Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-05-12

! Or those 0,OU0-l m your man. Try
me-
"Well, if this isn't a coincidence,
says he, incredulous like. viii, what
do you think? There's no time to lose,
that's certain; we must arrange to have
our man down with theirs, you know.
Come, T. take you at your word, Mr.. -
er-Wilderspin. l want that forehold
quietly inspected, you understand. AT
ter that-the cargo
1T seemed past believing, one way
and another. l left that office, mates,
with my full instructions and a couple
of sinners as well, and just sailed home
on air. And, would any one believe it,
| when I'd blurted out the mornings tale
| to Jess she hangs around my neck
didn't want me TO do it! But, there, ]
mustn't talk.
Dead to the minute | was down at
the docks next morning, ready for any
thing. Lacky Truman-he'd been on
his feet all night, l could tell-had
made all the arrangements, and he
meant business So did the other party,
it was plain. Saunders and |, it was
agreed, were to go down together and
| report afterward. They'd hired small
cutter between them, and appeared to
be friendly enough on the outside; but
there was something in the air right
enough.
II knew Mr.. Lacy had an idea the
| other party meant to hamper us if pos
sible, but it didn't appear so; in less
than an hour they'd made the spot.
Saunders and some Of the Witch's crew
were straining their eyes over the side
Down below | goes, and was ready
as soon as he. Course, being what he
was, he had the sneer of me the min
ute he knew l was no expert; but he
seemed affable enough, and even a lit
tie friendly.
Just before we stuck our head gear
: on, and Mr.. Truman was seeing my tube
extra fast TO the pumper, he pulls out a
brandy bottle and offers me mOuthful
off-hand. l had it to my lips when
somehow l caught his eyes, and that
maxwell, he fiinched.
Have some yourself says I, hand
, ing it back.
I always do-well, no, won't just
yet he says, with a laugh, and losses
| the DOLtle ONerDOdTu.
Perhaps it was this action that gave
me a nasty, sinking sensation when |
stood ready, with the helmet on and 80
pounds of solid lead on my boots, watch
ing him go down the ladder and coolly
slide into that green 10 fathoms. 1t was
a lot over my old dock depths, and |
felt bit dreamy, so to speak, when
/ heard the engine start pumping away
! from me. Down | stepped, let myself
! go, and knew not a thing more till
/ found myself standing still on the bot
tom, dizzy with the depth, sick after the
suspense, and with noise in my head
as if a hundred threats had started
screeching. Then l pulled myself TO-
! gether, took another kink of the life
| line, and knew l was all right for Lacy
| Truman's job.
where was Saunders?
! Il looked around. 1t wasn't like har-
Dor WATERFOWL could see as well IS
looking at daylight through thick
glasses; and there was he, standing a
/ few yards off, flashing his diving lamp
/ ahead. We'd tumbled on a bed of sand
white as snow. Then presently / saw
Saunders shaking his light and point
| ing. He'd located it straight away,
with his experience.
After him goes for about, should
reckon, so or 60 yards, over Shiny hill
! locks and down bits of valleys-and
there was the Witch, lying three parts
over on bit of rising ground, her
mainmast pointing down at our heads
| a sad enough sight.
Saunders, he was up to her deck
rail in jiffy, got his graphing hook
! over it, and had climbed over before
/ could take it in When l followed
stopped halfway, because l felt the
timbers shaking, and could almost
l'swear there was a dull sound of an AK
/ hacking away like fury.
Il just waited, and presently he
comes clambering back to put his he'll
met against mine, and there was a
splinter of wood sticking to his AK and
he was painting.
"'Rotten, mate, A threefoot leak
| in the outer hold was what he shout
| ed. Matches blocked, I'm afraid. Well
| have to come down again and blow
hole in her side to get at the silk. Got
your line? Say when!
Half a minute! | shouted back.
Perhaps he thought I'd had enough Of
it, and reckoned I should be glad to
/ take his word for everything.
LAS it was. being afraid TO 20 too near
the rigging. l walked round by the core
| peak as smart as I could. swunS myself
up 10 the keel board and c'awled along
there. feeling and looking both sides for
the hole he had made It his business to
| hack.
Il couldn't find It, but I found some
thing else that made the blood Jingle in
me very queerly. There, couple Of yards
UP the side Of the forehold wehe three big
/ splintered holes. that nothing but an auger
! had worked through. I made quite sure
of that. got my nerves set and turned TO
crawl back. and there was Saunders stoop-
| Ing behind me.
and l was fool enough to take hold of
his fingers and plug them in the holes to
make him feel the inside smoothness.
He seemed startled himself and di'nt
say word till we had clambered down TO
! the sand again. Then. as l went TO tug
nv line. feeling bit nervous, he catches
my arm. and put his glass against mine.
Scuttledr he said.
1'Ay. scuttled.' I yelled back. and the
/ next thing I knew was that lay on my
| back empty-handed lie had tripped me
and jerked away the lifeline.
II lay there. stunned most by the
l thought that such villsinY could find