The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-23
CHAPTER I.

Two men sat and smoked in small
room in Shaftoe street, Bristol. 1t was
an untidy room. and through the pun.
gent incense Of ships plug, which one
Of them was smoking. there struggled
another and more unpleasant odor, the
musty spiritaous smell Of badly kept
anatomy museum. Human skulls and
arm bones Uttered the tables, monstrosi.
ties in wide mouthed bottles jostled
other stuffed and moldy monstrosities or
the shelves, and couple Of bloated ser.
pents twined themselves into Shiny knots
in glass case in one corner. And where
there were none of these things there
were books-books sverywhers-ever
in the corners Of the deep armchair in
which one Of the men Che Of the ships
plug) was sitting. Their sharp edges
made dimples in the comfortable round
ness Of his figure. but he was excited,
and IL they hurt him he did not seem
to notice it.
He was a big man, red faced and
heavy, and the hair growing in close
mat down over his wrists gave sug-
gestion Of burly outdoor strength
strangely homogeneous in such room
as this. His dress, which was that of a
captain in the merchant service, bore
out this appearance Of incongruity.
Presently he removed the pipe from
his mouth and, leaning forward, tapped
the other mans knee with the stem.
"Can we do it. doctor2" be asked
anxiously. 1.-THE gold must be there;
enough Of it to make us both million
aires, most likely. The point is.-can
we lay our hands on iti''
At this question the other man rose
from his chair and walked over to the
glass case where the ssrpents were For
fully five minutes he watched their
slow, purposeless contortions without
speaking. Then no returned to the ia
BILE, reached for the tobacco jar and
rolled himself a thin and very tight
cigarette. Now, whether it was that DR.:
Tring did not share his comrades ex.
element or that his leathery brown
face was too thickly scared with deep,
permanent lines to allow any passing
emotion to affect his expression it is
impossible to say, but the fact remains
that even Captain Nicholas Colepep-
per's sailors eye was unable to read
anything, whether Of encouragement or
the reverse, on the shriveled, chartlike
face of his friend.
The doctor took long pull at his
cigarette, drew the smoke deep down
into his lungs and kept it there for
about half minute; then he spoke, and
with each word the imprisoned smoke
crept furtively in broken spurts from
his mouth and went to join forces with
the heavy clouds which the captain was
blowing with impatient energy from
his pipe.
Captain Colepepper, sir, you ask me
whether we can raise that Spanish gold
"a whole shipload of it, if your story
is true) from where it now lies imbed-
ded deep in the ooze of the Atlantic. I
answer you that don't know"
The captain had evidently expected
more encouraging reply, and the
vicious way in which he bit at his pipe.
stem Showed how much he was disap-
pointed.
you've thought over what l told
your" said he.
eyes I've thought 1t over
"And you don't think it can be done2
Man, it's bound to be million at leastl
And it's there, tell you, just waiting
for rs to take it,
II don't go so far as to say that it
can't be done" replied the doctor with
some hesitation. alt may be, Colepep-
per, it may be. But don't like to COM
nit myself until I'm sure"
"Oh, come, that's betterl' exclaimed
the captain with returning animation
'If you say it's possible at all, that's
enough for me. If DR.. firing says a
thing can be done, then DR.. Tring and
Captain Colepepper between EN- will do
it,"
"Umphr' said the doctor shortly. i
"a million of gold--or two millions,
maybe" went on the other, mouthing
The big numbers as though the very
manner of saying them would make
Them bigger 1--WE shall be able to do
things with that.
mo doubt" said the doctor dryly.
IF we get it, but it seems to me that
+ we try we're. more likely to lose the
title we have and our lives, too, per-
,aps."
"But the manuscript, doctor, the
It's all down there as
,lan as the rule O. the road at sea-"
"Who was this Nicholas Colepepper.
md where did you find his logY'
II found the log in a lumber ches.
|own at our old farmhouse in Devon
hire, and the Nicholas Colepepper who
yrote it was an ancestor of mine.
xpect," added the captain meditative-
y. "1'm called after him in way, as
ny names Nicholas too But, for the
natter o that, my grandfather's name
vas Nicholas There always has been
ne in the family, you see.
"And this Nicholas the First-what
7as he3'
pirate, replied the captain shortly.
He doesn't say SO himself, of course.
'alls himself an honest buccaneer in
is log, but l expect pirate was about
he real size of it. "
"Yes," said the doctor. 1.-THE law
'as not 80 squeamish in those days as
is now. don't fancy you need be
fraid that you are doing an injustice
, your ancestors memory. Piracy was
n eminently respectable calling in the
me of good Queen Bess."
"Of course it WASH agreed Captain
olerepper excitedly. "And, don't you
'e that's Just what makes me SO cock
ire that the story is truel"
DR.. firing nodded, and. toying alb.
'ntly with human thigh bone which
as lying on the table, smoked for a -,
tile time in thoughtful silence. Cap .
lin Colepepper meanwhile iidgeted
lcessantly in the big chair, and with =
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