The Irish standard., 1898-11-19


other hand. there is a chance that his
reason for leaving the island where he
has remained SO long may be deter
mination to consult nautical authori-
ties In Manila and figure out the prac-
ticability OF locating the wreck"
"Then, even If We should consider
tho matter seriously, there would be
NO time to procuye diving-apparatus
from Yokohama or elsewhere? If the
padre really has anything Of the kind
In view he might complete his prepara-
tions and return by, the next steamer
at the latest, mightn't he?"
Easily. That would give him six
months away-time enough to get AL
most anything he wanted. But. old
chap-it is the strangcst coincidence
ever knew-there are complete div
ing-suit and equipments on this very
steamer, now, in the after hold"
"What! You don't mean 1t! Why,
how the dev-" We were glaring at
each other excitedly and with an al
most superstitious feeling. From
mere speculation, the subject was as
suming a tangible reality that was
fairly startling.
eyes, l do mean it. 1t seems as it
the fairy godmother had determined
to shake our skepticism just when we
were denying her existence. Old APP
pleby, in Singapore, had an idea
year ago that he wanted one of the
best and latest improved divings suits
that money could buy. Whether he in
tended to go hunting for treasure him
self or not, don't know--the Malay
pirates lost hundreds of their uggers
in the strait-but when we were load
ing for London lie handed me 80 SOW
creigns to buy one for him, and on
reaching port got the finest thing OF
the kind to be had. 1t can be used
either with or without all air-pump.
There is a knapsack chamber which is
provided with chemical arrangements
for renewing the oxygen and can be
charged with compressed air by means
of geared pump so that the wearcr
may stay under water for three hours;
I believe it's an improvement on the
Rouquayrol idea. Well, was quito
pleased with the thing, and knew APP
pleby would like it; but when l made
Singapore again they told me the
cholera had been too much for the
poor fellow, and his executors refused
to accept the package. There was no
mention of it in his accounts, and no
one wanted to buy the suit; so, ms I
seemed to have fallen heir to it. 1
slowed the thing away i'll the lazareet,
and have lugged 1T around ever since"
"Well, I'll be-!t Say, Dick, this
seems to pretty efectually dispose OF
your biggest if;. how about tho
others? See here,adgfellow; you and
I may go to our Avss without ever
seeing million & money, or the
hundredth part otAt; yet don't be-
lieve there are twpman on earth who
could enjoy life mz af they had such
q sum. At this mam eAt l don't know
where to turn foE al immediate in
come. If you shoyh let into difficult
ties with your owSers you might be
pretty short for aYhile. yourself.
Now, the whole comsination Of cir
cumstances since vest srday afternoon
seems providential tS me, and l feel
like making determined attempt to
get that money. WhT. suppose we
should have the lutE " recover u mill
lion each! Do yon know what such
sum would mean In London or New
York;"
do I? Well BY the great horn
spoon, I'm with you, Harry! But how
in? can't leave the ship, you know.
And it would be folly to depend upon
being sent out here next trip. The
Countess is only chartered, and they
hate like the mischief to employ any
thing but Spanish bottoms"
"Well. now, hold on; one thing at
time, and we'll get ahead faster. How
long before you expect to get through
the islands this trip? There may be
time enough to do something"
about II or is days. from the time
we arrive at Yap to the day we leave
Guajan. But don't you see, that won't
help us any. Guajan is the last stop;
I 60 straight back to Manila from
there. You might get from Yap to
Guajan on one of the catamarans, but
the natives are no navigators. and 1t
would be pretty risky business"
''It would be out of the question 10
make Guajan first, suppose?"
Rather. OF course it might he
done, but at the risk of losing my COM
mission and getting into hot water be-
sides. You see, the regular trip for
years has been to make zap first, be-
cause the Caroline and Pelcw govern
ments there include two lieutenant
colonels as gobernadors, against one
in the Ladrones. From Yap the ship
goes to Pouynipete. or Ponapc. the
largest island in the Carollnes. and
from there to Gunjnn. This trip, as 1t
happens, I'm instructed to take in
Kusaie also, at the east end of the
group; SO you see a change Of course
might raise considerable unpleasant-
ness"
''If these islanders were afflicted
with either push or discipline, 1t
might. But they seem to take life
pretty easy-don't trouble themselves
about little things. Couldn't we think
up Il valid excuse for changing the
course - machinery or coal - somc-
thing of that kind?"
Goal wouldn't do. We're carrying
more than enough to get back on, and
there's little or none in the islands AS
for machinery-m'--w-e-l-l- Look
here. Harry; we can't put thing like
this through without assistance. Well
have to take some one into our conf
dence, though It may not be necessary