San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-07

OF temper "I1r'- He was waikiki
off, then with a snap of his fingers said
"No, hang mel I'll be in it with the
rest of you, and came back to the lit
tie crowd.
''Shall we bring up the boxes one by
one and examine them here?" said Dav-
enire.
"That'll do, won't it, Trollopef'
said Hankey.
"When looked at, where are they to
he stowed?" said Burn.
It'll shift if unlashed. The boxes II
burst. The dust'll run like sand. Let
Trollope be boss, Burn; let Trollope be
boss, said Shannon.
"See here" says Trollope, taking up
his station beside the hatchway. 1.-TWO
of you will hand out the chests. Sup
pose we say you, Davenire, and you,
Hankey. You've got the muscle for that
sort of breaking out work. /"
''There are IS chests, exclaimed Pc
ter johnson, leaning over the hatch
with his foot on the ooamings
"Big and little" said Mr.. Caven-
dish. Eighteen.
Were all agreed they're 49," ex-
claimed Weston. 81 counted them four
times and made 49,
"Goodl Let's shove ahead, Trollope"
said Caldwell.
Some of the men jumped, some re-
manned ON deck with Trollope. 1t was
agreed that the whole of the boxes
should be brought aft before one was
opened. Presently Shannon and Burn,
with grinning faces, handed one up.
"Feel the weight of it," oozed Burn.
"Feel it, Trollope. Och, murder, that
1 had it in England safe!"
The chest was small, but its weight
was as persuading as a glimpse of its
contents would have proved convincing.
One by one the boxes were hove up to
the eager group above, big and little.
As rapidly as their weight allowed,
the chests Were conveyed aft and placed
in row beside the skylight.
The ten men ranged themselves
abreast of the chests Hankey brought
chisels and hammers from the foreoas-
tie, and Captain Trollope called upon
him to open the first box.
With the skill of carpenter Hankey
drove his chisel. The iron bands yield
ed, the lid was lifted, and then the
beast in every breast sent forth an ex-
ultant roar. These were gentlemen who
did not need to look very close or long
to know what nugget was. But no
man offered to touch the fat, flush sur
face of broken ore, yellow, pale, dull,
more like the dried trimmings Of soap
broken into twisted bits than the metal
that glitters in the golden pound and
sparkles ON white arms and whittier
! necks.
''See that big knob there, Caldwellr'
said Masters, smackipg his lips with
affected admiration "How many MUIR
ders could man get done for the
worth of that lump"
''Rat you and your moralizing!" an
swered Caldwell, turning his gloomy
eyes slowly upon the other.
'Shut him up and nail him down
and try the next" said Captain Troll
lope.
This was DONE One after another the
chests or cases were opened and exam
ined and carefully reclosed, their own
spikes and screws securely resealing
them. Every box was filed with mug
gets or dust.
When the last of the boxes had been
examined and carefully reclosed, every
man Jack of the men went over them
again, bending, peering, probing with
eye and nose, so to speak, to make sure
that the lids were as safely fastened
and each case as faulty iron grit as when
it had been lifted out of its place be-
low. Then one by one the cases were
lifted and conveyed into the cabin that
had been occupied by the Storrs. Here
they were slowed and secured with a
sailorly touch against all risk Of fetch
ing away.
The last man stepped out, Captain
Trollope locked the door, and, swinging
the key on his foreinger, exclaimed:
"Now, lads, hope I've advised wise
ly. Look now. In moment of disaster
all this gold means but jump. But in
the hold where it was-hey?"
you're always right, Trollope, T" ex-
claimed Hankey, pulling the wool out
of his whiskers. "But suppose the 9TH,
err cabin keys should happen to ftp
Some of the men started and looked
strangely around the cuddy.
"Try 'em;" growled Davenire.
The keys had been replaced when the
people were liberated to enter the boats.
They were quickly removed and tried.
Not one key was like another, and the
men breathed again.
you'll find that poor little beggar
with the bunged eye dead at the wheel.
said Burn. Give me the key, and I'll
relieve him while he has life to crawl
forward to die.
Trollope, grinning behind his mus
taches, said with glance at the cabin .
clock, 1T happens to be your watch
below"