Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-04-01
ASSURE TROyF.

dreamed ABOUT LudJ DtAIlcu CHdSuI6
agin las night, Jack, " said old Skipper
Maxwell, resting his oars bit to draw his
sleeve across his weather-beaten face,
Whico was moist with perspjrdtjon.
Don't doubt it bit, Uncle Sol,
aug4ed Jack Bechers, who sat In the
sterE sEe6ts Of the Whitehall boat, sand =
pap)r ng some mackerel iigs to proper
degree Of brightness
"Oh, you can laugh, " responded the old
fisherman, locally known IN yarmouth as
Uncle Sol, "but there's more in dreams
than folks thinks for, an everybody in
yarmouth knows that Cap'n Kidd hid
NOR Ii one chist full Of gold along on this
here bore"
81 know some people say so" returned
Jack lightly, but Uncle Sol, unheeding
the ON phasized word, resumed his rowing
and went on:
eff you n |, now, could only be lucky
enough to find it, Jack, think of the good
the money d do us. | wouldn't have to
fsh fer Twin, an you could 90 ahead
an finish your schoolin' jest the same S
though Squire Belchers had left you his
property, as folks always cal'lated he
would do"
Jacks bright face clouded little.
81 never @shall understand why my
adopted father did not make will before
he died, he responded; never, for he
spoke of doing 50 very freely the last time
/ was home on vacation"
you don t pose, Jack" said Skipper
Maxwell, involuntarlly lowering his voice.
''that Squire Bechers might a. made one
after all, and that air scaIy brother Of his
Lawyer B9lcL rs-got holt Of it an hid
itaway-"
"Nonsen8e, rather sharply interrupted
Jack Lawyer Belchers is too shrewd to
commit a crime thai would send him to
state 3 prison. no, this sort OF thing is
done in stories great deal oftener than
In real life.
I'D believe anything that's say of
Thurston Belchers, or bis boy either, " the
skipper returned persistenty. Member
how mad folks said he was, he continued
with a glance over his shoulder at dis
5ant sailboat, "when the squire took you
home after your pa and ma was lost to sea,
and made no bones of tellin' here IN Bar
mouth bow he Cal'lated to adopt YOU,
which he finally did?'
Eyes, I remember heaTiGg SON ethiug
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
hiIlocb. "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 at the stern, awaiting a
bite
There they be-" muttered Uncle Sol;
dropping one line and pulling the other
will the swift hand over hand motion
peculiar to the mackerel catcher
'Me, too" pxclaimedEJ Jack, aud for a
few moments the fishermen were busy
enough pulling in mackerel as fast as their
hands could fly.
"Sru2k off again, observed Skipper
Maxwell, rs once more the line trended
downward through the intense greenish
black water. There's the Spray bearin'
down to US, =" he added, and Jack invol-
unfair lily trowned.
The Spray was the stanohest and hand
soonest BOAT in Barmouth 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
mlnlstratIon and COOlly limited to Jack that
his room in the great oId-fashioned house,
so long bis home, was better than his com
pay.
Jack had spoken his mind very freely
both &c MIR. Balchers and Bradford. his
son, 4 young fellow of Jacks age. Then,
gathering up his clothing, books and per
sona 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 Of the shore.
Rather than be idle while he was laying
plans tor his future actions, Jack, dressed
according to his work, accompanied Uncle
Sol down the harbor In his trims for the
FrpG fish l.,
the two summer hotels, which were lust
then full of visitors.
Bradford or Brad, Belchers had at once
taFen possession Of the Spray. and it was
thel slght or the young man In a flannel
boating SUIT steering the swiftly approach
ing boat, IN which was a CAV
party, that called the frown to Jacks
face.
"He's trying to show off his boat sail
in, said the skipper CONTEMPORARY. as
at the sight of the small boat Brad haul
ed his wind and headed directly for
them.
Say, you two follows, got any fish to
SELF shouted Brad In his most patronizIng
within hail.
Jack bit his lip without replying. Sud-
feet.
"Luf-luff, you laundering fool-do YOU
want to turn US DOWN." he roared.
but the warning came too late. The
catooat's sharp stem crashed through the
side OF the smaller skiff, whose OCCUPANTS
managed to scramble aboard the Spray
anne chorus of screams from the yonnS
ladies OF the party.
''1'll be even with you yet for sinking
my boat. young feller," w1athfuIly ex7
claimed Uncle Sol, turning to Brad. who
looked rather ashamed for the moment.
why didn't you keep your old boat out
of the way?" growled Brad
Jacks eyes flashed with indignation, but
nothing more was said or done till the
Spray arrived at the wharf.
The loss of his boat was a serious mat
ter for Uncle Sol. And it was in vain
that he applisd to Brad's father for re-
dress. Mr.. Belchers would not even listen
to him.
"Now's the time some O. .Cap'n Kidd's
buried gold would come in handy, Ell.
Jack" remarked the old man ruefully, on
the following evening, as the two sat on
the little porch in front of the house, look
ing out over the harbor and the sea which