Read Online Ghost Stories by Franklin W. Dixon - Free Book Online Page B

growled. “Those names mean nothing on my ship!”
    Joe spoke up boldly. “Who are you?”
    â€œCaptain Jonathan Parker. The
Samoa Queen
is a whaler from Nantucket. And I need more able-bodied seamen for a voyage to the Pacific. You two will do. You will be members of my crew until we get back to Nantucket.”
    Frank and Joe stared at one another in the murky light of the ship’s lanterns. They were thinking the same thing. Sailing ships had not made whaling voyages since the nineteenth century!
    He must be kidding, Joe thought. Aloud he said, “Captain Parker, there’s no reason for us to stay aboard the
Samoa Queen.
All we need is help with our engine.”
    â€œâ€˜Engine’? What is an ‘engine’?” Parker snarled.
    That’s got to be a joke, Frank told himself. To the captain he said, “Well, you need power to drive a ship, don’t you?”
    â€œAye. The power of wind and sail!” Parker thundered. “What other kind of power is there to drive a ship across the ocean? Or maybe you paddle across!”
    The sailors behind him burst into wild laughter. Parker joined in the laughter, which rose to a high-pitched cackle in the moaning of the wind across the deck.
    â€œThese guys are weirdos!” Frank exploded. “Let’s go back over the side—we’ll be better off drifting in the
Sleuth!”
    The Hardys ran to the railing where they had climbed up the rope ladder. But when they peered down, they froze. The
Sleuth
was gone!
    â€œGrab them!” Parker ordered his crew.
    The sailors rushed forward and seized Frank and Joe, who were forced back into the middle of the deck. Captain Parker confronted them furiously.
    â€œI know your game.” he rasped. “You want to sign on another whaler. Well, it is too late. You will stay aboard the
Samoa Queen.
We are headed around Cape Horn into the Pacific, and on our trip I will make whalers of you or throw you to the sharks!”
    The Hardys felt cold chills as they listened to Parker’s tirade. To Frank it seemed as if they had fallen into the hands of lunatics. Joe wondered if they were living a nightmare.
    Abruptly Parker turned toward the wheelhouse, and yelled, “Amos Langton, come down here!”
    A burly sailor emerged and descended the steps to the deck. Parker ordered him to take the Hardys below and get them ready for sea duty. Langton led the boys across the heaving ship. Behind them, they heard the eerie laughter of the captain and his strange crew.
    â€œI am the first mate,” Langton said as they went down the stairs. “I will show you where you will stay when you are off duty.”
    â€œBut what’s this all about?” Joe inquired.
    â€œYou know very well what this is about,” the first mate reproached him sternly.
    â€œNo, we don’t!” Frank protested.
    Langton turned and confronted them at the bottom of the stairs. “Then you had better learn fast. Follow orders, always! Sailors who disobey orders on this ship get thrown to the sharks!”
    The Hardys shuddered as they remembered Captain Parker’s threat.
    Langton took them into the living quarters of the crew. They saw a large, spare room with bunks along the walls. Beneath each bunk hung a harpoon, and next to it were oilskins to be worn over pea jackets and a sou’wester for use as a hat during bad weather.
    â€œTake those two empty bunks and get ready for duty on deck,” the first mate ordered. Then he turned and left.
    The ship began to move, forcing Frank and Joe to shift their feet to keep their balance. The timbers creaked and swayed from side to side. A lantern on a chain overhead threw a flickering light across the room. It gave off a greasy smell.
    â€œThat’s whale oil,” Joe said.
    Frank nodded. The brothers had experimented with all kinds of fuel in their detective work, and recognized whale oil as easily as wood smoke.
    â€œTrouble