The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-05
In Care Of the Captain.
From Chambers Journal In Three
Parts.)

there was indignation when il was foun.
, that the Captain had stopped all shore-go
ing. and also barred the usual crowd o.
dealers, juggiers, etc, from coming neal
he snip.
Only one passerge came on board at Co
1ombo-an old, gray-haired, gray-beardec
nan who walked with a stoop. and peer.
ed dimly az people through tinted specta.
, cles. He was accepted as the tea-planter
, an old friend of the Captains, going &c
Australia on business. Speaking little him
self, Mr.. Johnson was. nevertheless, a per-
feet god-send 10 the ship at large; and in
10 his ears was dinn9d by the passengers
again and again the story OF their losses
and wrongs.
We'll" asked the skipper a few days Ia
ter, as Mr.. johnson strolled into the for
rner's stateroom, ''any news yet?"
Not much" was the reply; only that
you've got at least one artist on board-ons
of the most skilful cracksmen in London
which IS saying a good DEAL
(which is hep asked the Captain. Some
fellow in the steerage, 1 suppose"
Not much" replied the other. laughing.
''The only wonder is that he is not in the
saloon here. It's the fellow in the second
who gamnpons SEX. and sits in the big
chair all day.
''Hai ha.'' laughed the Captain: you're
out of it this time, old man. That poor
| chaps a Frenchman-can't speak a word
or anything else"
rs that so?'' replied the ether, calmly.
'1Weu in any case, he's the man VINO can
tell you where the stolen stuff is
Nonsense said the Captain. 'He's
never been for'ar6 the whole passage. Why,
if it hadn't been for Miss Agnew talking
to him he'd have had to stay dumb alto
gether"
''F'Ine-looking. fresh-complexioned, rather
Jewessy, curly-haired girl-lots of side and
sauce-No q, port side?'
Right replied the skipper, Australian
rative. She's in my charge. Knows her
way about though. too well to want any
/ looking after"
Hint" grunted his companion, lighting
/ a fresh cigar. You told me, think, that
! you had searched the ship?'
Every corner and every soul on board"
replied the Captain, proudly.
| 'Tchk, tchk," said the other between
tongue and teeth. What a pity, Tony
Jenkins is genius, thought A commoner
would have chucked the things overheard.
Not Tony; he's too much of an artist TO
stand any waste of that sort Yes, l should
say there was a chance. When you first
broached the matter l thought II was only
a bit of amateur ariStocraic kleptomnia.
see now that it's thorough bus.ness-bus-
mess sweet and hot; a well-considered,
long thought-out, cleverly put-up job.
Thank your stars, my boy, that happen
ed to be where 1 was, or you'd have lost
your bullet to a certainty
well. Watson-yes, of course, john
son." said the Captain, changing color as
he thought of the fix he was in and saw no
way out of, there's the reward, you
know. And
Don't want a penny" replied the detec-
tive This is purely a little private af-
fair between ourselves. I'm on official bus
mess. and shouldn't have meddled but for
old acquaintance sake You did me good
turn once. I'll return 1t now-if 1 can
Next morning Mr.. johnson managed, cas-
ually, to have talk with Dolly. who came
up to where he sat in the sun. looking very
old and feeble, to ask his opinion on the
quality of the saloon tea, which, she
averred, wasn't fit for pigs TO drink"
Later, she confided to her friends that he
wasn't a bad old josser, and that she rather
thought he'd been a gay sort of a chappe
in his day: while, on his part, Mr.. Johnson,
removing the powerful magnlfying glasses
he had worn throughout the interview,
cmiled in his heart and Inuutered 1.-THE
scars there all right but fainter than when
l saw ii last. Clever, Clever's no name
for it. No use looking through their
berths, suppose. However, 1 may as well
have a try. I'll bet the stuffts neither
there nor on their persons! If not, where
then? A sum In induction a la Sherlock
Holiness and "Mr. Johnson" generally
supposed to be the cleverest and keenest
of all Scotland Yard, pucbered his brows
Jlt.rfv III b.
aged to slip into. and with practiced hands
ransack, Dollys berth But he found moth
ing at all incrminating in the single
cabin trunk, unless a bottle of hair de-
pildtory and another of dye could be deem
ed so. The clothing was all of good make
and quality, and as the intruder noted the
carefully worked initials I'D. 4" on every
thing, he shook his head doubtfully. Cn- |
der the circumstances, a. mistake was a !
very serious matter And the Ill.mani was
rapidly nearing the Australian coast. If !
he was to make a coup he had no time |
to lose. Monsieur Deschamps occupied a |
deck-chair aft; and while its occupant was |
at luncheon on the following day, Mr. |
Johnson made as free with his belongings |
as ne had done with Dolly's. And with a /
httle more success. In the pockets Of a |
pair of old trousers he found a tiny key |
with only one ward, at sight of which his /
eyes glistened. Mn" he muttered. as he
stepped out onto the empty dack, "the rest
of the bunch are overheard, I suppose.
Overlooked this one, evidently. Didn't
think ony was so careless But what's
he done with the stuff? Sent Il after the
keys? No, 1 can't believe that, after going
to so much trouble"
Ore morning, hstlessly observing the Ht-
tie procession emerging from the invalid |
Frerchmar's cabin as usual-firyst. Mon
s-eur Deschamps walking very slowly and
holding on tight to things in his path: then
the quaTtermaster. laden with chair ana
rugs mounting up 10 the second prcrue-
rade deck-an idea flashed across the
" atch-rS detectives brain, and ere night |
he managed to have a chat with the quar-
termastsr.
Yes s.r." said the latter. in answer TO
a question. 'Por chap. e thinks lot o.
ta1at cheer. I've got TO put it in is berth
every night so keerful as If II were med
o glass. You see, II amt no common
cheer. that one"
We'll. I'm ready" sasd johnson IN -ba
Captain, shortly after this You've been
very good. and haven't bothered me much.
Now want your help. You must get the
doctor to ssnd for the Frenchman 10 the
llspenSaIy on some preterce or. other. Then
Miss Agnew must be called 70 interpret
presently We two VIII drop in; and. then
we'll, II / m right you'll see somA fun. II
m rot, there'h be wigs on the green. But |
can : put u of any longer. although no.
* sure as Ia ike 20 be, Once we get 20
Albany. the fats IN the fire; for can not :
Wait 10 shadow people; nor can YOU very
veil prevent the WeS;ra.tan rssss.-,s,s-s