The Mary Celeste Mystery: Part 4

By CAROL KRUEGER

A court hearing began in Gibraltar on December 18, 1872. Everybody wondered why a ship in good working order had been abandoned for no apparent reason. The authorities were suspicious of the crew of the Dei Gratia. Solly Flood was in charge of the court proceedings. He was so puzzled that he sent experts aboard the Mary Celeste to look for clues.

They found that the cargo of 1,700 barrels of raw alcohol was safe, except for one barrel that had been opened. There was no damage to the body of the ship, so there hadn't been an accident. The crew of the Dei Gratia said that the Mary Celeste had stuck bad weather. It had taken on water, but not too much - the clothing in the cabins was dry. The masts were in good condition. The deckhouse was in good working order - but there were some mysterious clues.

Publisher Shortland Publications

Age group: 10-12 yrs

$8.95


Want to win this book?
Send us all six of this week's Kids into Books coupons from the print edition of the New Zealand Herald and you'll go into the draw.