The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-05-24

"Goot-py, mine vrend. Ven you
comes pack py dem gems of me. l
gifs you Won pig pargain. You see,
| bays no gov'ment pounty. Uncle
Sam no shmart 'nough for me. So
sell you sheap."
My next wish was to set eyes on Won
Twiller. The second mate Of the
steamer named was an acquaintance,
and the very afternoon Of her next
arrival in port, divesting myself OF
every visible sign of official character,
| called on him, finding him in charge
CT the vessel for the day. l explained
my errand, and joining him in a stroll
along the deck, he at once directed my
attention to fellow scrubbing the
ship. He was Won Twiller surly-
looking man. whom, once seen, would
not be readily forgotten. l took care
that he should not observe me.
Half an hour later, from conceal
ment I was watching my man as he
washed the lower deck, astern, where
1t had been soiled by immigrants. Sew
eral officers in citizens dress were
within easy call, ready to come or go
at my signal.
Won Twiller had bucket of steam
luS uOl Mdltl anu a SlObhs
and was hard at work, but after awhile
l noticed two or three things that
seemed somewhat significant.
He was singularly uneasy, con-
stantly glancing up and down the
river front, as If expecting an arrival;
with which l combined the actions of
two men in a skiff not far distant and
slowly approaching, but out Of his
view. They seemed to be looking for
him and he for them, or so my sus-
picions Interpreted it.
Attached to the bucket was not only
the usual rope for taking up water
from the river, but longer cord, like
a fishing-line, loosely coiled, with .
huge cork at the end of 1t, and Won
| Twiller seemed anxious to keep 1t out
of sight. l observed also that when
he dipped the cloth in the brimming
bucket he avoided immerslng 1t, as IL
the pail were quite shallow. Such
! things proved nothing conclusively.
and yet were enough out Of the or
dinary to awaken suspicion.
| Slowly the men in the skiff worked
along the starboard of the great steam
er and rounded her stern, coming into
Won Twiller's view at last, and !
thought covert recognition passed
between them. Presently one of them
removed his hat and gave 1t a Pc
culiar swinging motion whereupon
! Won Twiller doffed his cap and re-
/ turned the signal. Then the man in
the skiff gave long, low whistle, TO
which Won Twiller also replied in the
same style and this, Notwithstanding
the fact that he and they were not
forty feet apart easy speaking dis
tance.
The case was rapidly assuming
shape and interest. 1t was evident
that something decisive would not be
long delayed.
Suddenly Won Twiller laid the cloth
on the rail, and lifting the bucket
poured it's soiled contents in the river
/ noticing that 1t held but little wa
ter for so large a pail. Next, placing
the cord and cork in the bucket and
grasping the rope, he swung 1t over
the side to dip up water for rinsing
purposes. Giving 1t sidewise turn,
it filled, and he started to draw it up
but with such energy as to snap the
rope. Too thin" l muttered to my
self, for his intention was perfectly
clear.
Steadily the light bucket settled into
! the water and soon strangely sank
from sight, but floating where 1t went
down lay the cork.
For an hour the skiff drifted about
in the most innocent manner, the men
not seeming to notice the cork, which
| regarded with special interest
kept my hiding, however, confident Of
results.
Meantime Won Twiller had silently
disappeared below deck.
At length. when night was falling,
the fellows approached the cork, and
lifting it into the skiff, drew up the
sunken bucket and detached the cord.
Then they drifted again, now under
the open piers and again outside. But
l was not ready as yet to interfere
with them, for I hoped by delaying to
trace them to their headquarters and
bag a gang Of their pals.
When 1t was quite dark and the
lamps were lighted, l called one of
my aids to watch them, while with two
others l entered a yawl which we had
in readiness near by, and pulled
around to the vicinity Of the skiff. BY
my direction my companions were
dressed and acted like sailors half
drunk, and searching for our ship in
that neighborhood / also reclining in
the stern in tipsy manner. The fel-
lows did not suspect us as we padded
here and there, singing, shouting, and
variously making merry. They evil
dently had some cause for remaining
on the spot, perhaps waiting for Won
Twiller. At least l hoped that was
their reason, for I wished to have
them all together. I was also watch
ing for chance to seize the bucket by
stratagem, lest they might suddenly
drop it in the river beyond recovery,
as, If my suspicious were right, we
had to deal with desperate men. All
of that class are; the magnitude OF
their ventures makes them 80.
At length another long, low whistle
from the dock overhead hastened my
action. We were three or four boat
lengths from the skiff, when, arous-
ing from my apparent browse of the
last hour, sung out to my aids al
the oars:
Here, you lubbers! what ye about