Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-19

have taken the time and trouble to replace
the hatch before leaving the burning yes
sci, and he decided that it must be that the
man had only made effort-that he had
returned to the ship with the intention of
searching the hold, and had gone so far in
his work as to achieve the removal of the
clamps, but had been driven away by fear
of the fire before he had accomplished any
thing more serious.
AT last, through their combined and pow
erful efforts the hatch was slid further to
one side. But as the dark hole yawned in
front of them Capt. Sears, with an excla
nation of disgust, recoiled before the foul
air that poured out of the opening.
Rats" said Capt. Sears. They say
they allus leave sinkin' ship but reckon
from the smell that they didn't calc'late
that the Lyddy was a-goin' to sink. 1
guess they amt no special ability to tell
when the vessel that they're sailln' on is
goin to ketch fire. Phew!'
1t was evident that to descend into the
hold would be impossible for some time,
and during the period of waiting Parton
gave much thought to the matter of Capt
Sears REIMBURSEMENT of all salvage claims
Finally, just they We're starting toward
the hatch again to see if the air had suffi-
GENTLY cleared so that they might go down
into the hold, he spoke to Capt Sears.
Il ought to tell you that l hope that there
is certain property of mine there in the hold
which l value very highly, Captain Sears,
he said Il realize that l shall owe it's re-
covery to you if I find it safe, and, despite
wage, / shall be certain to make some suit
able arrangement for paying you for what
you have done for me.
Don't you worry about me-" said Captain
Sears, still buoyed up by the grandiloquence
of his recent speech and anxious to MAIN
tain his position of exalted generosity. Il
guess you and me won't have no quarrel
/ amt one to take advantage of no mans
misfortunes. People done lot O. talkin'
about my askin' for some pay for town
in Cap Briscoes body, but amt SO mean
as some would try to make me OUT
"All right" said Parton. IF you are
willing to leave it all to me think that we
shall be able to arrange it 50 that we shall
both be satisfied"
I'm willin'" said Captain Sears; "and If
you've rely got anythin down there 1
guess TIL airs clean enough so's't you can
go down now and look for it,
Then they went below.
The unbearable odor had to a very large
extent departed from the hold when they
entered it. There was in the bottom of
the passageway between the piled mahog-
any about three feet of water, and they
stepped into it cautiously.
There were few evidences that the ex-
plosion had had any definite effect in this
part of the ship. AS is the case with manJ
high explosives, it's effect had been mostly
upward. The Lydia had been built with
strong transverse bulkheads of sturdy OAK,
and Parton could see that that one which
formed the after wall OF the hold into
and strained, Tor thin glimpses of moonlight
which poured through the ragged hole in
the deck beyond cleaned family, but the
forward bulkhead not seem even to
have been strained. Indeed, had 1t not
been for the presence of the water under
foot and that penetrating. dreadful odor
Parton might have imagined that he was
again in the hold during that eventful voy-
age which led to so many strange occur
rences-occurrences of which this midnight
exploration was not the least unusual.
While Captain Sears went forward to see
how badly things were damaged there,
offered access to the log wherein he had
concealed his treasure. He made the count
which located it, more by feeling than by
sight and when he had found it. flashed his
lantern on Ii so that he might by finding
the impression of the key which he had
hammered into it, be sure that he had made
no mistake He found this without diff
Guilty. but he drew his breath in quickly
when he saw that the earth which he re-
membered to have rubbed over the logs end
was quite gone. 1t showed as clean of 1t
as If 1t had been Intentionally secured.
Instantly the thought came to him that
this meant that the mate had been there,
and in working at the cavity had rubbed it
off. He could feel that his face had paled
| with this suggestion, but an instant later,
the plug which the captain had wittled for
him, tight in its place, and he was reas-
sured. 1t was only after at least five min
utes of work with the auger that he sue
ceeded in dislodging this
In the meantime Captain Sears was ex-
amining the hold forward, and from time to
time shouting comments On its condition