The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-21

De back soon. Come under the avn
ing and sit down."
At first he started to pump me
about our plans, but I cut him short.
gave him a cigar, and went on about
my work. In about an hour McKim
came aboard.
who's that chap" he asked.
Some Chinese compradore | ex-
pect," said 1. Seems to be quite a
swell in his way. Probably wants to
sell us a few extra kegs of nails.
Look as if we might need 'em before
we get back, too" l pushed o sprung
piece of deck planking back into place
with my heel. McKim walked aft.
A few minutes later he called me-
Come here, will you, doctor. This
gentleman" said McKim in Spanish,
indicating me, sis my partner ana
whatever / do must be done with his
consent. Will you please state the
proposition to him?"
The big Chinaman looked at me
with twinkling eyes; one would have
sworn that he was about to tell a
funny story.
II have just been telling Mr.. Nc
KIM he said in very good Spanish,
that l wish to charter your vessel
to carry a cargo for me from Hal
Gin
"Where is that?" I asked.
''Ten miles up the Hal Chin river"
''What is the cargo?" said l, though
| knew what was coming.
Opium"
"And where is it to be landed"
"Here; but l will attend to that
myself. You will run no risk. what
ever
"And we are to keep our mouths
shut"
'That is, of course. understood;
your own interests would demand it,
I looked at the old scoundreR in adj
miration. He was willing to trust
| European honesty to bring valuable
cargo across the, China Sea, and was
consistent enough to see that it would
| not do to try to persuade us to run
| it for him. But our being silent -ac-
| cessories of this act of smuggling did
mot seem to occur to him as crooked.
lin his Oriental code of ethics there
could be no dishonesty where there
| was no risk of punishment. | locke
| at McKim. His face was as express
sionless as the .Chinaman's. Then 1
turned to the latter.
"HoW large q cargo" / asked.
altogether, including a few bales
of silk, about what You could load into
a cascO."
"And the compensation 2"
1.-TWO thousand pesos"
| shrugged my shoulders disdain-
fully.
Il have lived in China for many
years" 1 said. land 1 know the dan
ger of loading a cargo of opium also
of getting it away from that part OF
the coast. The place you speak of
being shallow and dangerous and full
of pirates we risk losing our brig and,
as you know, our lives as Well!'
caught McI<im's eye.
What do you think of to" he ask
ed in English.
Its worth WHILE 1 answered, land
he will give US ten thousand; let's
do it,
McKim's sinister face almost
beamed.
Good" he said; 81 thought you
wouldn't be foolish about 1t. You see
we don't have anything to do with
landing the stuff. And it isn't SNUG
CLING"
Eyes, it is" said I. "anj 1 don't give
hang If it is. If / can make a dollar
without breaking Gods command
ments I'll do it. The devil for those
by fool legislators!" l turned to the
Chinaman.
1--WE won't take a pesta less than
ten thousand pesos" I said, land if
you try to beat US down Well raise
our price"
The Chinaman still smiled and his
eyes twinkled merriIy.
ct is a bargain he said: edo, you
want an agreement signed"
ooh, no. said l. cts not necessary.
but we want the money before we
transfer the cargo to your lighters.
VERY well, you shall have it. Now.
if you viii come to my office tomor-
row morning l will give you all the
necessary information"
Zone moment" said McKim. How
is it that you dare intrust such
valuable cargo to strangers ana Tor
eigners?'
The Chinaman smiled joyously and
emitted a few happy little chuckles.
81 cannot go myself" he said; lit
is necessary to trust some one, ana L
have found that white men OF the
better class are honest. Besides, there
will be more cargoes to carry"
The following day we went over to
Manila and saw our patron. He ex-
planned in detail what was required
of us, at the same time giving sug-
gestions as to the easiest way or &C
compiiShing the undertaking. 1t was
easy to see that the thing had been
done before, and not to his satisfac-
ton. We were to clear in ballast for
The open ports of the southern islands.
rice tobacco, coffee, hemp, sugar, etc.
and. once clear of the land. were to
make all haste across the China Sea,
run into the estuary Of the Hal Chm
River and drop anchor. Then we were
to charter a boatman to take a letter
about twenty miles up the river to
place called Wal Flu, lying in the foot
hills of the Yam Chin Mountains. The
following night a small junk would
come alongside from which we would
transfer our cargo. On our way back
we were to call at Cebu. where gen
eral cargo would be quickly put
aboard Then we We're to break Out
the hemp and bale it up around the
opium and silk. If there were any
questions about the time 1T took us to
90 from Manila to Cebu we We're to
answer that we had got aground and
sprung a leak, so that 1t was necessary
to beach her for repairs. This story
the appearance Of our craft would
amply justify.
Our patron promised US that there
would be no risk to us, as he would
give us an order duly made out to
carry his cargo OF which. OF course,
we would not be expected TO know
any more than it's general appearance
seemed to justify, from Cebu to Ma
Mia. Once anchored in Manila Bay
thn whole work of diSCharging would