The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-02-02


night, and the next day they would
proceed on their journey for the pur-
pose of shooting wild fowl. They
elected to stay on board the cruiser
for the night. I fancy the captain
was very glad to get off on such easy
terms.
was just having final whif and
thinking over the events of the day be-
fore turning in when suddenly the So
luton of the whole matter flashed upon
me, and l wondered why I had been SO
stupid.
think l took one spring into the
captains cabin. Fortunately he had
not relred. He was smoking, and a
glass of whisky was near his elbow.
He listened as explained the absence
of the diamond.
"That is the explanation of the mys-
terry, l haven't doubt" he replied
| W ueH lit' HuiSuCli. L Ou HdNe NY
authority to act at you suggest" he
added, as | left him to rouse King.
With as little fuss as possible we were
rowed ashore and landed on the south
point, taking care to carry with us a
revolver each.
"Now, King l said as the boat left
Us, "you're in for long walk"
Fright you are, sir"
He was too good seaman to ask
questions, and off we set, keeping the
line of the coast.
"You know whereabouts the boat
was stopped yesterdays l asked.
II think l does, sir" he replied.
King lighted his pipe and we trudg-
ed on. He was a good companion, and
during that long night he told me a
good bit of history. l made out that
we were averaging four miles an hour.
At day we stopped and made our
breakfast off biscuit and small tin of
meat which King had provided himself
with. l had flask of brandy.
While we sat unfolded to him my
plan and the explanation of the miss
ing diamond.
"Why, yes, sir" he replied after a
moments consideration, "that is where
the diamond is, you can be sure; but
what shall we do if the wind changes?'
"The wind holds good at present"
replied, but there was something to be
feared if it died.
About O'Clock we reached what |
considered was near the place where
we had stopped the boat on the pre-
vious day, but one could not be certain
However, we lay down among the long
grass, and King had me to himself for
a good spell Of shark stories. l had
my glass with me, and from time tc
time kept sharp lookout seaward.
Although King talked the whole time
| don't think he once relaxed his scru
tiny of the expanse of water to his left
Even when he lighted his pipe he kept
one eye seaward. Ten, IL, - o'clock
came; and no signs of what expected
nlmo.
About : o'clock we were rewarded
by seeing our friends whose acqnaint
ance we had made the day before. They
were coming along close into the shore
and about half mile from us they
took down the sail and rowed the boat
straight in for the beach. We careful
ly watched their movements. For 6
moment or two they seemed undecided
then they walked up to one of the large
grassy hillocks and began to examine
it. We now shitteu our pose of o5ser.
vation and moved to a position whicl
cut them off from their boat, still keep
/ ing behind the hillocks and crawling
through the long grass. For perhaps
, a quarter of an hour or more they ex
; amined the green mound; then one
wbistled to the other, and they walked
off in the direction of the boat, eXamin
ing something very closely, carried by
the taller of the two, and evidently
satisfied with themselves.
| A minute later we had them and tht
diamond. The firing the day bef.rt
had not, as l guessed, been for the pur
pose of shooting the wild fowl. One o
; the shots into the hillock had carried
the diamond. which they had first i'm
bedded in lead and fired with a weaker
charge OF powder. We allowed then
to find it, and when they ding it out o
the mound we arrested them. For ;
; moment they were inclined to show
fight, but loaded revolver has grea
moral force, ana we marched them Oact
to Durham.
They got five years imprisonment
and we got fl 900, which was equally
distributed among the hands. We wan
another similar case.
The crew out Of their money sub
scribed and brought me 4 diamond ring
which is quite worth $50, and | have
a great reputation in the ship as dc
tective.
King thinks that he and | could dc
better in that line than serving hel
majesty afloat.-B) Boston Tyarelier.
Passions weaken bnt habits strength
, with auo