The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-07-12
"Some mistake of YOURS. then.n

"No, no, captain. It's been stolenw
",Stolea!" reiterated the Captain,
opening his eyes and leaning forward
"W hat money!"
"Part of that we took at Marscilles."
"But that is safely stored under lock
and key, and directly under the eye
of a sentry"
"Yes--but still some Of it has been
stolen. There are four bags gone
nearly two thousand dollars"
"Are you sure of this?"
81 have just come from the room,
where went to make an exchange for
the gold we got ut Toulon. WANTED
the fivc-franc pieces to pay off the
grog-money to the men. | missed four
Of the bags. They are numbers six,
nine, twcnty-eight, and thirty. ! know
just how | placed them.'
The Captain sat some time without
speaking. Once or twice he seemed
TO be on the point of bursting forth
into passion, but he gradually calmcd
his feelings, and the cool Judgment
which was one of his leading charac-
teri tics came to his aid.
"lIavc you spoken ofthis to any
onc?" he asked, raising his eyes from
the floor.
"Only TO my steward"
':Send for him at once"
AS the Captain spoke he rung
small bell at his side, aud the orderly
entered the cabin. The Purscr's stew
ard was sent for, and so was the cap
tain Of marines. To them the subject
was opened.
"Now," said the old Captain, 'sthcre
is need of caution here. Nota breath
OF this must get to the men, or the
money will most assurcdly be thrown
overheard, and all the traces of the
thieves lost. 1t seems almost impos-
slble that any body could have entered
the specie-room without detection,
even with the connivance Of the sentry:
but yet the thing must have been done,
and some otthe marines must have
been in the plot. The officers whose
rooms are on the after-part of the or
lop deck shall Sbe placed upon the
watch, and il everything goes on as
usual wemay yet catch the rascals, for
in all probability they will 60 after
more of the money"
The thing was discussed freely in the
cabin, and when the arrangements we're
all made, it had been decided that the
orderly sergeant should detail four of
the marines, whose honesty and keen
ness could be conlided in, as sentrics
for the post at the spirit-room--that
they should relieve each other as usu.
III, and that they should be silent on
the subject of the theft. Matters were
thus arranged, and things went on as
usual.
1t bad been some time the practice,
in serving out the bread to the cooks OF
the mcsses, for the bread bags to be
brought down and left at the door Of
the bedroom. and as the steward and
his assistants filled them they were set
On The outside, for the cooks to get
them when they pleased, by simply a
pass from the midshipman of the deck.
Sometimes the bags remained upon
the orlop-drck over night. 1t vas pro
posed by the Purser that this order, or
athcr disorder Of things should be
stopped, but the Captain thought it
better not to meddle with it, for if any
oithc cooks were implicated this would
surely prevent any further develop
mentS. The sentries, however, were
strictly cnjoincd to keep their eyes
/ upon the cooks when they came after
their bags, and also TO look out that
no one was secrctcd among them.
The next day the Purscr went TO the
Captain with the astonishing utelli-
gence that another Tag Of money wus
missi"y! The sentries who had been
on post during the night were called in
TO the cabin and questioned, but they
took solemn oaths that nothing had
gone amiss during their several watch
es that they could d tect; and after
much threatening on the part of the
Captain, he was forced to believe them.
for the officers who had taken it upon
themselves to be on the lookout we're
clulliy at ault. 1T was q strange at
fair at best. The small hatch was
found securely locked, but yet another
bag was missing! How to account for
1t they knew not; but the captain de-
tcrnlncd upon another trial.
Three days passed without any fur.
,her development. Those who were
in the secret were still upon the watch.
and the whole thing had as yet been
kept from the men. Even the master-
alarms knew nothing of it.
On the night of the fourth day there
were some fifteen brcad-bags, newly
filled, set outside Of the brcad-roon
door, ready for the cook TO take in the
morning. At midnighta Il marine named
Mcclure was placed upon the mpor
tant post. He was u uuick.wittcd.
keen fellow, Scotchman by birth, and
one who could be trusted. AS soon
as he had taken his post he went over
to tho larboard side of the deck and
ran his eye around among the h.gs.-
! 'lhou oil IL. L