Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-11-05

1t over and poislnz = IN his hand
to note its weigh and trying hi
jack knife upon h he cast an in.
quiring look at Aleek.
That's quite athnnk of rosin,
he said. Where ye get it:'
Washed ashoro replied Aleck.
Granny says il whale stone,
The skipper - away with
apparent carelessl my cook
plays the fiddle. said looking
back. sI'n give i sIollar for tina.
to rosin his fiddle kov WITH
Aleck would bsve said res IT
FonSss bns Bsnays xho 64d quicker
perceptions, had noted the furtive
glance and said /:
No; I'd rather keep it,
The skipper talked of various
matters for some time, but at length
came back to the subject of the
"rosin," and offered two dollars,
then three and at last five. But
Denny still obstinately said, No;
I'd rather keep it,
The skipper staid with them for
an hour or two, but at last went off
! to his vessel without further allu-
sion to the 'rosin.'
Aleck, much vexed, called Den.
ny fool for not accepting the Of
fer made by the captain. Five dol
lars was large sum to these poor
boys. But Denny still resisted.
Il found it, he asserted, sand l
shall set my own price. Skipper
McLeord cannot buy it for FIVE dol
lars. He wants it more than he
cares to let rs know. / saw that
plainly enough in his eyes,
Before night, too, Denny pru-
IDENTIFY took the whale stone off the
fish fake and hid it away in safe
place. This was a wise act, for the
next morning the boys found eve-
rything topsyturvy about the fakes
and the landing jetty, as if some
one had been searching there dill
gently. The coaster still lay at an
chor in the bay.
This very suspicious circum-
stance, coupled with the skipper's
behavior, caused Denny to think
quite seriously about his whale
stone and its possible value, until
at length he became so earnest
about it that he resolved to find out
in some way what it was and what
it was worth. But the fisherfolk
who lived near had no knowledge
VI buCn mdIJcIS.
So during the following week,
mnch against the advice of Aleck
and the older members of the fami-
ly, Denny took an old potato sack,
and putting the gummy, yellowy
mass within, started to trudge with
it on his back all the way to st.
Johns, the capital of the island.
1t was a heavy load and great
undertaking for lad of his age and
limited experience. He was five or
six days making the journey; and
when at length he arrived in the
city he was quite at loss how to get
the information he desired.
After walking the streets for
some time he made bold to enter a
store and ask the shop keeper to
buy his treasure. The man looked
at it, and laughed at him for fetch
ing such a worthless loss as that to
market.
At another store man examined
it curlously and offered a. for it.
He was so disheartened that he was
much tempted to take the money
and start at once for home, but he
resolved to try q little further. Ac-
cordingly he shouldered his tire
some load, and went out on the
street again.
CHANGING to glance back, he saw
that the storekeeper was following
very slowly after him, as if to see
where he was going. AS he turned
awkwardiy to 60 on, he jostled
against q man in q uniform-the
most splendid garb he had ever
seen-and felt greatly ashamed that
his dirty gunny-sack had rubbed
against such gorgeous red coat.
Il didn't mean to, sir,' he falter-
ed, deprecatingly.
The officer laughed good -natur-
edly and asked him what he had
got so heavy in his gunny-bag.
Il don't know what it 10, SIR re.
piled Denny, rather disconsolately.
Il wish could find some one who