all that was movable in the ship has been carried off?"
"Long ago, sah."
"But the inside of the ship itself was not torn out?"
"No, sah. De folks around yeah is too afraid ob ghosteses fo' dat."
"Ah, yes! so I heard--at least, I would suppose so," replied the doctor,in some confusion. "By the way, you need not remain here. I will visitthe wreck alone. You can come back in an hour or so."
"Wery well, massah."
"But don't forget to come back. I don't want to be left here all night."
"Don't worry, sah; I'll be back fo' dat dollah, sah," and Ben grinned.
"Oh, yes! I forgot about the dollar. Well, you shall have it when youtake me back to shore."
The doctor walked slowly toward the wreck, glancing back several timesto see if Old Ben was following him.
The colored man rowed away in a thoughtful mood.
"Somet'ing is on dat man's mind, suah!" he muttered to himself. "He'sgwine ter do somet'ing."
With difficulty the surgeon climbed up to the deck of the wreck. Adesolate spectacle presented itself. Everything was charred by the fire.
"Truly a nice place to come to," said the man to himself. "Now,supposing this thing turns out a wild-goose chase, after all? Let mesee, the stateroom was No. 15. I wonder if I can still locate it?"
With caution he descended the companion way and entered the main cabinof the stranded vessel. Here he drew from his pocket a candle and litit.
He walked slowly toward the side of the cabin until he reached astateroom bearing the number 7 upon the door.
"Seven," he murmured. "And the second from this is eleven. That showsthe numbers on this side are all odd. The next must be thirteen, and thenext fifteen."
He held the candle to the door, but the number plate was gone. Withouthesitation he pushed upon the door, which was already partly open. Itfell back, exposing the interior of the stateroom, now bare of allthings movable, and covered with dust and cobwebs.
"A dirty job this," he murmured, and set the candle down upon a beamrunning along the side of a wall. He gazed around the stateroomcuriously, as if hardly knowing what to do next.
"The little closet was set in the wall at the foot of the bed. Now whichwas the foot of the bed? I'll try both ends." He did so, tapping on thewoodwork with his knuckles. Presently he found a hole where there hadonce been a small knob.
"The closet, sure enough!" he cried, and his face took on a newinterest. "Now where is that door-knob?"
He hunted on the floor, but no knob came to view. But a bent nail washandy, and this he inserted into the hole sideways, and pulled with allhis force. There was a slight creak, and a small door came open,revealing a dark closet about a foot square and equally deep.
If the room was dirty the closet was more so, for a crack at the top hadlet in both dirt and water, and at first he could see nothing but asolid cake of dirt before him. Digging into this, he presently uncovereda heavy tin box, painted black.
"Eureka! the box at last!" he cried, in a tone full of pleasure. "I amthe lucky one, after all!"
He brought the tin box forth and brushed it off. There was a littlepadlock in front, and this was locked. Bringing a bunch of keys from hispocket, he began to try them, one after another. At last he found one tofit, and opened the box.
"The papers at last!" he murmured, and his eyes gleamed withexpectation. "Let me see what there is." He turned them over. "Themarriage certificate for one, and letters from his father about thatproperty. And other letters from her folks--all here, and just what Iwanted." He shoved the documents back into the box. "The fortune ismine!"
Returning to the closet he cleaned it out thoroughly, to learn if itcontained anything more of value. But there was nothing more there, andpresently he blew out the candle, hid the tin box under his coat, andreturned to the deck.
Ben was rowing not far away and saw the doctor wave his hand.
"Is yo' ready, massah?" he called out.
"Yes, Ben."
The colored man said no more, but rowed inshore, and in the meantime thedoctor hurried down to meet him.
"Did you find any gold, massah?" asked the colored man, his white teethgleaming.
"Gold! Why, you foolish nigger, what chance is there of finding gold ona wreck over ten years old? The best thing you can do is to break theboat to pieces and take the wood ashore for fuel."
"But de ghosteses, massah! Besides, Mrs. Ruthven wouldn't let us touchdat wrack nohow."
"On account of the boy, I suppose."
"Yes, massah."
"To tell the truth, my man, I have now as much interest in that ship ashas that boy or Mrs. Ruthven. It brings back an exciting passage in mylife. My visit to the wreck was made to satisfy me concerning severalimportant questions. I was one of the passengers on that ill-fatedship!"
"Golly, massah, yo' don't really mean dat?" And Old Ben's eyes openedwidely.
"Yes, I do. I suspected it before; now I am dead certain of it."
At this declaration Old Ben grew quite excited.
"And did yo' know Massah Jack's fadder, sah?"
"Yes, my man, I knew him very well," and there was a significant smileon the doctor's face as he spoke.
"And was he a gen'man, sah? St. John Ruthven t'inks he was common whitetrash."
"He was a gentleman of high family--the son of an English nobleman,although born in this country."
"An' Jack's mudder, sah?"
"Was an American lady--a lady belonging to one of the first families ofMassachusetts."
"Golly, a Northerner!" and Ben's face became a study.
"Yes."
"Yo' must visit de house, sah, and tell Mrs. Ruthven 'bout dis. She willwant to heah de partic'lars wery much, sah."
"Yes, I will visit the Ruthven home," replied the doctor.
"Yo' know de way, sah?"
"I believe I do."
"I can show yo' de way, an' will do it willingly. So you knew Jack'sfadder an' mudder! Golly, but aint dat strange--after all dese yeahs,too! Jack will want to see yo', ob course."
"And I shall want to see Jack," replied the medical man.
"Jack's a fine lad, sah."
"I am glad to hear it." But, as he spoke, the face of Dr. Mackey becamea study.
"Yes, sah; aint no bettah boy in all dese parts, sah."
While talking Ben was rowing steadily, and it was not long before thepair reached shore.
Then the boat was made fast, the oars put away, and the doctor and thecolored man started for the Ruthven mansion.
Young Captain Jack; Or, The Son of a Soldier Page 11