Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-12-22
can safely get

Halstead' sent one of the quarter
masters below for Mcpherson, and in
a few minutes he appeared in the door.
way. Glancing along the deck to see
that no one was within hearing, the
captain closed the door and said.
Mac. I've known you andStevens so
long that thought you should be bet
ter acquainted with each other. We
were talking of the voyages you and
have sailed together, and thought
we'd like to have you join with us in a
little speculation. Whether there will
be much of anything in it or not we
can't say; in fact, II wouldn't be fair to
raise your anticipations by going into
the particulars. But we are willing to
agree that If the scheme should be
successful we'll do what's right.
guess you know me prettywell and I'll
answer for Stevens. Now, are you will
ing to help us with no more OF an ex-
planation than that?"
"Aa think We needna' ask me thit.
| Haalstead. Ye kin maxi yersel' easy
thit Aa'll dc onything We saay WI lit
tie adoo aboot il. We be three amang
faariners oot in this part o. the warld,
an Aa fancy we'd best pull tagither."
That's what | thought you'd say,
Mas Now, it seems to me necessary
that Stevens should get TO Guajan as
soon as he possibly can. He win GO
ashore there and start things moving.
Whether we will be able to communi-
cate with him again this trip Is rather
doubtful; but if we don't, you and I
have got TO put it up for another voy-
age out here when we see Ramirez II
the compania happen to have the other :
boat ready, it'll be no fool of n job,
either. The question just now is, how
are we going to change our course
without getting into trouble with the
government? With some ironclad.
reasonable excuse, we might do II
How much coal have you?"
"Saemthing oonder a thoosan' ton.
Tha government i'll pay for but nine
knots an hoor, an thitIl leave a
plenty for emalrgencies, oover an
abuve what Aall burn in tha foor
wiks."
Then you could safely shove her up
10 IL or 13 knots, il we wanted to hustle
little. without running short?"
"Ay; ye can have mair ef necessary.
Shes made her foorteen in smooth
sater."
well. the zap people are the only
ones who would really kick. Even they
would stand five or six days all right
as far as leaving for Manila goes. But
IL we happen TO have any sea-sick pas
sengers, they'll never forgive the extra
days of unpleasantnessa as long as they
live; and I don't remember whether
any of them are going to Tomil or
not"
There's but cne for Yap-tha cura-
tha youngest OF tha twa padres"
"And one padre is fifty times worse
to deal with than the ordinary pas
senger; the chances are that he can
turn the whole machinery of govern
ment against fellow II he chooses"
"Ay, thit's vera true. But ef ye've
tha padres confluence WI We, It's quito
anither matter. Aa've thocht in ma
haid thit ye may arrange 1t WI these
twa."
"Iets have IT, M. That's what we
want to get at"
"SSis ina Oolu 'udic % u ftEL0 Ctb-
flential mon. Aa'm toold thit he's
tae be TIM haid o. all tina Ledrrones. an,
he's vera anxious tae reach Saipan at
eefff t-tYrfrTytrr WITH tK itK9rE
oroond. Moo, Aa'm thinkin' thit ef An
wair tae stop tn aingine-say three
days from this-an' gaive oot thit ma
shaft wair cracked, ye might say ye
wair FORCED tac put In ut Apra,
where yen get coople o rings from
tha wrickaige o. the Dutch tramp thit
wair cast ASHORE there twa year agoo.
Aa kin scratch tina shaft sac twill hae
III appearance o. a crrack toe ma
Spennish aingineers, an there's ma
ither pless where ye'll be laik tae finda
bit o. macheerery. Then yell ak
plain tha seetuation tae tina padre, an
saay thit cf he'll gfe report In
Maneela hoo tha chenge o. the coorse
KEN aboot, yen carry him tae Saipan
-thet he'll not hae tina trcep tae maxi
on n prooa."
Halstead and looked ut each other.
McPherson's idea seemed practical
and plausible. There was no question
whatever that padre OF sufficiently
good standing could smooth over
about anything he pleased. and, II an
obligation 10 himself were part OF
the Regularity, II seemed very likely
that he would see there were no ques-
tions asked. While we were discussing
the matter, l couldn't help mention
ing my instructive dislike TO Padre Se-
bastian He was one OF your plausible,
fat and oily men, who study human
nature almost from their infancy and
read your thoughts in spite OF you.
IN fact, my acquaintance with the
Jesuits In the east had given me
wholesome respect for that marvellous
penetration which Is so important
factor In the influence they exert
upon all classes. Both the captain
and the engineer agreed with me that
the padre was a dangerous man In
more ways than one. but could see no
reason why his peculiar influence
should be exertcd against us.
Having come 10 n definite under
standing that we would investigate
the wreck OF the gnlleon ms far M lay
In our power, II was difficult 10 get
The matter out OF our minds. Several
times we were on the point OF TAX
ing Mcpherson more fully Into our
confidence, but, while we trusted him
ns one OF ourselves, II seemed that mat
fers were scarcely ripe for that yet;
and don't think he had the faintest
suspicion rs TO the exact nature OF
The scheme. What the tie was be.
tween him ard Halstcad never knew,
aot Il wns suiiicit nrJ strong to make
the engineer follow my friends sug-
gcstions blindly; and his assurance
that Mae should be squarcly treated
II the speculation proved successful
aeemcd TO have MI the weight OF
bond. We agreed that IL would be
unwise for MS TO be seen In frequent
conversations: so, beyond nm occa-
sional inspection OF the machinery In
his company. saw very little OF Mo
PhorSon.
FRO mr. CONTINUED