The times., 1900-12-30

on deck and bend on ropes end, I'll fill
and you can lower 1t to Paxton"
But even as he spoke wild cry reached
us from the latter; the brig ceased her
| short lurching roll, while her stern went
up until almost perpendicular presenting
SO high an incline that even the dead men
on the floor rolled over and over and un-
Ger the table. Again came that shrill yell
| and Mowbray, exclaiming, My God, Dean
tmy name), she's going down" clawed his
way TO the companion steps, now almost
overhead, and up which. having already
| gained the deck. L gave him hand. Nur
| were We second too .ssGn. One glance
showed US that the brig had at last worked
| ami ground her way out of the rocky
prongs that held her, and was now sinking
head first. Indeed. the water was up ~
the break of the poop and the nearly up
| right stern sticking good thirty feet
| above the sea. g
Jump yelled Paxton. who had cast off
| his painter and stood ready to scull away.
Jump She's only gut another minutel'
And jump we dad. far out and toward
the scat, reaching her and being pulled
inboard just in time to see the brig disap-
| pear; while, strangest signt of all. at
| he last nlument, three crows-tbat had
| perched on the gaf-fed landward with
harsh eroaks of disappointment
There goes my tenneri" exclaimed
Mowbray, as he wiped the salt out of his
eyes, and the boat whirled violently round
and round in the eddies caused by the
, sinking vessel. And jolly close shave it
was, into the bargain. Ugh! those dead
men have taken all the stiffening out Of
me! Let's get aboard the ruby and have
nip of something. Lord. those were fine
smokes, though, Well, it's no use crying
over spilled milk. But if she'd only hung
another couple of hours we should have
made money out Of her right enough"
For my part was only too glad to get
away. AS we were changing our clothes
on board the Ruby all at once felt some
hard, round substance in the pocket of my
coat Pulling it out saw the tin cylinder
/ had taken off the briggs table. and must
have pocketed when Paxton gave the
alarm. 1t was about eight inches in
length by four acruss-a short, stout tube
with close-fitting lid, somewhat similar
to those that schonlboys use to Keep their
pencils in.
'Halloa, wha. hare you got there.
DEAN" asked Mowbray who had finished
changing and was slipping coffee-royal. "a
little spoil from the wreck? didn't even
bring a cigar myself" 3NH
II should never have had stomach
enough to smoke one If we'd secured the
lot" l replied. with shiver. as | tossed
the tin case--it was quite light--across to
him. it.
Tut" said he. twisting away at the lid
of the thing you're too squeamish. Sos
Paxton, who swears he feels unwell yet
from mere description. What have We
-mph-certificate of dis
charge ETC., ETC.? Part of the shippers
belongings, / suppose. Poor fellow, he's
got his final discharge now all right, Hal
loa. what's this mean" he continued.
reading aloud slowly. and evidently trans
taf fiDo no n
letter paper:
my Dear Brother Carl: l have Of late
been sick to death with the fever OF this
coast / am all but gone now, nor do I
think I can live another week. Therefore.
as we are the only ones of the family. I
leave you my three years treasure. Come
as soon as you can and take 1t away. And
IL lie unburied when you come-as will
probably be the case. for I have seen no
whites for many months save those on the
Bussard. when she put Injury me deep.
You will find the stuff-which Is pure. OF
good weight and all gathered by my own
hands-in a cave behind great tree that
grows over my house on the eastern side of
Kaiser Wilhelm Bay. But I enclose
sketch. There is a fortune for you. had
hoped to have enjoyed It with you. II Is
not so to be. Farewell 1 send this via
Samarai and by the hands Of my friend
the chief BiowadaDa. who Journeys thither
Once more, farewell Your loving brother
''EBERHARDT BECH.'
NOW" said Mowbray. of whose reading
which was broken b. much hunting to and
fro in search of missing verbs. I give
free translation, what may this mean2
What's this New Guinea recluse dropped
on to-a gold mine? And is he dead yet
like his brother Carl? Or alive and only
mad? He speaks of treasure-schatz. But,
then, the word means many sorts OF valu-
ablss. Letter dated two months back. No,
certainly the Putzig. coming as she did
from the East Indian Islands via Torres
Straits. hasn't been round to German New
Guinea. No time. This letter has been
forwarded back from Melbourne TO Sgd
ney, and obtained here by the unfortunate
Carl
The sketch was crude affair enough.
but minute to a degree. showing thatched
hut, built on piles. and overshadowed by
a great, broad-leafed tree, Immediately be-
hind which rose a high steep ridge. A
dotted line was drawn from the centre
pile past the tree trunk. to cross in the
cliff with, written alongside 1t, words that
Mowbray said meant Measure one hun
dred and fifty full feet 10 mouth of cave"
In front lay broad beach and an apparent
ly omen roadstead
Upon my word remarked Paxton who
had entered the little cabin in time to hear
the letter reaa. "all this smacks Won
derfully of hidden treasure and boys
story books However there may be some
ing in 1t. ard vote We take the chance.
We can't be much worse OFF than we are"
True acquiesced Mowbray. laughing.
81 suppose a pound in cash would pull US
all up. And We should want at least
couple of months provisions in place of
the few tins of potted stuff We have on
board No. although I look upon myself
as residuary legatee, I don't see my way
nrovinp the will