The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-21
THE TREASURE SHIP.

There's Q capital wind We should have
made good distance before morning"
Captain Blake stood on the deok cf the
schooner, the Jane, which lay anchored
that fine moonlight night at Port Bodega,
Cal. The Jane was but a small vessel, but
q had on board treasure In the shape Of
gold dust worth over e12, 900, and the
next morning had been fixed for its sailing
10 London.
That night the captain had given his crew
leave to go ashore to spend a few hours In
jollity before commencing their homeward
voyage. They had not yet returned, and
the captain was on board alone, with q
couple Of sailors and the mate, to whom
he was speaking.
Saying that he would turn in, the oap-
tain went below, while the mate walked
the deck on the watch.
IL was about In the morning that two
boats set of from the shore. having In one
of them and In the other 10 men, and
In tho darknsss--for the moon had now
set-were rowed of to the place where the
light OF the Jane glimmered over the dark
water. t|.
"Boat ahoyi Who are your
It was the mate Of the Jane who sang
out as he leaned over the side Of the vessel
and saw boat approach.
In answer there came what seemed some
words spoken as II by drunken man, and
thinking the men were the sailors returned
from their jaunt the mate saw the boat
pulled to the side of the ship. He did not
notice that another boat had softly made
It's way to the stern, the men rowing ST.
lently, and the dull sough Of the waves
drowning the splash Of their oars.
"Is that Jepkinsonp"
The mate was forward Watching the
men in the boat Hardly had he called out
before he heard noise behind him, his
arms were gripped, a hand was placed over
his mouth, while the butt end of pistol
came down with crash upon his head.
There was dull splash In the water mo-
ment later. 1t was the body Of the mate
cast into its watery grave.
The Jane had been boarded by robbers.
Stealing along like shadows-for the men
had their feet bare-the thieves rushed
across the deck to the ladder leading below.
The leader, tall man, with a heavy,
black beard, whose face was almost hid
by piece of black cloth tied across the
upper part, with two holes cut for him to
see through, grasped his pisto, In his hand
as he prepared to go below, while his fol
lowers held long, cleaning knives in their
hands
IF you struggle, you are dead man."
Captain Blake had been asleep and
started up as light flashed upon his face,
and looking about him he saw q man
standing beside him, one OF his hands up
on his throat, while In the other he held q
pistol.
"We won't hurt you II you don't strug.
gle, said the robber. "But we want the
gold you have on board. Give us the keys
of tho chest, and I'll swear you shall be
safe"
Resistance would be useless, and the
captain was soon lying on the floor Of his
cabin bound hand and foot with strong
cord
While these things were going on or
board the Jane the crew of the vessel had
gathered together on the shore and had
put of in their boats to return to the ship
They were astounded as they turned th'
quayside to see the Jane In the growing
daylight far of at sea, all sails set, and
making way before good breeze at rat,
which forbade all hope of their overtak
ing her.
The sailors were some hours later thar
they should have been in seeking the vos
sci, and now they imagined Captain Blake
must somehow have got others to man hen
and set of without them. They therefore
rowed back to shore.
While some of the men who had boarded
the ship, many of whom had been sailors
set the sails and took her out to sea the
others were busy searching for the treasure
No threats could make the captain speal
q word as to where It lay, and leaving
him the robbers began to look about for It.
"Hurrahp'
With axes In their hands, three or four
men were with fierce shouts breaking open
the stout boarding at the head of she cap
tain's cabin.
Behind 1t, az they peeped through q gar
they had burst open, they found dasi
recess. 1t was the place where the treas
ure lay.
They piled their axes furiously, the
board gave way, and the eyes of the thieves
cleaned with delight as they saw beforv
them the pile of bags and small wooden
boxes in which was the gold for whiof
they had undertaken the desperate ven
ture, and the cabin rang with their wild
shout Of Joy.
"What Is here will make us rich for life
now. Let US drink to our good fortunep
And he ordered some of the men 70 search
the ship for what liquor there was or
board.
A cask Of rum was soon found, and
knocking out the head Of it the rufi1ans
drank to one another in glasses Of the Aery
spirit.
And now to the boatsi"
Staggering under tho weight of Their
burdens, the mon carried the boxes and
bags Of the precious gold 10 the side Of the
ship and lowered them into the boats
alongside.
In short time all the treasure had besr
laid in them, and the plaoe where IL had
boon slowed in the Jane stood empty.
Get ready 30 push OF there, said The
black bearded man, looking over tho YES
sei's side, to his companions In the boats,
and as they gripped their oars and waited
for him he disappeared below.
He looked in at the cabin door and threw
. glance at tho captain lying there, still
bound hand and foot. Then be disappear
ID and made his way to the hold.
Now row for your livesr'
Tho man t<,oL hts v,Ioco Sv~c cu~ - th~