The Mena star., 1899-08-03
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.

that's what we've got 10 do. How much would Ramirez take for her?"
 "H'm! she cost { 45.O00 10 build on the Clyde, and shes as good com pound tramp as there is on salt wa ter. But the triple expansion boats that they're turning out carry more cargo with less coal, and he coudn't begin to get that for her now. If we were 10 offer SICK. .090-Sl0,G00 down and tie balance within six months and he were satisfied as 70 our respon- sibility, 1 think he'd let us have her"
 Then we'll take her. If you don't care about the investment I'll buy her myself. Now, how soon can you get back to Agana?'
 I'd want at least six days in Manila to discharge, coal up and'sette mat ters with Ramirez. The government may kick little if they want the steamer for another trip. but guess the cid man car fix that; we'll pay them few thousand rather than have any hitch about it. Say IS days from now; how would that do? Will you be able to manage ii, and beat the padre for that length of timer
 "Y-e-s, that's fairly safe. No matter what he may discover, it will be inn possible for him to head you off in Manila this trip; and when we own the ship the passenger list will be as linn ited as he mail contract. Then, again. you'll have an entirely new crew, rcgu larly shipped for our own voyage. By the way, why did you speak of making HongKong frst?"
 Because the ong-Kong & Shang mai Banking corporation will undoupt- eddy be able to handle the silver for us. They have capital of ten millions. reserve fund of four and half, and Mexican dollars, coined even as far back as 1700, are the current medium of exchange in China to-day. Any where else the discount on siver-es- pecially old silver-would be so heavy that we'd have to sell the stuff by weight; so we would get more for them on the Chinese coast than in any other locality"
 Guess you're right. didn't think of that Now, how about getting it on board without showing what the car go really is?'
 Well, let's see. Have you noticed whether any of the fishermen stay over night around Apra bay?"
 Don't believe there's one. Even the Kanakas that Sebastiano brought down on the big proa walk over to town as soon as they've made fast for the night. and those who belong in Agat sail away up to the neck of the peninsula, so they'll only have mile to tramp"
 That's what I thought. You've no- ticed the stone building and sheds be- longing to the harbormaster. haven't you?-about 800 yards from the land ing pier at Punta Piti?'
 ''On the road to Agana? Yes ire quently."
 Well. have you also seen the big lot of copra. in bags. under another shed about half way between them and the pier?"
 'I remember the bags, but didn't know what was In them; copra's dried cocoanut meat, isn't it, ready to lave the oil tried out when it gets to civili- cation ?'
 That's right There wasn't full shipment of the stuff when we arrived. on the 4th. so i told De Garma that I'd take all he could get together next trip. It'll come Gribbling along two or three bags at time. according to how the islanders happen to feel about working; and there isn't man in the western Pacific who would steal the stuff. or handle any more of 1t than he was actually obliged to-that is, among the native population. Where those bags are dumped. under that shed, there they stay until the steam CT comes to ship them. don't believe Sebastiano himself could induce na- tive to disturb them; and the whites out here don't believe in manual labor at all."
 "Oh, begin 10 catch the idea. Pack the treasure inside of them at night and let it lie in those innocent-looking copra bags until you come back. eh? By love. old chap. that beats my ghosi-haunted Assure all hollow We'll call that settled. 1 guess we've covered everything likely to come up before you get Lack. Now. what day shall l look for you?'
 This is Sunday. the 18th. I'll get awas from here by Tuesday morning at the latesf--ihe 2ist- Two weeks from that would be Mag s--and four