Evening star., 1898-03-12

Of pounds, or the great pear shaped pink
pearl worth a princes ransom. 1t was
all gamble, but none the less fascinating
for that Carnforth was mad over the
work; Kettle, with all his nonchalance
gone. was nearly as bad.
But the process of realizing their wealth
was mono too fast, and, in fact, seemed to
them tedious beyond words. Every filled
shell, with Its latent possibilities of treas
ure lying out there upon the sand. was 50
much capital left in a perilously insecure
investment. They were SO bitterly afraid of
interruptions, the dark shadow of Japan
was always before their eyes.
Stu at last came the first moment Of
realization. They had toiled month, and
they had collected that day the fruits Of
their first days labor. The mother-o' pearl
shell was packed in the hold; the little crop
OF pearls stood in basin on the cabin ta-
Die, and they gloated over them as they
supped.
Carnforth stirred them lovingly with the
butt of his fork. Pretty little peas, aren't
they, skipper"
For those they amuse, though like to
see bit more color in woman's orna-
ments myself"
Matter Of taste and matter of fashion
Pearls are all the rage just now. Dia-
monds are slightly commonplace. But wo-
men Will spend their money on something
and so the price of pearls is up
so. much the better for US, sir. It's n
pity, though, that some of them seem bit
en- color, like that big gray chap, for in
stance"
Gray, man! Why that's black pearl
and probably worth any ten of the rest pu.
together"
Well" said Kettle 81 don't set up for
being pearl merchant. Poaching them s
trouble enough for me-"
Pass the biscuit, will you?" said Carn-
iorth yawning. Il suppose that little lot
is worth anything over FL OOO-'' and with
tnat he dropped back dead asleep in his
chair with a forkful of food in midair
Captain Kettle finished his meal but he
too, man of wire though he was suddenly
tumbled forward and went to sleep with
MS mead on the table. 1t was no new thing
1or them to do. They had dropped off like
thls INTO Inconsistencies more than once
during that month of savage toll
Ihe next day they had smaller crop
ready to gleam a bare $500 worth in fact
But they did not lament. There would he
an enormous quantity ready for the NOR
row.
That further realization of their wealth
however, never came. During the night
another lugger sailed into the lagoon and
upset all their plans. She was the consort
OF the lugger commanded by the Cam
bridge man, and she had taken away tn n
safe place their first crop of pearis and
Smell FURTHER. she was manned by fourteen
whites, all armed, and all quite ready to
oefend what they considered their poachers'
monopoly. AS a consequence thew pulIed
across to the yacht some two hours before
daybreak and Carnforth and CAPTAIN Ket
ne Iouhd themselves walked by three men
VINO carried Marlin repeating rifles, and
We're quite ready to use them if pressed
But the little sailor was not easily cowed
3y James, he cried, this is piracyr'
It'll be a funeral" said the man with
the eyeglass. IF you don't bring your hand
cut from under that pillow. and bring il
out empty. Now, don't risk it. skinner
m a good snapshot myself and this is
only two-pound trigger
Captain Kettle did not chuck his life
away uselessly. He let go his revolver
ana drew out his hand. Well" he said.
"hat are you grimy pirates going to do
next! by the look of you, you've come
mere TO steal our soap and hair brushes"
Carnforth,' shouted the man with the
eyegiass, come in here and be told what,s
going to happen. / say, you fellows, bring
eaTnlorth into the shippers room"
Niaruh Carnforth came into Kettles
room sullenly enough, with his hands in
his pockets. ~
Now, IN give you the whole case pack
ed small said the spokesman. "A crowd
VI US US louhu this place. and discovered the
pears and the shell. We were all badly in
want of a pile, and VIC took the risks and
started to get it. Most of us went away
with the first cargo, and only two white
men were lelt, with few Kanakas. Then
you came You were told you're not want
ed, but you gently hinted al force ma aieure
and We're allowed to stay. Finally, the rest
OF our crowd comes back, and it's force
ha)eure on the other side, and now you've
got to go. If you've the sense cf oysters.
you'll go peacefully. There isn't enough
for all of US; at any rate. we don't intend
to share"
Mr.. Carnforth," said Kettle, II told you
we'd better have bottled that dirty man
with the window pane eye who's been talk
ing
Look here" said Carnforth, hotIy, this
is all nonsense. We've got az much right
here YOU"
Right said the pearler; right had
better not enter into the question. We're
an a blooming lot of poachers, if it comes
10 lhat. You know that. Mr.. Martin, Or
Carnforth. or whatever you choose to call
yourself for the time being. You came
here under purser's name. your yacht is
guyed cut like Mediterranean funny fish
er, and guess you look upon the thing
much as as you did bagging knockers and
brass doorplates in the old days at Cam
bridge; half the funs in lodging the bob
by.
Now. were here on business. Yes, Carn-
forth, solid business. all the way. We're
all of us poor men. and we've been all Of
US what we call ON the beacn' for more
years than we like to count, and We want
to wriggle out of the curse Of poverty once
and for ALL"
"Yo-'re taking the wrong sort of tone"
said Carnforth I'm not used to being
hectored at like this"
Il can believe it," said the pearler, drily.
You are successful man."
And let me tell you this. You've got
the upper hand for the present. l admit.
You may even force US out of the lagoon.
but " nat tAen! guess the account would
not be closed, and when a man chooses to
make me his enemy, l always see that he
gets payment in full, sooner or later"
IAN right" said the man with the eye
glass, pay away. Don't mind u.s.
"A hint at one of the Japanese ports as
to what was going on would upset your
little game"
Not being, fcols." said the pearlsr
ccolly, ''of course, we've thought of that.
We've
A hail came down the saloon skylight
outside from the deck above: "Scoot, boys,
scoot! The Philistines be upon us!'
Whats that?" shouted the man with
the eyegiass.
well, it's one Of those blasted Jap gun
boats, If you want to know. Hurry, and
We shall Just get off. Well leave these
fools to pay the BILL.
''Humpn.' said the pearler. "Well, this
settles the matter another way. / must
go. and suppose you'll try to hook it, too.
Ia, ta skipper; you're a good sort; like
you. By-by, Carnforth; can't recommend
the Jap jails. Hope you get caught and
thatil square up for your giving me bad
time at Cambridge"
He followed the others out on deck, and
a moment later their whaleboat was pull
ing hard for where the luggers rode laZily
at their anchors. Carnforth and Kettle
went after him. and the engineers and the
yachts crew, who had been held down in