The times., 1897-05-16

| get the more valuable stuff aboard before
| dark. The schooner was snugged down
and three men left aboard, aud IL was only
when the boat was ready 20 set US ashore
| that l told the crew the nature OF our
errand. We had come to carry away
great treasure, instead of looking for cast
| away sailors, and Mr.. Granger authorized
me to say that each man might look for
handsome present in gold coin when the
plunder was safe aboard. This put every
body in good spirits, and Grangers de-
| meanor was such that l had no doubt of
befoltling and handling those boxes and
kegs within an hour.
Welanded on a sandy beach, and Granger
headed into the forest without hesitation.
After walking for half an hour he began to
recognize certain landmarks and said the
| treasure was not far off. just at that mo-
ment we entered a well-beaten path and
| saw two or three goats. He had never said
word about their beng goats on the
island, bus / did not give it more than a
| passing wonder He cried out that some
thin had workedinto his shoe, and for US TO
! keep right on till we reached the rocks, and
! he sat down and began snlacing his Shoe
| we went ahead along the path. We found
no rock We found other paths and saw
other goats, aud by and by we had crossed
the little island and stood ON the beach.
Granger had not yet joined US, and after
waiting fifteen minutes l sent one of the
men back He had not only gone TO the
spot where we left the man sitting, but as
! far as the beach, and reported the yawl
gone. Alimy suspicious were now aroused,
and the crowd OF us started into run as
we headed hack. We reached the beach to
find the yawl gone. but the next moment
we sighted her alongside the anchored
schooner. As we were about TO hail the
craft we saw Granger and the two men
descend into the boat and shove off for
the beach. His going aboard alone was
matter TO wonder over, but was thinking
he might have a plausible explanation when
the boat touched at wooded point run
ming out below us and the two men got out
We could plainlysee and hearthat theywere
forced out at the muZZle OF a revolver. As
soon as they were clear OF the boat
Granger threw an oar over and began sculi-
ing her back to the schooner, and all our
shouts brought no response from him.
No man hut a sailor could have used that
sculling oar as ne did, and one and all re-
marked it. What sort of trick was he
pia ying US? Each man asked this question
of another, but no one could answer. When
he had returned to the schooner alone his
pIetense was that he had forgotten some
thing, but no sooner had he reached thedeck
than he ordered the men into the boat. As
he was armed and looked dangerous they
did not think IL was wise to resist
Well, here we were, eight Of US, ashore
on small island and an insane man in
possession of an anchored schooner, and a
council lasting an hour did not bring any
satisfaction. The man had firearms, and
we had only our knives. 1t would have
been no trick at all TO swim off 10 the
schooner but for the sharks. Look where
you would, you could see their dorsal fins
cutting the water, and il would have been
rank folly to swim thirty feet from the
beach. After awhile we retired from tie
beach and took tramp over the island
We found fresh water and fruits, but no
signs that the place had ever been inhsih
ited by man. The goats numbered fully
two hundred, and the original pair had
probably been landed by some whaier, or
| had floated ashore from some wreck. As
the weather was warm. we were not so
| badly off, but, of course, we were anxious
| about our position. Granger was certainly
| insane He could not run away with the
| schooner, but he might sink her e her
| moorings or set her on fire. He refused
| to show himself or answer cur halls, nd
| when night came was inclined 10 believe
| that he might have committed suicide.
| We made our beds on the grass that night
| and slept soundly enough, and when morn
| ing came and Granger still refuSe'l 10
| answer our halls we began the work of
| building d raft 10 float US to the schooner
| This work was carried on around the
| point where he had landed the nlereand by
noon we had knocked together structure
which would float at least four OF US.
| If this raft were dragged around the point,
| the tide would setit dow n on the schooner,
but we had to wait until 10 )'"loeE at
night TO get both darkness and tide IN ur
favor Their l selected three men TO ac-
company me, and started off.
If Granger were on the " atch we were
sure to meet with a warm reception, but
crouching low on the raft we drifted down
| on the schooner's broadside and were not
challenged Five minutes after getting
aboard we found him hanging by the neck
in the cabin, and the state Of the body
proved he had been dead for hours
Who was Granger? l discovered that
| ne Was HOt bHe view 1OIh sulp-CNHtt
| BIZ that name. He had been cast on an
| island but the RED King" was not
wrecked. He had proofs with him i'll
the shape of pearls and coins. but where
was the island? He had paid round
price to charter the vessel, but seemed
| to have no other object in view than to
| trick US. He had over $4,000 in cash
among his effects, and although ii was
| turned over to the authorities of Cape
| Town, they have never found an heir toit.
We believed ne had been a sea captain,
| but the lists showed no such man for years
past. No man could say he was insane,
but why did ne commit suicide? A score
| OF other questions might be asked, but
! they would throw no light on the mystery.
| sailed the schooner back to the Cape, and
made a report of the case, and though
| twenty years have passed away the real
| identity of the man has not been estab-
| lished or his singular conduct accounted
| for. That ne was an American am sure,
! and he seemed TO know all about New
! York, but not one of the advertisements
| regarding him in the American papers
| ever brought a reply. He simply came and
| went and left mystery behind him.
CHARLES B. LEWIS.
| II;