The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-06-10
TREASURE TROVE.

agin las night, Jack" said old Skippe
Maxwell, resting his oars bit to draw hi
sleeve across his weather beaten face
which was moist with perspiration.
Don't doubt it a bit, Uncle SOL" laugh
ed Jack Belchers, who sat in the sterl
sheets of the Whitehall boat, sanGpaperine
some mackerel jigs to proper degree q
brightness.
"Oh, you can laugh" responded the oil
! fisherman, locally known in yarmouth a.
Uncle Sol, ''but there's more in dream.
than folks thinks for, an everybody in Bar
mouth knows that Cap'n Kidd hid more'r
one chist full of gold along on this here
shore"
Il know some people say So" returned
Jack lightly, but Uncle Sol, unheeding the
emphasized word, resumed his rowing ana
went on:
IF you'n I, now, could only be lucky
| enough to find it, Jack, think of the good
| the money'd do US! l wouldn't hev to fish
| fer Twin, an you could go ahead an finish
| your schOolin jest the same's though
Squire Belchers had left you his property
Us folks always callated he would do"
Jacks bright face clouded little
81 never shall understand why my
adopted father did not make a will before
he died" he responded; never, for he
spoke OF doing so very freely the last time
was home on vacation"
You don't s'pose, Jack" said Skipper
Maxwell involuntarily lowering his voice,
that Squire Belchers might IA made one
after all, and that air scaly brother of his
Lawyer Belchers-got holt of it an mid it
AWAY
Nonsense" rather sharply interrupted
Jack. Lawyer Belchers is too shrewd to
commit a crime that would send him to
state prison. No, that sort of thing is done
in stories great deal oftener than in real
life"
'I'd believe anything that's bad of
Thurs6on Belchers, or his boy either" the
skipper returned persistently. "'Mem-
Der how mad folks said he was" he con-
tinued, with glance over his shoulder at
a distant sailboat, when the squire took
you home after your pa and ma was lost
20 sea, and made no bones of tellin here in
yarmouth how he callated to adopt you,
which he finally did,"
Eyes, l remember hearing something
about it," was his careless reply.
The boat having reached its destination
just outside the harbor mouth, Skipper
Maxwell drew in his oars and dropped the
killock. A bucketful of chopped clans
was used as bait, and very soon they were
lingering a line in either hand, one at the
bow and the other in the stern, awaiting a
bite.
"There they be-" mrttered Uncle Sol,
dropping one line and pulling the other
with the swift hand-over-hand motion
peculiar to the mackerel catcher.
"Me, too" exclaimed Jack, and for
few moments the fishermen were busy
enough pulling in mackerel as fast as thei.
hands could fly.
Struck off agiD," observed Skipper
Maxwell, as once more the lines trended
downward through the intense greenish
black water There's the Spray bearin
down to u.s." he added, and Jack involun-
tarily frowned.
The Spray was the stanchest and hand
soonest boat in yarmouth harbor Squire
Belchers had her built for his adopted son
only the year before But after his death
no will was found, so his brother Thurs
ton, as next of kin, took out letters of adj
ADMINISTRATION and coolly limited to Jack that
his room in the great old fashioned house,
so long his home, was better than his COM
pany.
Jack had spoken his mind very freely
both to Mr.. Belchers and Bradford, his
son, a young fellow of Jacks age. Then,
gathering up his clothing, books and per-
sonal items Jack shook the dust off his
feet, left the old house and took refuge for
few days with Uncle Sol Maxwell, who
lived in a small one story house on the edge
the shore.
Rather than be idle when he was laying
ans for his future actions, Jack, dressed
ording to his work, accompanied Uncle
down the harbor in his trips for
fresh fish with which the latter suppl
the two summer hotels, which were Just
then full of visitors
Bradford, or Brad, Belchers had at once
taken possession of the Spray, and it was
the sight of the young man in a flannel
boating suit steering the swiftly approach
ing boat, in which was a gay party, that
called the frown to Jacks face.
He's tryin to show off his boat sailin,"
said the skipper contemptuously, as at the
sight of the small boat Brad hauled his
wind and headed directly for them.
Say. you two fellows, got any fish to
SSl1s Silcutt0 III LIS iIlNoS ItilIOIlL-
ing tone and manner as soon as the Spray
came within hail.
Jack bit his lip without replying. Sud
denly Skipper Maxwell sprang to his feet.
"Luff-lutf, you laundering fool-do you
want to run US DOWN" he reared
But the warning came too late. The cat
boats sharp stem crashed through the side
of the smaller skif, whose occupants man
aged to scramble aboard the Spray amid
chorus of screams from the young ladies Of
the party.
I'm be even with You yet for sinkin my
boat, young Teller" wrathfully exclaimed
Uncle Sol, turning to Brad, who looked
rather ashamed for the moment.
why didn't you keep your old boat cut /
OF the way'" growIed Brad.
Jacks eyes flashed with Indignation. but /
nothing more was said or done TIL the (
Spray arrived at the wharf
The loss Of his boat was a serious matter /.
for Uncle Sol And it was in vain that he !
applied to Brsd's father for redress. Mr. /
Beichers would not even listen TO him
"Now's the time some o Cap'n Kids I
buried gold would come in handy, eh, 4
Jackt" remarked the old man ruefully on i
the following evening. as the two sat On 4
the little porch in front Of the house, look 1
ing out over the harbor and the sea which /
were bathed in the wonderful sheen Of I