El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-10
[CouUinuz d From 9tE Page. J

of food in midair Captain Kettle fin
ished his meal; but he, too. man of
wire though he was. suddenly tum bled
forward and went to sleep. with his
head ON the table. 1t was no new thing
for them TO do They had dropped off
like this into Inconsistencies more
than once during that month of savage
toll
The next day they had a smaller crop
ready to glean-a bare $500 worth. in
fact But they did not lament. There
would be an enormous quantity ready
for the morrow
That further realization of their
wealth, however, never came. During
the night another lugger sailed into
the lagoon and upset all their plans.
She was the consort of the lugger COM
manded by the Cambridge man, and
she had taken away to safe place
their first crop of pearls and she'll
Further, she was manned by 4 whites.
all armed, and all quite ready to de
fend what they considered their poach-
ers' monopoly. As consequence they
pulled across to the yacht some two
hours before daybre9k, and CarnfOrth
and Captain Kettle found themselves
walked by three men who carried marlin
repeating rifles, and were quite ready
to use them if pressed.
But the little sailor was not easily
cowed by JamesI' he cried This
is piracyr'
It'll be a funeral" said the man
with the eyeglass, eff you don't bring
your hand out from under that pillow,
and bring it out empty. Now, don't
risk it, skipper. I'm a good snapshot
myself. and this is only two pound
trigger.
Captain Kettle did not chuck his life
away uselessly. He let go his revolver
and drew out his hand. "Well," he
said ''what are You grimy pirates 60
ing to do next? By the look of you
you've come here to steal our soap and
hairbrushes.
"Carnforth. " shouted the man with
the eyeglass, ''come in here and be told
what's going to happen. L say. you fell
lows, bring Carnforth into the shippers
ROOM"
Martin Carnforth came into Kettles
room sullenly enough with his hands in
his pockets.
''Now, I'll give you the whole case
packed small, " said the spokesman. ga
crowd of us found this place and dis
covered the pearls and the shell. We
We're all badly in want of pile. and
we took the risks and started in TO get
it. Most of us went away with the
first cargo, and only two white men
were left, with a few Kanakas. Then
you came. You are told you're not
wanted. but you gently limited at
force, and We're allowed to stay. Fin
ally the rest of our crowd comes back,
and it's force on the other side, and
now you've got to go. If you've the
sense of oysters, you'll go peacefully.
There isn't enough for all of us. At
any rate, we don't intend to share
''Look here said Carnforth hotly.
''This is all nonsense. We've got as
much right here as you.
"RightI'' said the pearler. Fright
had better not enter into the question.
We're all blooming lot of poachers if
it comes to that You know that, Mr..
Martin, or Carnforth or whatever you
choose to call yourself for the time be-
ing. You came here under a pursers
name, your yacht is guyed out like
funny fisher, and L
guess you look upon the thing much as
you did bagging knockers and brass
doorplates in the old days at Cam
bridge. Half the fun's in lodging the
bobby.
Now, we're here on business. Yes,
solid business all the way.
We're all of US poor men, and we've
been all of us what we call ION the
beach for more years than we like to
count, and we want to wriggle out of
the curse of poverty once and for all. -
you're taking the wrong sort of
tone" said Carnforth. 81 IN not used |
to being hectored at like this.
81 can believe it, =" said the pearler |
dryly- "You are successful man.
''And let me tell you this You've |
got the upper hand for the present, L |
admit. You may even force US out of |
the lagoon. But what then? l guess the |
account would not he closed, and when |
a man chooses to make me his enemy | |
always see that he gets payment in full |
sooner or later.
''All right" said the man with the |
eyeglass. Pay away. Don t mind us
"a hint at one of the japanese ports |
as to what was going on would upset |
your little game.
''Not being fools. D." said the pearler
coolly, ''Cf course we've thought of |
that. We've'-
A hail came down the saloon sky |
light outside from the deck above
"Scoot, boys. scootl The Philistines be |
upon usl''
whats that?'' shouted the man |
with the eyeglass.
"Well. it's one of those blasted Jap |
gunboats, if you want tc know. Hurry. |
and we shall just get off. Well leave |
these fools to pay the bill
"Humph' said the pearler .'Wen,
this settles the matter another way. | |
rpnst and I S1pposa Won try TO,