The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-22
DAILY REPUBLICAN, JUNE ~ 1892

uktRRCx E10AV III usSACb Va sseD AVNA sAAus
the schoener's people would 6nd some
way Of attacking them il they remain
cd much longer at Piper's cay, and his
partner agreed with him. II they had
mot had Dolly on board, they might
perhaps have felt inclined to let the
negroes make their attack and do their
best TO give them warm reception
when they came But without firearms
and with the girl to think of there was
no disgrace in running away from an
encounter IL they could do 90.
"How much longer will it take to
get the ketch into trimf" asked the
doctor presently.
"She's most ready now" answered
the captain. IF we're not interrupted
today. can heave~anchor by noon to-
morrow"
"What about the boatf"
"1heschooner people boat, you meant
/ don feel like taking her away. My
ancestor of the cay did enough stealing
for one family, take it. Well knock
hole in her and leave her on the beach
here. Then. II they like to bring the
schooner round to fetch her, they can.
Now I'll go and see about forging ahead
with out repairs. I'm getting anxious
to be back again at the rifling Of the
Santa Catarina's money box before we
drop into any more scrapes.
$50 am l." agreed DR.. Tring. "And,
by the way, Colepepper, I don't know
exactly how closely you have been
watching your crew lately, but ven
ture to prophesy that when 1t comes to
the dividing Of that Spanish gold there
are two of our junior partners who will
want to have their shares Jumped to-
eether. F"
The captain drummed his heel for .
minute on the deck planks and H1en
turned sharply to his companion.
"You think DO. doctor3" said he
"Well, d'you know, the same notion
has occurred to ME tool And I don't
think" he added slowly, after short
pause, s'that shall say no to it either
Guthrie's q good lad, and I'll admit
that I've taken liking to him."
On the next day the shore fasts which
held the Eureka were cast off, and she
was towed out into the open lagoon.
Then the doctor turned pilot again, and
she stood out with fair wind toward
the opening between the reefs As she
passed the other island Tom Jelly
pointed out a couple Of dark faced,
white clad figures watching her progress
from a headland. Dolly promptly ran
the red ensign up to the peak and dip
ped it three times in salute.
"Oh, come, I say, young woman,
that's rather hard lines isn't It'll" e1-
postulated the pilot.
"Not bit of it, doctorl" was the
indignant answer. "They richly de-
serve that we should crow over them
Besides, I've no sympathy with pi-
ratesr'
"Shade Of Nicholas the First, hear
your descendant" cried DR.. Tring as
he signed to the skipper to give her an
other point.
The Eureka ran out through the reefs
under easy canvas, not by the way she
had come in, but by shorter and easier
channel to the leeward, and then, with
a fresh, whole sail breeze filing her
sails, made once more for the unbea-
coined spot of the ocean where, in the
safest of all banks, the balance Of the
Spanish gold was waiting for them. On
the third day out from Piper's cay the
captain announced that. according to
his observations, she was as near as
might be lying dead over the foundered
galleon, the old Santa Catartna,. The
kecth therefore was once more convert
ed into diving bell and dropped down
on to the floor Of the ocean.
They did not, however, hit off the
precise spot again at the first attempt.
In fact, five journeys back and forth to
the surface were required before they
found even part of the sea floor which
they knew. But on the sixth dip they
sank almost directly on to the top Of
their Golconda, and after that the rest
was easy. No one grumbled at the
tedium Of their work in the bowels Of
the sea now, for each one knew that
the reward was sure, and that knowl-
edge made them find pleasure even in
the turning of that awful crank which
in the earlier search for the sunken
treasure had been to them such work
of woe.
When once they had located the
treasure room again, three journeys
were all that were necessary to empty
it, and when they pumped their way to
the surface for the last time the Eureka
carried in her hold and on her decks
gold and silver to the value Of million
and half Of English money.
The dismantled masts and rigging
were set up again, and Captain Cole
pepper gave the joyful order for the
sails to be bent once more for home.
The work was nearly finished when a
sharp cry of dismay from Henrietta
made all hands look up in sudden
alarm.
"The pirate schooner"
A strange looking vessel, schooner
with but one mast. was rapidly coming
up before the wind. Captain Colepep-
per gave one glance at her and then
bawled to all hands to hurry for their
lives and they'd escape the rascals yet.
But the negroes were bringing
strong breeze up with them, and before
the Eureka had time even to slip her
sea anchor the schooner had hauled her
wind cables length away. A boat
was lowered--the whaleboat which
they had left on the beach at Piper's
cay--and eight negroes tumbled into
her, leaving only the helmsman on their
own vessel.