The Mena star., 1899-03-30
[Copyrlght. 1897. by J. B. Llppincott Gel

J the particulars. But we are willing to agree that if the scheme should be successful we'll do what's right. I guess you know me prettywell, and I'll answer for Stevens. Now, are you will ing to help us with no more of an ex- i planation than that?"
 "Aa think ye needna ask me thit, Haalstead. Ye kin mak' yersel' easy Unit Aa1l do onything ye saay wi lit~ tie adoo aboot it. We be three amang faariners oot in this part O the warld, an Aa fancy we'd best pull tagither."
 That's what I thought you'd say, Mas. Now, 1t seems to me necessary that Stevens should get to Guajan as soon as he possibly can. He will go ashore there and start things moving. 1 Whether we will be able to communi- cate with him again this trip is rather doubtful; but if we don't, you and I have got to put 1t up for another voy age out here when we see Ramirez. If the compania happen to have the other boat ready, it'll be no fool of job, either. The question just now is. how are we going to change our course without getting into trouble with the government? With rome ironclad, reasonable excuse. we might do it How much coal have you?"
 "Saemthing ponder a thoosan' ton. Ina government I'll pay for but nine knots an hoor, an thitll leave a plenty for contingencies, cover an abuve what Aa'll burn in tha floor wiks."
 Then you could safely shove her up to 12 or 13 knots, if we wantedto hustle little, without running short?"
 "Ay; ye can have mair ef necessary. She's made her foorteen in smooth water"
 Well. the Yap people are the only ones who would really kick. Even they would stand five or six days all right as far as leaving for Manila goes. But if we happen to have any sea-sick pas sengers. they'll never forgive the extra days of unpleasantness as long as they live; and I don't remember whether any of them are going to Tomil or not"
 There's but enc for Yap--tha cura- tha yoongest of tha twa padres"
 sAnd one padre is fifty times worse 10 deal with than the ordinary pas senger; the chances are that he can turn the whole machinery of govern ment against fellow if he chooses.r
 "Ay, thit's verra true. But eff ye've tha padre's confluence wi ye, it's quite anither matter. Aa've a thocht in ma haid thit ye may arrange it wi these twa."
 Lets have it, Mac. That's what we want to get att
 "Weel, tha oold padres verra cen fential mon. Adm toold thit he's tae be tha haid.o' all tha Ledrrones, an he's verra ainxious tae reach Saipan al once; he's bezxiness there on Padre Julian's accont. Ina yoong one says but little, yet Ala nootice thit he's verra deeferential whin tn ither's nroond Noo, Adm thinkin' thit ef Ala wair tae stop tn aingine-say three days from this-an' gaive oot thit ma shaft wair cracked, ye might say ye wair foorced tae put in at Apra, y tha wrickaige O the Dutch tramp thit wair cast ashoore there twa year agoo. Ala kin scratch tha shaft sac twill hae ! tn appearance O a crrack tae ma Spennish aingineers, an there's na ither bless where yell be laik tae find bit O macheerery. Then yell aix- plain tha seetuation tae tha padre, an of hA1 erSa nrt Maneela hoo tha chenge O the coorse kem aboot. yell carry him tae Saipan --thet he'll not hae tha treep tae mak' on prooa."
 Halstead and I looked at each other. McPherson's idea seemed practical and plausible. There was no question whatever that padre of sufficiently good standing could smooth over about anything he pleased, and, if an obligation to himself were part of the iregularity, it seemed very likely that he would see there were no ques- tions asked. While we were discussing the matter, I couldn't help mention ing my instinctive dislike te Padre Se- bastian. He was one of your plausible, fat and oily men, who study human nature almost from their infancy and read your thoughts in spite of you. Tn fact. my acquaintance with the Iesuits in the east had given me a wholesome respect for that marvellous penetration which is so important factor in the influence they exert upon all classes. Both the captain and the engineer agreed with me that