The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-26
SACRAMENTO NlCK'S SECRET.


Fine Duriens and the sweetest Of Man
g0steens, IL the Presence viii only buyr
But the big night Waterman had caught
sight of him, and came trundling down
The piazza. You can reckon our aston
ishment when the hawker said: How
is II. boys? Do you think they'll savee.
Keep your kits packed and be prepared
TO trek directly you get the word from
me- Here the Waterman came up. on
the word of a poor man, the Duriens are
freshly plucked and the Mangosteens
hung upon the trees this morning.' We
refused 10 buy, and he went away cry
ing his fruit toward the native quarter.
For two or three days not a shadow Of
a sign came from him. Then one of those
Chinese hawkers came into the square
with two coolies carrying his goods. and
as we set eyes on the second niger we
recognized Milwaukee, and stood by 10
take his message In whatever form il
might come Pulling up at our chairs, the
Chinkey told his men TO set down their
loads. himself coming across to US with a
tray Of fans. scents and what not, but see
ing Milwaukee had packet Of slippers in
his hands, we On.y wanted slippers. The
merchant sings out. and he brings 'em
over, handing one pair 70 Dance and an
other to me. We stepped inside to try
them on, and, as we expected, in one of
the shoes was letter neatly slowed
away / forget now how it went, but it
was TO the effect that ne had found out
all he wanted TO know. and that we were
to meet him at on the Singapore wharf
at Tanjonk Prick, bringing no kit save
our revolvers.
After squaring things at the hotel. and
destroying what was dangerous in our
baggage. we trekked for the Prick just
as dusk was failing. Sharp al we were
waiting on the wharf where the Mesa
gerle boats lie. and wondering what the
deuce was going 10 happen. Inside of ten
M I'm
the river and as IT passed US the rover
sneeZed twice very sharp and sudden. 1t
was an Cd signal and Dance gave the re-
turn. The bOatman bitches right onto
the steps and comes ashore.
Good boys, says he very quiet and
careful; up TO time, that's right Now 10
business Dye see that schooner lying
outside the breakwater2 Well, she sails
at daylight 1 put the skipper and mate
ashore not ten minutes ago, and they're
to return in an hour. There's only three
chaps aboard. and it's our business to
cut her out before the others come back.
Dye understand?
" But what dye reckon TO do then,
Milwaukee? / asked, for it seemed
risky game, just for the sake of mengy
Dutch trader
- Never you mind, now; when ] do
tell you, you'll say it's worth the candle.
Come, jump in here. and I'll pull you
aboardr
The harbor was as quiet as the sea
out yonder; Dutch man-of-war lay I'M
der the wing OF the breakWater, and
SOurabaya mail-bOat TO the left Of her
We passed between them. down toward
the lighthouse and out into the open. Out
side there was bit Of a sea running, but
Milwaukee was always hard 70 beat. ana
at last we managed to get alongside.
Somebody. most likely the anch0r-watch,
caught our painter. and took a turn in
b, saying in Dutch, You're back early,
Mynheer.' BY the time he twigged his
mistake. We were aboard, and Dance had
capped a stopper on his mouth. The
others were below, and / reckon you'd
have laughed If you could have seen tile
look on their faces W1en, after MlWau-
KEGS humping on the fO'c'sle, they
turned out 10 find their craft in other
hands. However, they soon saw what
was up and reckoned 1t was no use max
ing fools Of themselves. Then Milwaukee
went 10 the wheel, singing out 10 get sail
on her and sand by 10 sip the cable
We knew our business. and in less than
twenty minutes We're hummlng down the
coast a good ten knot an hour.
las soon as the course was set and
every thing going smooth, Milwaukee made
right aft 10 where Dance was steering. I
guess it's time says he. TO let you into
The secret. You know me and 1 know
you, which is enough said between pards
We've been in many good things to-
gether, but this is going to be the biggest
we've sighted yet. II doesn't mean hum
dreds Of pounds. but thousands, millions
maybe; anyhow, enough 10 set us three up
as princes all the word over!
- Sounds WEI, but how did you come
10 know Of it?' we asked. bit doubtful
like.
Before answering he took a squint at
the card and then aloft Keep her as she
goes. Jim. How did | come to hear OF
1t? How does a man hear anything?
Why, by going to the places and among
the folk who talk. / got wind Of it
, months ago. but never came across any
ching straight out till went fantee
among the niggers. Losh. boys, IL you
want yarns 10 raise your scalp, go down
and smoke among the darlxies: I've done
it, and you bet 1 know. There was one
old chap who used to drop in every
night. and smoke and chew and spit and
lie till you couldn't rest From his talk
great weast was about an island he'd
been TO fifty years ago where
there's an old Portugee treas
ure-ship aground, chock full of gold,
diamonds, rubies, and pearls, all watin'
for the man ash go to get EN- At first
L reckoned he lied, for how he got there
he didn't rightly remember; but he swore
ne found the ship, and was in the act of
brOaching her cargo when the natives
| came and sent him back to sea again.
w nat ut ulQ get except d. blOOuuH OiQ
dagger, was stolen from MIN IT, Saigon.
Directly 1 sighted that instrument, I be-
gan 10 guess there might be something
in his yarn after all; for wherever he got
IL, IL was a genuine Portugee weapon of
a couple of hundred years back. Well,
as any lubber knows, the Portuguese
sailed these seas two hundred years ago;
why shouldn't one of 'em have been
wrecked with all her cargo and never
been heard of since? Answer me that
Anyhow you bet froze TO that niger
AT first he played cunning and
| seemed TO suspicion / was after some
thing. So one night 1 got him alone,
| and-d'ye remember Hottentot Joe in the
Kimberley ?-well, prap5 / played the
| same game on this old cove, and when
he was sound off / began TO pump him
all 1 knew. The old chap had been sail
ing pretty near TO the truth, but still
he'd kept a bit up his sleeve; however,
got that bit, ard here's his chart as
near as 1 can fix it,
80 saying he drew out a paper and
held it to the pinnacle. Then, putting
his finger on a colored mark. ne went
on: IT'S a bit haZy steering after we
couldn't keep proper reckoning. But
once among these islands. 1 guess we
can't be far off the right one, and to
find it--by God, Wen search every mud
bank in the Pacifici Accordin' TO his
fxin' IL has a big mountain climbing
from It's center. with a monster white
rock half way up, shaped like a mans
fist. In a Decline with the rock there's
a creek running inland, big enough to
float a seventy-four; follow that creek
up mile or so and you come to a lake.