The Delta independent., 1895-09-18

would hardly go back to his woods,
but was always hanging about my hut.
learned little of his lingo from him,
and this made him all the fonder OF me.
''Tonga-for that was his name-was
a fine boatman, and owned n big, roomy
canoe of his own. When l found that
he was devoted to me and would do
anything to serve me, l saw my chance
Of escape. talked it over with him.
lie was to bring his boat on a certain
night to an old wharf which was never
guarded, and there he was to pick me
up. gave him directions to have sew
eral gourds of water and lot of yams,
cocoanuts and sweet potatoes.
HE was staunch and true, was little
Tonga. No man ever had a more faith
full mate. at the night named he had
his boat at the wharf. AS it CHANGED,
however, there was one of the convict
guard down there-a vile Pathan who
had never missed chance of in
sulting and injuring me. 1 had
always vowed vengeance, and now
had my chance. 1 was as if
fate had placed him in my way that
might pay my debt before left the
island. He stood on the bank with his
back to me and his carbine on his
shoulder. looked about for a stone to
beat out his brains with, but none
could see. Then a queer thought
came into my head and showed me
where could lay my hand on a weap-
on. 1 sat down in the darkness and un-
strapped my wooden leg. With three
long hops was on him. He put his
carbine to his shoulder, but struck
him full and knocked the whole front
Of his skull in. You can see the split
in the wood now where hit him. We
both went down together, for could
not keep my balance, but when l got
up found him still lying quiet enough.
made for the boat and in an hour we
were well out at sea. Tonga had
brought all his earthly possessions
with him, his arms and his gods.
Among other things, he had a long
bamboo spear and some Andaman
cocoanut mating, with which l made
a sort of q sail. For ten days we were
beating about, trusting to luck, and on
the eleventh we were picked up by
trader which was going from Singa-
pore to Jiddah with crowd of Malay
pilgrims. They were rum crowd, and
Tonga and 1 soon managed to settle
down among them. They had one
y
asked no questions.
"Well, if were to tell you all the
adventures that my little chum and
went through, you would not thank
me, for I would have you here until
the sun was shining. Here and there
we drifted about the world, something
always turning up to keep us from Lon
don. All the time, however, never
lost sight of my purpose. would
dream of Sholto at night. A hundred
times have killed him in my sleep.
At last, however, some three or four
years ago, we found ourselves in Eng
land. I.had no great difficulty in find
ing where Sholto lived, and set to
work to discover whether he had real
lied the treasure, or if he still had it.
made friends with some one who could
help mel name no names, for I don't
want to get anyone else in Il hole-and
! soon found that he still had the Jew
els. Then tried to get at him in MANY
ways; but he was pretty sly, and had
always two prize-fghters, besides his
sons and his khitmutgar, on guard over
him.
zone day, however, got word that
he was dying. i hurried at once to the
garden, mad that he should slip out of
my clutches like that, and, looking
through the window, I saw him lying
in his bed, with his sons on each side
of him. I'd have come through and
taken my chance with the three Of
them, only even as looked at him his
jaw dropped, and knew that he was
gone. got into his room that same
night, though, and ! searched his
papers to see If there was any record of
where he had hidden our jewels.
There was not line, however, SO I
came away, bitter and savage as man
could be. Before / left I bethought
me that if 1 ever met my Sikh friends
again it would be a satisfaction to know
that I had left some mark of our ha-
tired; SO scrawled down the sign of the
four of us, as it had been on the chart,
and pinned it on his bosom. 1t was
too much that he should be taken to
the grave without some token from the
men whom he had robbed and befoolcd.
"Wc earned living at this time by
my exhibiting poor Tonga at fairs and
other places as the black cannibal. He
would eat raw meat and dance his war
dance; SO we always had hatful Of
pennies after days work. / still
heard all the news from Pondicherfy
Lodge, and for some years there was
no news to hear, except that they were
hunting for the treasure. At last, how
ever, came what we had waited for SO
long. The treasure had been found.
1t was up at the top Of the house, In
Mr.. Bartholomew Sholto's chemical
laboratory. came at once and had
look at the place, but could not see
how with my wooden leg was to make
my way up to it. learned, however,
about trap-door in the roof,
and also about Mr.. Sholto's sup
per hour. 1t seemed to me that
could manage the thing easi-
ly through Tonga. l brought him
out with me with long rope wound
round his waist. lie could climb like a