The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-11-29

Mining Machinery" but from their
appearance / suspected that they con-
tanned cannon.
Among the passengers 1 saw a boy
| about my own age. He wore fur cap
and heavy woolen coat of Arctic cut.
He carried rifle on his shoulder, and
| big revolver and sheathknife in his belt
A large shaggy black dog kept at his
| heels.
| Several times one of the officers had
come on the wharf and looked up to-
ward the city with an air of impatience.
| resolved to wait until I discovered
what this person or thing was.
Between 10 and II o'clock a heavy
truck came rolling ponderously down
the wharf. 1t was loaded with large
barrels, about 30 of them. I heard
sharp, suppressed orders on the Cad
fly, and instantly the sailors swarmed
out on the wharf and began to unload
the barrels and roll them on board
with every appearance of apprehen-
sive haste, urged on by the profane
mate. In my eagerness walked boldly
among them.
"What is in those barrels?" asked a
perspiring sailor.
"Gunpowder, sonny" he growled, as
he hurried away.
But the mates blodshot eyes had
spied me. He caught me by the shoul-
der and sent me staggering back
wards.
"You git out of here!" he snarled.
l deemed it prudent to retire, espe-
cially as l had discovered what the bar
rels contained. What would a mere
peaceable passenger vessel do with 80
barrels of gunpowder? set out at full
speed for the detective agency.
When 1 entered the chiefs office an
other man was seated at the desk-a
large, dignifed gentleman, with gray
sidewhiskers.
II wish to see the chief" I said,
breathlessly.
81 am the chief" he replied. "What
do you wish?"
ut was another man I saw this
morning." / said. ",e told me he was
the chief, and gave me some detective
work to do"
Although extremely puzzled, hast
tened to explain the task that had
been given me and the discoveries l
had made.
This is very strange" said the
chief, equally puzzled. Il have heard
nothing of any such plot as you de-
scribe, and l feel sure that none of
my assistants would dare to usurp
my authority in that manner, and es-
pecially to place such an important
matter as this purports to be in
young and inexperienced hands,
But there is no time to lose, SIR /
said, 'dly. 'The Gadfy may sail at
any time now that they have their pow
der on board"
He stepped to the telephone and
spoke.
"Is that Capt. Marden? Tas the
steam schooner Gadfy sailed? Just
left the wharf? Well, 1 have reason to
believe that all is not right on board.
Signal the revenue cutter to stop her
and send boat on board. l will come
down at once. Good-by."
Nov come with me-" said the chief
"Wewill go on board the Gadfy and see
what is wrong there. Afterward
must solve the mystery of the man
who sent you on that errand."
But before we quilted the office he
telephoned to someone asking. il
+ Robert had come home yet" And
. thought he looked very much worried
, at the answer.
, We drove rapidly to the water front
, The chief reused the boa altman at the
boat landing, and in few minutes We
were tossing on the choppy bay il
! lsearch of the Gadfly. We soon foun6
, her in the stream with her engine!
. stopped. and there was some confusion
q and loud talking.
I We climbed on board, where w,
I found an officer and a boats crep
, from the revenue cutter, surrounded
. by crowd of the passengers ant
o crew. The chief, in an undertone
). soon explained to the lieutenant tn
suspicious circumstances in regard t
;, the vessel.
: Captain" said the lieutenant, turn
ing suddenly to the master of tn
= Gadfly, 'let us take look at thos
4 80 barrels"
The captain was very reluctant, bu
; he had to accompany the lieutenan
= below, where it was soon discovers
= that the 80 barrels contained whisk
instead of gunpowder.
= 1t is against the federal law to tax
Intoxicating liquors into Alaska, an
!. as the Gadfly was bound for that tel
! ritory it was evident that an infrae
= ton of the law was intended. So tn
a 80 barrels were hoisted out into boat
= and taken ashore, much to the dis
= gust of the owners, who had counte
. on realizing huge profit. AS ther
proved to be nothing to support
q suspicion of piracy, the Gadfy wa
permitted to go on her way.
p But just as we were aoout to leav
h the schooner the big black dog that
= had seen following the young fello'