The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-07
QUIMBY'S BONANZA.
M EDGAR MAYHEM BACON.
Author Of The Fugitives of Terco." Etc.
lcopyright. 1896. by Bachelor. johnson and
Bacheller.l
PART III.

1Ahl III.
The wreck, imbedded in the furrow of
sand into which she had plunged when
the storm drove her ashore, lay keeled
well over on the left side, or, as Moses
said: "She had a bad list to port" BY
the aid of his valuable assistance, Ma
thaniel managed to climb on board,
when he found the slant of the decks
very embarrassing TO "a man of his ro-
tund habit, but by dint of much scram-
bling and putting he reached the hatch
way ami looked down into what seemed
70 him a great tank, in which furni-
kure and smaller objects were floating.
That was the cabin hatch; from IL. into
the water, descended the companion
stair, and Moses squatted upon the
upper step SO hat he could look into
the dusky interior.
"She must a ben fitted up kinder ele-
Rnnt fer a lumberman," was his first
comment. Then, after a few moments
further inspection, he added: They
must a 'bandoned her in tearin' hurry;
looks like everything most had been
left behind. Tell you what, cap'n;
the fust an for'Iaos' thing fer us to
do it to scuttle her an get some o the
water out; it's a heap easier than
pumpin'."
After a trip to the village for his
tool kit and some other things need
ful, the ex-seaman proceeded to carry
out his plan, SO hat presently n goodly
stream of water was rushing out of the
wounded side OF Molly b.. 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 a crowd of people came
streaming over the hill, full of Gu
riosity, but they were confronted with
a sign which Moses had the forethought
10 Ak 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
evry explicit notice had not oppor-
tunely appeared to enforce 1t, TIE
Neck might have been overrun in spite
of it, but after IA short and pointed in
terview, 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 a march
ON u.s." was the announcement with
which Moses returned to Quimby.
''Think il will be necessary" hesi-
tuted tine proprietor
81 amt takin' no chances. You never
found no longshoreman that thought
twas thievin' to steal from q wreck,
and 'twon't hurt nothin' to watch out.
You might find twenty men aboard in
the mornin', all willin' TO swear that
rkey found the Mollie b. an claimin'
right to salvage. o, / know 'em. Pos
session 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 endure;
but stretched in a hammock the watch
er held his post during the night
watches, the more comfortable as no
one came to disturb his repose till
Nathaniel appeared in the early MORN
Ding, and, after vast exertion, reached
the hatch and looked in.
Exploration revealed many things
which only extreme, urgent haste
would induce a sailor to leave behind.
The chronometer and instruments were
gone, but charts and papers, for the
most part so soaked as to be illegible,
were left. From a fragment of pulpy
paper they managed to make out the
name of the firm who were the ves-
sells agents - Dunn q Dunn, South
street, New York. There was the caoin
clock, a rusty and useless piece of
fctsam, stranded in the far corner CT
the cabin, along with such other mel
Encholy relics as articles of clothing,
boots that had a beautiful verde an
tique incrustation where the luster OF
blaclxfish head oil had been, a bottle o.
pickles and another that had not con
tanned pickles; a sack out of which the
dishes had been flung, and many odds
and ends that once went to make up
The total of u marines housekeeping
outfit.
The lamp, which swung uniniured
from it's beam, was almost the only
thing in place in the cabin.
Quimby picked up a fiat package OF
oilskin, that looked as though it had
been prepared to be taken in the hasty
exodus, and then abandoned or dropped
ct the last moment. Fold after fold he
IN