West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-03-11

worried, but for the last Two DAYS
have been almost convinced that th,re
was something wrong. Will watch the
two young women and tho doctor and
report 20 you. "
IL you arc posted as 90 tho sailing Of
ship, you viii uudcrEtcud that while
was acting as captain tho second mate
should have stood my watch. This |
did not permit. bat stood watch aud
watch with him. 1 had my interview
with Mary between and o'clock in
the evening. At s I went below and
turned IN FOR four hours When | cane
on dock at midnight, took Haskell
and the third mate and went below to
examine the cages. This was the first
midnight visit ever paid Co the convicts
and produced great surprise. | had led
the way as quietly ~ possible and
though all the conyicts appeared to be
sound asleep when l looked into the
cages tho positions Of some Of them
were 20 unnatural that I suspected they
had thrown themselves down only u
moment before. The man York was the
guard on duty between cages Nos 1
and 2, and though he had a face OF
bldHo hsu Ilbl lhil 20 QtUcCl SlRllS or
perturbation i found the cages all
right, but was perfectly satisfied that u
minute before my descent York had
been holding conversation with some of
tho conYicts. Had il been in his power
10 lot them on deck | should not have
found them snoring away and mutter-
ing Ill their dreams.
The midnight visit made no change
in our affairs, but gave mo thought
to be acted on next day. Among the
crew was n man named Hawlcy | had
no fault to find with him Us "a sailor,
but l had sized him up as the most sim
pie minded man of the lot VI | could
go ut him right, 1 could learn from
him the subject OF talk in the forccastlc.
Before noon next day, the man being
IN my watch and the off watch below,
got him aft under prCtcnso of cxamin-
ing the cabin stores in the lazalctte
had placed bottle Of rum where he
could not fail to find it, and gave him
time 60 sample the stuff before follow
ing him through tho trapdoor. 1t
pleased me to discover that he had
taken a liberal drink. and when the
stuff had been given time to loosen his
lOhBuo Cautiously inquired:
THAT man York is considered o very
smart mau by all the crew, isn't he?'
Nobody could be- smarter, SIR he
promptly replied. eff had tenth Of
his smartness, wouldn't be where am
now, Begin your humble pardon, sir"
He has been in the goldfields of
Australia, hear?''
'All over 'om, sir, and has got some
thin like ton OF tho bloomin stuff
hidden away in hill. He dasn't bring
it out for fear of robbers, but he can
lead the lot of us straight TO the SPOT
and is willin to divide. Plenty moro
where that ton Canc from. All you've
got to do is TO scrape of the surface
dirt, and there's the nuggets Do you
mind my akin you question, Mr.
Tompkins?"
$50 ahead"
II am no schollard, as you know. II
[ had lump Of gold as heavy as
could carry on my back, would be
rich man?"
YES, fairly rich man, and 1 wish
you had such lump"
"Thankee, sir; thankco very much.
and I'm certainly goin to have it if
York knows what he's talkin about, and
we all think he do. Begin your.par-
don, sir, but isn't there lots and lots of
islands OFF the coast Of Australia"
YES, great many islands. "
And not inhabited cithcr?"
ono"
And they are reg lar paradises, with
puthin fur sailor to do but cut and
drink and smoke and make Inv to the
wimin. Three months Of that and then