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Fantasy Fan, v. 1, issue 9, May 1934

Page 132

132     THE FANTASY FAN, May, 1934

but if anything crops up, report to me immediately."
Munro vanished, drawing the cabin door shut behind him. The captain shook his head dolefully and waited to see whether one of the other men might say something. No one ventured; so he began once more. "I didn't think we had got as far as Java," he said. "But you can't ever tell--"
Wembler looked up suddenly and spoke. "Say, isn't this the twenty-seventh of February?"
"No, the twenty-sixth," said the captain evenly. He looked at his clock for verification, but found it not. "I'm sorry," he said at once, "it is the twenty-seventh. I had no idea it was after midnight."
Wembler nodded. "A year ago this morning the Cumberland went down off the coast of Java."
Captain Henderson snatched at the change of subject. "That was quite a mystery, as I remember it. There were only a few survivors, I think."
Wembler said, "only one--the first made. They got some ugly rumours out about him shortly after he appeared, Said he'd blown up the ship during the storm."
"His wife went down, too, if I'm not mistaken," said the captain, as if questioning Wembler's suggestion.
Wembler nodded. "They said it was partly because of her that he did it. There was another man on board, and I understand there'd been bad blood between the mate and this man on account of his wife. Then, too,t he first mate had had a terrible time with the captain, and wanted to get even with him. Did the thing in a moment of madness." 
The captain looked at him for a moment without seeming to see him. Talbot spoke suddenly. "All of which goes to show how oddly unfounded rumours come up. We know that no one but that first mate survived the disaster--and yet someone got out of those rumours about him."
The captain nodded. "You speak about it as if you had seen it all," he said, turning to Wembler.
Wembler laughed. "I knew the first mage pretty well, and I knew what he was capable of doing when he got jealous. His wife was a most attractive woman.
"You think he really sent the Cumberland down, then?" asked the captain.
"I know he did," said Wembler shortly.
"Nonescne!" snapped Talbot with unexpected sharpness. "Only the first mate would know that---and unless he's told you, you couldn't know."
Wembler looked at him curiously. "He didn't tell me--but his wife did."
Talbot looked as if he might explode; then abruptly said, "Oh, I see-- spiritualism." And thus he dismissed the subject.
The door of the cabin opened suddenly, and Munro looked in. "Something wrong, sir," he said.
"Eh? What is it?" asked Henderson.
"Lights on the water. Looks like a ship sinking, or else we're close to Java." Munro paused. "Will you come, sir?"
The captain nodded shortly and turned to his companions. "If you gentlemen would care to come along--? This promises to be interesting. There are greatcoats in the closet over there."

Saving...

132 THE FANTASY FAN, May, 1934 but if anything crops up, report to me immediately." Munro vanished, drawing the cabin door shut behind him. The captain shook his head dolefully and waited to see whether one of the other men might say something. No one ventured; so he began once more. "I didn't think we had got as far as Java," he said. "But you can't ever tell--" Wembler looked up suddenly and spoke. "Say, isn't this the twenty-seventh of February?" "No, the twenty-sixth," said the captain evenly. He looked at his clock for verification, but found it not. "I'm sorry," he said at once, "it is the twenty-seventh. I had no idea it was after midnight." Wembler nodded. "A year ago this morning the Cumberland went down off the coast of Java." Captain Henderson snatched at the change of subject. "That was quite a mystery, as I remember it. There were only a few survivors, I think." Wembler said, "only one--the first made. They got some ugly rumours out about him shortly after he appeared, Said he'd blown up the ship during the storm." "His wife went down, too, if I'm not mistaken," said the captain, as if questioning Wembler's suggestion. Wembler nodded. "They said it was partly because of her that he did it. There was another man on board, and I understand there'd been bad blood between the mate and this man on account of his wife. Then, too,t he first mate had had a terrible time with the captain, and wanted to get even with him. Did the thing in a moment of madness." The captain looked at him for a moment without seeming to see him. Talbot spoke suddenly. "All of which goes to show how oddly unfounded rumours come up. We know that no one but that first mate survived the disaster--and yet someone got out of those rumours about him." The captain nodded. "You speak about it as if you had seen it all," he said, turning to Wembler. Wembler laughed. "I knew the first mage pretty well, and I knew what he was capable of doing when he got jealous. His wife was a most attractive woman. "You think he really sent the Cumberland down, then?" asked the captain. "I know he did," said Wembler shortly. "Nonescne!" snapped Talbot with unexpected sharpness. "Only the first mate would know that---and unless he's told you, you couldn't know." Wembler looked at him curiously. "He didn't tell me--but his wife did." Talbot looked as if he might explode; then abruptly said, "Oh, I see-- spiritualism." And thus he dismissed the subject. The door of the cabin opened suddenly, and Munro looked in. "Something wrong, sir," he said. "Eh? What is it?" asked Henderson. "Lights on the water. Looks like a ship sinking, or else we're close to Java." Munro paused. "Will you come, sir?" The captain nodded shortly and turned to his companions. "If you gentlemen would care to come along--? This promises to be interesting. There are greatcoats in the closet over there."