The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-12-13

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 diving-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 luggers
in the strait-but when we were load
ing for London he handed me so SOW
ereigns 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 an air-pump.
There is llnapsack 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 wearer
may stay under water for three hours;
believe it's an improvement on the
Rouquayrol idea. Well, I was quite .
pleased with the thing, and knew APP
pleby would like it; but when made
Singapore again they told me the
cholera had been too much for the
to accept the package. There was no
mention of it in his accounts, and no
one wanted to buy the suit; SO, as
seemed to have fallen heir to it, I
slowed the thing away in the lazareet,
and have lugged il around ever since"
"Well, I'll be-! Say, Dick, this
seems to pretty effectually dispose of
your biggest IFS how about the
others? See here, old fellow; you and
I may go to our graves without ever
seeing a million of money, or the
hundredth part of it; yet don't be-
lieve there are two men on earth who
could enjoy life more If they had such
sum. AT this moment don't know
where to turn for an immediate In
come. If you should get into difficult
ties with your owners you might be
pretty short for awhile, yourself.
Now, the whole combination of cir
cumstances since yesterday afternoon
seems providential to me, and feel
like making determined attempt to
get that money. Why, suppose we
should have the luck to recover a mill
lion each! Do you 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? Ican'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 zap to the day we leave
Guajan. But, don't you see, that won't
help us any. Guajan is the last stop;
/ go straight back to Manila from
there. You might get from zap to
, Guajan on one of the catamarans. but
the natives are no navigators. and it
would be pretty risky business"
ut would be out of the question to
make Guajan first, I suppose?"
Rather. OF course it might be
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 Pelew govern
ments there include two lieutenant
colonies as gobernadors. against one
in the Ladrones. From zap the ship
goes to Pouynipete, or Ponape, the
L. se1, NO
from there to Guajan. This trip, as 1t
happens, I'm instructed to take in
Kusaie also, at the east end OF the
group; so you see change of course
might raise considerable unpleasant
ness"
eff these islanders were afflicted
with either push or discipline, it
might. But they seem to take life
pretty easy-dcn't trouble themselves
about little things. Couldn't we think
up valid excuse for changing the
course - machinery or coal = some
thing of that kind?"
"Coal 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-el-l- Look
here, Harry; we can't put thing like
this through without assistance. Wei
have to take some one into our conf
dence, though it may not be necessary
to do so entirely Now, Mcpherson
my engineer, has sailed with me, of
and on for several years, and is under
obligations to me besides. The nature
of those obligations / won't discuss
it is sufficient that while don't take
any stock in average human nature,
can rely upon his doing anything il
the world for me; and if we should ge'
hold of that money I'd like Mac to have
share of it, even if it were only +,
small one. We won't tell him tn,
whole scheme at first, but he can hell
us more than anyone else, and viii