Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-02-23
She flshed and kept watch.

to feel careless because of QUE inter
rupted good fortune, when, returning
from the last trip but one, shadowy
proa followed me into the bay. L held
off toward the Agat road until two
fignres landed from her and walked
into the copra shed; then steered out
to sea as fast as the wind would take
me. Before rounding Punta Orote l
thought of and discarded a dozen diff
ferent plans. L had taken great pains
to stow the treasure In the very center
of the bags, so there was nothing but
innocent copra for a thickness of sew
eral rows around and above 1t; and l
knew if the strangers examined each
bag as they went along they would
scarcely reach the stuff before morn
ing. 1t then occurred to me that Br'er
Miguel's ghost wasn't earning its salt
as guardian of the empty fssure at
Tarofofo, and might be employed to
advantage nearer home; so | sailed
around after him as fast as possible
l had reached Apra little early that
night, so had time to return before
daybreak; and, running ashore near
the watering place, about three-quar-
ters of a mile from the shed, [ hurried
toward II, holding my apparition be-
fore me.
The intruders had evidently investi-
gated until they were tired out, and
were sound asleep on top of the pile
of bags. This was just the opportunity
1 wanted. Propping the figure up un-
der the roof, about ten feet from them,
I crawled out of sight on the opposite
side and turned the ray from my Ian
tern upon it. Then dropped piece
of copra upon the stomach of the man
nearest me. He was sleeping so sound
ly that I had to try a heavier piece,
which startled him with a grunt of sur
prise and pain. In about three sec
onds his eye fell upon that family il
Illuminated wax figure, and, with a howl
of terror that made my own nerves
lump, he ran for his boat as If he were
trying to break a record. His com
panion wasn't more than five seconds
after him, and the two fought like mad
men in their attempt to shove off and
get away. To make the effect per-
maneEt, I grabbed my dummy, and,
holding the lantern so that its rays
would be reflected back upon it, glided
swiftly after them. The horror of the
thing had reduced their cries to in
articulate gasps, and they worked like
demons to get out where the wind
would fill their SAIL so, as it was low
tide, l waded after them, holding
Br'er Miguel high enough TO give
him the appearance of walking upon
the water. | never knew who the men
were, but the story was all over town
before noon; and for more than week
the entire native population was afraid
to stir after dark.
When l finally waded back to shore,
it was getting gray behind Tiniquio, SO
l lost no time in slowing my friend un-
der several layers of copra bags, where
he was likely to be undisturbed, but
where could get him in short order if
| his services should be required again.
Then, burrying back to my proa, l
dumped the cargo of specie overheard
| in four feet of water, where il could
| easily be found whenever there should
be an opportunity for secreting it.
This affair so thoroughly awakened
me to the danger Of delay that re
moved all the remaining treasure from
the wreck in one big load, next trip.
Standing for the last time in the laza-