The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-11-13

The fools had no anchor watch set, so I
didn't have to hurry" And then he
went on to give as minute description
OF the little iron built ketch as the as
tonlshed eavesdropper himself could
| have furnished
"And, concluded the negro captain.
81 found her daily observations, too
scrawled up in pencil on the side of the
companion The reckoning showed that
on the way out she had lain for 43 days
in exactly the same spot. Hand me over
| the chart, George! There, that's the
| place where she put in the time See2-
It's plain white paper; no land within
100 miles or more. You tumble to what
that means?"
"Well, cap, what does it mean? Let's
have your idea. said one of the ne
groes.
'sIt means, answered the black skip,
per slowly, ''that they've got what they
went for. Those 43 days were spent in
raising the gold from the foundered
Spanish galleon.
At this the rabble broke out into d
noisy chatter but the white headed old
mulatto raised an authoritative hand
for silence
cts no use all Cabling at once,
he told them. "We have got to set
about making plan. sharp or we shall
have this haul slipping through our fin
gers. don't suppose they'll be staying
on at Piper's Indefinitely. Well, I'm
sorry for EN-, but He finished his
| - L:
stem across his throat.
The tall, gaunt captain leaped to his
feet and brought his black fist down on
to the table with bang.
"Nor' he shouted "Not thatl There
may be two shippers aboard here prac-
tically when it comes to job of this
sort, but I'm rated master of this
schooner's books, and whatever else l
may give in to I'll hold out against
! that. I've told you before that I'm not
overkeen on the stealing part of it.
but the air of the islands seems to have
made pirates Of the whole lot of you,
and SO cant help myself there. But
take it as you LIKE draw the line at
! murder. -
At this the babel broke out again. 1t
seemed, indeed. to the anxious watcher
that the black captain had some sup
port, but it was obvious that the ma
! Jority was with his white headed an
tagonist.
I "As for stealing" said the mulatto
fercely, "who says it's stealing at all?
Who gave the Eureka's people the old
Spanish hulk to plumber? Tell me thatl
They've no more right to her treasure
room than have. In fact if we come
to that, not SO much. for I've got good
Spanish blood in me. OF course they
I won't hand over peaceably if they can
help it, and it seems to me that the
best plan would be to get the stuff un-
der our own hatches quiet them for
j good and then scuttle their clumsy
ketch in deep water. She'll never be
inquired fer If she isn't reported
again. their friends in England will
just say Mad scheme. Come to grief
Served 'em right Amen.' -
~ will have no murder DONE tell
you, " repeated the other firmly $50.
if that's your game you gowithout me
But scuttle their craft and maroon
them on Piper's if you like. Iwon tsay
no to that =
The lean captains eyes were gleam-
ing like black diamonds The mulatto
evidently knew his man He dropped
the throat cutting scheme and started
on another tack
81 dare say you re right. he admit
ted sulkily. maybe it's best after all,
boys, to leave the white folk alone, as
the cap here wants us to. Little games
of that kind, so I've heard stick in the
memory afterward and sometimes spoil
mans nights sleep. So We'll just
manage without. Well get what we
want, maroon the.white folk on Piper's
cay, where nobody's likely to disturb
them in hurry, scuttle their ketch and
then just up stick and be off ourselves.
We can run across to Para. No? You re
shaking your head, George? The ANA
zon, then3 We can run right up into
the heart of the Brazils No questions
asked there, boys, and with all the dol
lars we shall have the spending of
there'll be as fine time ahead as
man could wish for. :
@AAN eiiS' Wioh ACduy uGSIO olOQueuCe
the old man drew picture 1t was a
luscious tale of sensual delights and the
speaker used the most lurid pigments
in painting it. The old scoundrel knew
his audience, and he depicted black
man s earthly paradise.
] No more turtle turning" he told
them; mo more work, unlimited grub
and unlimited rum. The days to be spent
in baslsing in grass hammock under
tropical sun. the nights And SO
he went on until all the waverers of his
audience were won over and even the
hot eyed captain himself allowed faint
smile of longing anticipation to flicker
over his skulllike face And as he listen
ed to the old villains eloquence Guth-
RE realized that the men would have
been bigger saints than they looked if
they had been able 20 resist it.
After the pith Of the cabin council
was over the young man slid down from
his perch and reported to Henrietta in
low tone all that he had heard.