The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-07
QUIMBY'S BONANZA
BY EDGAR MAYHEM BACON,
Author of ''The Fugitives of Tezco," etc.
Copyright. 1885 by Bacheller. johnson aad Bachelor
SYNOPSIS.

ing unexpectedly come into a little money,
fulills the desire Of his life. and visits the
seashore for the first time. He goes 10
Taggert's station, OH the New England
coast, and while there Is induced to buy q
barren neck OF land, jutting out into the
sea. a storm arising the next night. he
leaves the tavern. and spends the night on
his "trip of land enjoying the war Of the
elements. AS day breaks, he observes
wreck near the shore. lie starts for the
village to secure help. and OIL the way
meets one Moses Larkin. an eN-sailorman.
whose acquaintance he had previously
made. They return to the wreck. and dis-
cover that 1t Is Il water-logged derelict. Il
lumber schooner. l.arkin proposes that
Quimby take possession OF her, and se-
cure salvage. and employ him to conduct
the business on shares Quiinby agrees.
Larkin goes out as the tide fails, and dis
covers that the schooner Is loaded with
mahogany-that she is a regular "bonan-
"a"
PART IT,
The wreck. imbedded in the furrow OF
sand into which she had plunged when
the storm drove her ashore. lay keeled
we'll over on the left side. or as Moses
said: "She had bad list to port" BY
the aid of his valuable assistance. Ma
thaniel managed 10 climb on board.
when ne found the slant of the decks
very embarrassing to u man of his ro-
tund habit, but by dint of much scram-
bling and putting he reached the hatch
way and looked down into what seemed
to him great tank, I'm which furnt-
ture and smaller objects were floating.
That was the cabin hatch: from it, into
the water, descended the companion
stair. and Moses sauatted upon the
upper step 50 that he could look into
the dusky interior.
.'She must u ben fitted up kinder ele-
cant fer a lumberman," was his first
comment Then, after few moments
further inspection. he added: They
must 'bandoned her in IA tearin' hurry:
looks like everything most had been
left behind Tell you what. cap'n:
the fust an for'mos' thing fer us to
do IL to scuttle her an get some o the
water out: it's heap easier than
punpin'."
After trip to the village for his
tool kit and some other things need
ful. the ex-seaman proceeded to carry
out his plan. so that presently goodly
stream OF water was rushing out OF the
wounded side of Molly H.. of Bangor.
1t was nearly nightfall when this job
was finally compelled, and by that time
the news Of the wreck had spread In the
village, so that crowd Of people came
streaming over the hill. full of Gu
riosity. hut they were confronted with
a sign which Moses had the forethought
to fix at the very entrance of the Neck.
1t read:
PRIVATE GROUNS
Anybody found trespassin will be per-
secuted by the law"
Perhaps if the originator of this very
explicit notice had not opportunely ap-
pcared to enforce 1t. the Neck might
have been overrun in spite of 1t. but
after a shorr and pointed interview.
the disappointed visitors went away
grumbling.
Look a here, cap'n. I'm goin' to
stay right here on the premises tonight
and see. that nobody don't steal
march on u.s." was the announcement
with which Moses returned to Quimby.
Think IT will be necessary" hesi-
tated the proprietor.
Il amt takin' no chances. You never
found no longshoreman that thought
twas thievin' to steal from wreck. and
'twon't hurt nothin' to watch out. You
might find twenty men aboard in the
mornin'. all willin' to swear that they
found the Mollie b. an claimin' right
to salvage. O. l know 'em. Possess
sion is nine p'ints O. law, and here
stay
Stay he did The cabin was too damp.
even after the water had been emptied,
for anyone but an old sea dog to en-
dure; but stretched In hammock the
watcher held his post during the night
watches, the more comfortable as no
one came to disturb his repose till Ma
thaniel appeared In the early morning.
and, after vast exertion, reached the
hatch and looked In.
Exploration revealed many things
which only extreme urgent haste would
induce q sailor to leave behind. The
chrOnometer and instruments were
gone but charts and papers for the
most part 50 soaked as to he illegible,