Evening star., 1897-03-06

TO the water surface above with my shovel
implored me to pauser
Are you going to report what you have
seen?' he wrote. III
/ shrugged ma: shoulders.
Through the giess oSohis helmet 1 saw his
face harden.
Il give you fair warning" he wrote on
the rusted iron, '"thatff you do I will kill
you first, and then myself. So you will not
hnd 1t cheap to rNin-me'
i nodded my head to show 1 understood.
and beckoned hip togo on. He lifted his
hands, thought he was going to grapple
with pe, and slashed at him with the
shovel. He drew back and, once on the
move, drove him before me furiously. He
might be desperate, lbut 1 was savage
enough myself. The. Thought of all that
wealth lying within touch made me grit my
teeth in cruel rage. If only the skipper
had not said what he did!
we ploWed our way across the Shiny sea
floor to where the boat lay at moorings.
ana nrst Cameron went up, and then fol-
lowed. On the row back to the Cleaner we
said nothing, either of US; and for long
enough we did not find opportunity Of be
ing alone. But that night, when most of
the hands were turned in, ne and sat out
together on the bridge deck, and he talked
whilst looked out at the stars where they
hung above the black ridges of the island.
He told me the whole tale Of what he
and Storey intended to do. They could
not go far from the wreck. as the air
bubbles, rising to the surface. would ad-
wise their movements: so they had to set
to work and make a hiding place for their
plunder close at hand. They decided. to
dig out a chamber beneath the steamer,
and infinite labor 1t cost them. Meanwhile.
to mask what they were doing. they gave
out the tale of the ooze covering the treas
ure out of reach. Their efforts were near
ly ended when Storey got his stroke; the
pit was made; part Of the gold was al
hid. then they intended to cover the mouth
of the pit SO that 1t never could be found
by chance explorers. Then they were go
ing to tell Capt Boyd that the job beat
them, and get his permission to blow into
the Corinth's strong room with dynamite
from the outside. The explosion would be
so contrived that the steamer would be
rived to pieces, and the ooze would cover
all her fragments.
You think that the Cleaner would re-
turn hcme then?' l asked.
There would be nothing else for It,"
other expedition"
Let them send out ten; they'd find moth
ing''
And afterwards?
"Storey and l were going to charter a
schooner, put diving tackle on board, and
come out here again by ourselves. We
| could weigh the gold in a couple of days.
and know Of a market
| tongue again."
I'm sure of 1t, Mac; you must take his
place We. two and one other can
work the schooner, and year from now
we'll be rich men, Think of 1t, lad-rich
beyond what you ever thought OF. Think
of it-no more having to stand your watch
at sea; no more sea at all. You can stay
in England and marry, and live decent
| life. Think of it, Mac"
| 1 was thinking of it. AS I sat there
| watching the heat lightning wink among
| the black hills of the Island. 1 was remem-
| bering that it was a chance such as had
never had before in all my life. and one
| which would never come to me again. I'd
| been kicked about the world ever since
| first went a wee bit wrong in Ballndroch-
| ater, and I'd sworn never to see the place
more till I'd enough silver to build house
there as big as the manse itself. I hun
gered for the oldfspoe hgain, with its gray
| houses and the IsbroIn moorland at the
| back; my mither1 u tstill there and poor.
l could dc a power of good in the place
Uhe dell told me sthenD If l went back rich
| and enlightened with all my store of for
eign travel. But thea, what the captain
| had said to me oeansei back; how he re-
| minded me 1 had 7teen born a gentleman,
and how he'd treat me my fathers son
and trust to my honor; and 1 stood to my
| feet and swore. III ':'
| I'm no profanei man as a general thing;
| it always seems to me- there's small profit
| to be got out of mere. swearing; but 1
| cursed then till Cameron blenched before
| me, and the air ought to have tasted sui
| phury. e-.at std seH IA &r--n "...!
| Look here. y" eaidto him fI give you
l. your choice--thesHl bones are to. be- taken
| back from the 2pit and slowed back m
| side the Corinth Tomorrow. then we'll an
nounce that we've dug away the mud, and
| can get at the strong room; and next day
| we'll warp the Cleaner across, rig whip,
| and let her hoist them on board one by one
| with her own winch. If you'n do this,
I'll work with you so long as my arms
will move; If you refuse, I'll go to the old
man now and tell him what know"
You are playing me very dirty game. ~
| said he.
| ] stormed at him. Am II" 1 cried.
Couldn't 1 get you into gaol? Couldn't I
| have put you in irons this moment as a
| common thief? But 1 want to help you out
of your mess, because Of a reason you
| know"
why in thunder, man. won't you help
yourself, too, and be rich?'
Because of reason you would not un-
| derstand."
ut may be dangerous deal for you yet,'
he said grimly.
"Ah. there" said I, 1--WE insured myself
| I've thought that If an accident happened
to me below the water yonder. you might
| forget to be honest So I've written out an
| account of what l know, and sealed it: and
if don't turn up, the envelope will be
opened
You've pinned me?" he said.
Il think So"
He stared at me queerly for a minute
and then he spoke again. do you know
Mac said he, I'm not so sorry for it as
you might think. l was led into this prec-
ious scheme by some one else. But I'm not
going to blame anybody now that can't be
here to speak for himself. And besides II
: freely admit that 1 was keen enough upon
the chance when it was put in my way: i,
seemed so safe; and 1t was such thump-
ing big plum to go for. l guess we've most
of kept honest through fear Of being
found out
And besides. things are not always as
! safe as they look
You're right. Mac; and I'll remember
that for the future; and l guess it'll scare
me into keeping straight" ..-
"Yons not a very healthy way of looking
at it," said l.
"FI admit that" said he; "but fro<n so
cety's point of view it's very useful one
We're funny animals. / feel far easier now
than I did an hour ago, and 1 know some
one else who'll be easier too
THAT will be Miss Bradbury you're
speaking of?'
Maybe so, maybe no." said he 9Th,
| person l have in mind writes books anC
has a great liking for romance, and tolt
me almost as soon as we met that it wa:
a. pity the old days were gone when ther,
were pirates and all that sort of stuff, ant
sea life was more exciting. We got init
mate, that writer and I, Mac, and the tall
of this game here with the gold boxes
slipped out I claimed there was every bi
; as much romance in that as there was IL