The Mena star., 1899-07-27

uCIC dEAlU. OCDdSllNHO CdI REI IHt money where it is now, in the wreck; that's practically certain. But he's more than likely to keep on with his fool soundings in the big proa until he finally strikes the reef. If he does, I may not have another opportunity to get anything up; he'll watch the place night and day. Just at present he's badly scared, and isn't likely to do much for week or two, especially if he sees no necessity for immediate ac- tion; so l might easily store all the stuff in Tarofofo before he tackles the shoal again. The chances are that it would be safe in that Assure, unless I were spotted going there too often. But suppose I managed to keep it all right until your return, he would have strong suspicious about the packages when they were being shipped. Of course, if we got the treasure as far as Manila, he couldn't do much"
 That's where you're very much mis- taken. I'm more afraid of what he could do in Manila than here in the islands,"
 "Why so?"
 Because our fat friend Padre Sebas- tiano happens to be the bishop of Mndauao. The cura let that out the other night when he had taken too much rum and water. 1t would be an easy matter for him to have me ar rested upon some trumped-up charge as soon as the steamer reached port, and have all her cargo stored ashore pending my examination. So, even if they failed to hold me, there would be time and opportunity for him to spirit away anything he wanted"
 "The devil! Well, any way you look at it, Dick. we've got to remove that stuff inside of 30 days. If it can't be done one way 1t must another. There's money on that reef to buy fleet of steamers. or to settle any indebtedness we may incur. Cant you charter vessel in Manila?"
 "I was just thinking of that. Yes, could, of course Yet it wouldn't be safe to take anything but an English or Dutch bottom. I'd want to pick my own crew and know pretty well who were on board; couldn't do that with one of the compania's boats. and there might happen to be nothing else in port. There's one thing that might be done, and-I guess-it would work"
 What's that?"
 Charter the Countess herself from the government, for d month. You know she connects with the Saigon Messageries boat, taking in Yioilo on the return trip, between the island voyages; at least. that is the tempo rary arrangement. Now, between each trip we usually lay up at Cavite for two weeks; and Ramirez has twice tried to charter her for a quick run to Hong Kong in that time. The Countess would easily make Guajan and Hong Kong. out of Manila, in 16 days at the outside, allowing a day and half to load at the island. if we needed it. Then we could reach Saigon in five days more, and turn her over to the government in time to make the Mes ageries connection all right"
 What would it cost to charter her?'
 "Well, probably a little more than what the compania pays. She'll regis ter over 5000 tons, gross, and can do IA knots when she wants to; that's pretty stiff travelling for compound engines of this size. But the govern ment don't care for more'n ten knots; so they pay Ramirez & Co. $5,50o a month. l guess we could have her al CG n00 aoeV ennuOb v
 "Any expenses besides that?"
 "Of course there are. Coal bills, at least $9.ooo month, if you keep shov' ing fl knots out of her. She'll burn over SC tons day at that speed, and you can't get decent, free-burning coal in Manila for less than eight dollars Then there are port charges, consuPs fees, demurrage and numerous incl dentals, all of which fall upon the charterer. The owner pays the sal aries of officers and crew, repairs and the special expenses of the ship"
 "So that we'd blow in the whole twenty thousand on the mere use o1 | the steamer for month";
 I'll m,well, at least eighteen, 1 should say A o,OoO-tOH yacHI is PiStty CA pensive luxury; and she'd be practi cally nothing more than yacht foI our purpose. There's no cargo al Guajan worth handling"
 Seems to me steamer ought to bt a pretty good investment"
 That depends great deal upon the cargo and the time of year she's in commission. Freights are so low al present that half of them don't pay