“All on the Fairy Queen stood aghast and looked as though stricken with paralysis. When the dark cloud of smoke had passed away there was nothing in sight save one small boat, perhaps a mile away. The Will-o'-the-Wisp was gone forever, and it looked as though all on board had gone with her. The Fairy Queen steamed up and steered in the direction of the small boat, and found that it contained but two persons. It was found that one sailor and Dr. Blackman had escaped by cutting loose with the little boat when the first signs of trouble were discovered. The doctor knew what was coming, and made away for dear life. “When Jackson and Capt. Redingson made themselves known to him he was greatly surprised. They then talked the matter over, and all agreed that all the schemes of the Professor and Dr. Blackman were at an end. “Capt. Redingson turned to Jackson, saying, 'There is my dream.' “Blackman said Dr. Mears and the Professor were lost, and their great secret with them. “Capt. Redingson asked how this fire could have occurred. “The Doctor thought some of the Professor's material must have ignited in some way. 'The truth is,' he said, 'the ship was wrapt in flames in an instant. I saw this sailor jump into the life-boat, and I followed him. We are the only ones of all on board that are saved. The rest were all burned to death before they could possibly get from the vessel into the sea. There has never been any such combustible made before, and perhaps never will be again. But it is lost.' “He seemed very despondent all the rest of the voyage. When they arrived in Montreal and conveyed the sad intelligence to Jacob Thomlinson and Mr. Carey, they were overwhelmed with disappointment. Their schemes were all blasted and they were bewildered. “Finally, after some days of talking and consulting, they concluded to send Dr. Blackman to Richmond for instructions as to further operations. The first news that reached Richmond of the burning of the Will-o'-the-Wisp created great consternation. The loss of Prof. McCullough and Dr. Mears was thought to be the severest blow they had received. “Dr. Blackman left Jackson and Capt. Redingson to go to Richmond, but which way he went they never knew. Capt. Redingson took passage for Nassau, there to run the blockade, and was never heard of again by Jackson. I hope he is alive, as I think he was at heart a good man, full of noble impulses. Jackson was very fond of him, rebel as he was.” Col. Bush said: “Well, Prof. McCullough and Dr. Mears got their just deserts; their own fireworks did the business.” “Yes, yes! but the innocent officers and crew suffered with them.” “Yes,” said Col. Bush, “but this had to be; the Lord did not intend that such infamy should be permitted to succeed.” “But,” said Maj. Clymer, “there was Dr. Blackman, just as bad as either of the others; he escaped most miraculously.”