SIGNALING. 277

the decks. In the forecastle each bunk had its blankets,
and coats and hats were hanging on their hooks. In the
cabin, however, were some few evidences of a ransacking.
The ship’s papers were gone, and not a scrap of writing
could be found anywhere. On removing the hatches they
learned she was in ballast. She was dry as a bone, well
supplied with provisions and water, ropes and braces in
perfect order, and not a single man aboard to tell what
had happened. All the boats were missing, however,
which showed that the crew abandoned her probably
through fear. If she had a mutiny, or anything of that
kind, the evidences of it must have remained.

“They ran into Rio Janeiro, where she was sold for
benefit of the salvors, and was afterwards identified as the
ship Golden Star, of San Francisco; but no tidings of her
officers were ever heard.”

«Tf you will excuse me, sir,’’ Bob, who had been stand-
ing near the captain during the last portion of the story,
said, respectfully, “I will tell you of another case; but in
my yarn it was known why the craft was abandoned.

“It was the brig Lguator from New York for San
Francisco, with a cargo of turpentine. One fine mornin’
when she was heading about as yonder ship is, there was
an explosion that tore off the hatches, and what appeared
to be smoke came up out of the hold as if she was afire
fore an’ aft. The officers and crew didn’t lose much time
skinnin’ out of her, ’cause, owin’ to the cargo, you see,
they was expectin’ another explosion every minute. All
hands got over the rail without waitin’ for anything, an’