The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-07-17

steerage passengers. 1t was explained
that they were going 10 the Cape 10 work
on new railroad. AS near as / could
size them up. they were all colOnials AMI
men more used 10 horses than picks and
ShOvels. Your true NAVY, or day labOrer,
would have sprawled in the shade and
slept and smoked and been content. /
picked out d dozen or more of the social
ed worNngmen who were nervous and
uneasy, and they often formed little
groups and seemed to hold much converse
in whispers. This, however. was only a
trifing incident People on shipboard have
nothing TO do but gossip and observe. A
man who would not walk ten steps on
land TO see captive eagle will sit for an
hour ami watch he err tic fight Of a gull
/ think the sleek Jimmy must have caught
me watching the steerage passengers, for
he took occasion one day TO observe:
There seems to be a fine lot Of men go
ing out to the Cape with us?"
LAS far as bone and muscle CO." ! re-
FLIED.
But it takes bone and muscle to build
railroads"
of course, but this is the first time !
ever heard Of Australians being shipped
to the Cane for such work Is there any
scarcity of native help? | can't imagine
che OF those chaps over yOnder with his
soft hands doing much with pick and
shovel"
NO, perhaps not" replied Jimmy in an
absent way as he looked at me through
half closed eyes.
Then ne extended his cigar case, pro-
posed a game of euchre, and the subject
was dropped. | don't claim that / was
suspicious of Jimmy or that | was dis
turbed by the gang in the steerage. On
the contrary, / was perfectly easy in my
mind in all respects. ] had read in the
Australian papers that the Ocean Queen
was carrying home more than a million
dollars in gold In fact. | had seen most
OF the boxes brought aboard and taken
down to the strong room. All other pas
SenCers must have been aware of the
treasure but there was little or no talk
about II. ! think the sleek, slick man
was the only one / heard say anything
about it, AS we sat smoking and EARNING
! one day he carelessly mentioned the treas
ure and then wondered how much all the
| gold and silver lost by shipwreck would
; amount to.
II Is a wide expanse OF ocean between
/ the Cape and Australia, and at the end o;
| week we had all settled down inc
grooves and fallen into a mOnotOnous
/ routine Early one morning a sail wa
/ sighted dead ahead and almost as soon as
| she had been made out II was seen that
I she had a distress flag flying. The news
| went over the ship. and in a moment
! everybody was interested and anxious
I The ship in distress was a brig, and a.
I far as anv OF US could make out she was
I all right allow and alOft. II she hadl''
/ sprung a leak then IL must be a case o,
; fever or mutiny. or perhaps she had run
! short OF water and provisions. Jimmy
/ stood beside me a. We bore down on the
I brig, and although l twice asked hin
1 what he thought about il, he did not seem
/ 70 hear ne I turned 70 look al him "a BE-
/ closed his glass and found a smile on his
/ face
you don't think il joke, 60 your
asked rather brusqUely.
.'Oh. no, no. ne replied smiling and
chuckllng al the same time. NO: IFS no
| joke. There will BE- no laughing over it
His tones were sarcastic. and for ar IN
{ slant there was d look OF triumph In ais
eyes Then he turned away, and ! gave
The brig ny attention. We ran down tC
within half mile Of her before our en-
I gines were stopped. Only three mel
were visible on her decks. and she hadn't
/ a boat in sight The trio beckOned and
motloned that We should send a boat. and
the captain gave orders that one should be
/ lowered.
1T will be case OF fever" he SAID
/ with all the officers ana most OF the men
/ down" and the surgeon was sent on with
/ the boat. which was in charge % the SEC.
! end mate Eight OF our crew were thus
/ taken The boat had pulled half the dis.
/ lance 10 the brig. when Ne had something
! nearer home 70 attract attention The
/ sleek. slick little Jimmy suddenly held q
I cooked revolver 70 the captains ear and
/ marched him into his siaierOOm. -Four.
/ teen Of the railroad" men from the steer
1 age. each armed with 4 pistol and knife
I sLddely appeared among u. and & wasn'r
l three minutes before the a hole crowd OF
u were in the cabin and guard over Us
| The engine-ro0m vas taken possession D.
at the same time, and the Ocean Queen
I had been taken possession OF without q
I shot being fred. The brig was lylne
/ Droadside TO Us. She had two boats DO Al
I On The far side, with fifteen men In each
I boat. and as soon as they had pulled
around and captured our yawl one boat.
I load OF the rascals came aboard the Oueen
and the steamer was worked down along
| side the brig. The sea Was smooth ana