The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-09

tainly they seemed keen enough to get the
specie weighed and on board. Whatever
pra teal plans they had got made up were
evidently for afterward.
But when day after day passed and
none of the treasure was brought to the
surface, he began to modify this original
opinion. Notwithstanding the divers
reports-said that the cause of the delay
was the softness OF the sea floor The
heavy chests had sunk deep into the ooze.
and directly a spadeful OF the horrible
slime was dug away more slid in to NIL
the gap. OF course, this might be true
but suspicion had got so deep hold on
Capt. Kettles mind he began to cudgel his
brain for some new method by which the
Italians could serve their purpose. He put
himself supposititiously In Tazzu-
ohis place and made plratcal
theories by the score. Most Of
them he had to dismiss after examination
as impracticable, but finally one stood out
beyond all the rest. For one thing, X did
not want many participants; only the aot-
ual divers and Tazzuchi himself For
another, 1t would not brand the whole
gang Of them as criminals and pirates
but (properly managed) would make them
rich without any advertised stigma or
stain. In simple words, the method was
this, the gold boxes must be removed else
where under the water close at hand. The
friendly slime would bury them snugly
out of sight. The old report of ''un-get-
at-able' would be adhered to- and finally
the steamer would give up further salvage
operations as hopeless and steam away to
port There Tazzuchi and his friends
would charter a small vessel of their own
and go back for the plumber
Kettle felt all an unimaginative mans
complacency in ferreting out such a dra-
matte scheme, and began to think next
upon the somewhat important detail Of
how to get proofs before he coEarnenced
TO Illustrate it. Chance seemed to make
Tazzuchi play into his hand The air pump
which had been damaged by the rifle bull
let, had been mended by the steamers en-
gineers' and as there were two or three
square diving dresses on the ship Capt.
Tazzuchi expressed his intention of max
ing descent in person to inspect the pro-
gress.
IT didn't do IL before, because I dtd,'t
want to make the men break time. VIII
you come off in the boat with me- captain
and hand my life line?"
''Ill borrow one of those spare dresses
and share the pump with you" said Ket-
tie.
Tazzuohi was visibly startled. What
do you mean?"
THE pump will give air for two and
I'm coming down with YOU"
But you know nothing about diving
and you might have an accident"
"Oh, I'll risk that You must nursery
maid me bit"
Tazzuchi lowered his voice. ITO tell
the truth I'm going to pay a surprise
visit. / want to make sure those chaps
below are doing the square thing If they
aren't, there'll be a row, and they'll use
their knives"
Him" said Kettle i've. got no use
for your local weapon as a general thing.
But at a pinch like this, I'll borrow a
knife Of you, and If 1t comes to any one
cutting my air tube youn find 1 can use
1t pretty mischievously."
Il wish you wouldn't insist on this"
said Tazzuchi, persuasively
I'm going down merely because IT'S
my duty"
That's the very same reason that's
taking me, captain. I must ask YOU not
to make any more objections. Pm a man
that never changes his mind, once It's
made up"
Whereupon Tazzuchi shrugged his shout
ders and gave way
Now" thought Kettle 10 himself. that
mans made up his mind to kill me n he
gets a glmmer Of a chance, and as Pm
not gong 10 get Nltpu out this Journey
he'll do with a lot Of watching
Capt. owen Kettles nerve and lndomI-
table courage were never more severely
tried than in this voluntary descent In the
diving dress. The world beneath the wa
tiers was strange and dangerous to him;
his companion was a man against whom
he had the blacklist suspicion; the men
az the pump Whose language he did not
understand) might at any moment cut Off
his air supply and leave him to drown like
puppy under a bucket They hung the
weights over his chest and back, and. Taz-
zuchi signed 10 him to descend. Kettle
hitched round the sheath knife 10 the
front Of his belt and signed with polite
ness. AFTER you"
Tazzuchi did not argue the matter. He
got on the ladder and climbed down out
OF sight. Kettle followed. The chin Of
the water crept up and closed over his
head. He reached the end OF the ladder
sid down a rope. and when he reached
tho bottom he sank up 70 his knees In inn
palpable mud. He could fogglly see Taz-
zuchi few PAGES away waiting for him.
and he went up 90 him al once. II the
men IN the boat. acting on orders, cut his
air tube. he wanted 10 be ia position 70