Missouri Valley times., 1901-11-07
Copyrighted y +
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hammer as he finished the letter, for he
now realized that the old miners words
wer not of light import. The note bore
the imprint of truth in every line. and
for awhile he could scarcely realize
what he had read.
He had no suspicion that the mate
was at that moment gluing his eye to
a crack in the bulkhead and vainly try
Ing to get a glimpse of the paper of
which he had heard the dying man
Gus heart, he had sworn that Tom Scott
should never grasp the golden treasure,
but how to prevent him was the ques-
ton. Clearly he must obtain possession
of the precious paper, but how was this
to be done?
His peephole was too small to enable
him to tell where Tom kept 1t, but as he
heard the lid of the chest closed he
drew q long breath and muttered:
Its in his donkey. I'll find way to
have a peep inside OF 1T before we get
to Frisco. 1t would never do to trouble
1t now. He'd suspect me the first thing
if he missed it. / must rig some kind
of derrick on him, that's sure!'
For the next few days he cudgeled
his brains for some safe means of at
taining his ends. but without success.
Then chance did what he had failed
to do.
Land ho." was the welcome cr$
from aioft one morning. iust after sun
| rise, while the captain and second mate
were asleep the mate was stumping
the deck and Tom. who had turned out
earlier than usual, was standing on the
topgallant forecastle watching a school
of FISH play about the bows. I!e ran
UP the forerigging at once to catch a
glimpse OF the welcome sight,
"Now's my time" said the mate, ur-
der his breath, as Tom went over the
foretop and began to swarm up the
topmast rigging. He'll go clean up to
the man on the gallant yard before he
secs it,
The next moment he had stolen soft
lN down the cabin stairs, entered Tom S
room and tried the lid of the chest
TO his surprise it was not locked, and
there on top, half hidden by the sleeve
of an old coat, lay John Avery's belt
before him. His fingers tre1nbied as
With feverish haste he pulled 1T open,
and then furious oath came through
his bristling beard.
The belt was empty!
A rapid search convinced him that
the object he sought was not in the
chest, and hastily rearranging the arti
cles as he had found them, he closed
the lid and stepped out of the room to
meet Captain Coffin face to face in the
narrow passage.
What are you doing In there?" de-
manded the latter.
We're going to wash decks and the
portfolio was open" he stammered. Il
| just stepped down to close It,"
| Whatever comment the Old skipper
was about TO make was interrupted by
the man aloft, who again gave that
long drawn out, indescribable cry, so
dear to the sailors heart:
Land ho!"
The captain forgot everything else
instantly and sprang on deck at once,
eXclaiming:
Its the Golden Gate or I'm lub-
| ber! I've made q record passage this
time for the old bark, We're only SO
days from Boston and We'll keep it
down to two figures IL the wind holds
and have day to sparel Slap the
canvas OH her, Mr.. Rider! There's let
ters and fresh grub waiting for us over
the starboard bow! Sweat her for all
she's WORTH
His orders We're promptly obeyed
and as Tom reached the deck and came
aft the captain added
We'll soon be ashore, Mr.. Scott. II
my reckonings right that is the en-
to be tied up alongside the dock to-
night. You've never been there have
/ you?"
Tom replied in the negative and the
/ captain continues:
We'll, see here. l don't know how
you're fixed, but 1 always live aboard
when I'm in port. It's cheaper and
keep a good cook by her. Ii you like
You can stay With me and it won't cost
you a red. I've made rafting trip
/ and you are welcome.
Thank you,' said Tom. "I'll do Sc
until I start north. / shall be glad to
1 have a familiar face with me. This is
my first trip, you know
Hes going to live aboard" chuckled
Obed Rider. who was standing close by
"and it'll be queer if he dosn't run into
4 trouble coming down through Tar fiat
some dark night. Things are coming
my way all right. The fool must carry
4 that paper somewhere about him and
/ can easily find some one to help lne
| In the job"
Without the slightest suspicion OF
what was passing in the mates mind
4 Tom watched him busting about the
4 deck and congratulated himself that In
a short time he would see the last OF
| the red-f faced sailor who had brought
the only taint of disgrace into his life
EARLY that evening the Seabird was
anchored in the magnificent harbor OF
San Francisco, and the long voyage
was over.
CHAPTER w.
!. WAYLAID AND ROBBED.
When Tom Scott went ashore in
Frisco he found the city was Klon-
dixie mad. On every hand We're huge
! posters calling attention to the su-
1 perior merits of some particular route
TO the fields of gold, and men of al
/ walks in life were straining every nerve
TO be among the first to reach the Yu-
lson with the advent of spring. Sev-
eral steamers We're loading at the
4 piers but every inch of space on board