The Washington times., 1904-07-30
LITTLE STORIES OF WASHINGTON LIFE
VIII.
ON PUGET SOUND
CHE Secret Service Mans stOry)

ing around in the same harbor, is apt
to be short-handed. The captain Of the
Emma b. was as particular as Cregas;
he didn't want everybody that he might
have been able to get So he was only
too glad to accept the services Of this
great black roustabout who looked as il
he had just sense enough TO do his work
and go on a spree with the money. Gre
gan did not sacrifice his valuable repu-
tation for stupidity by asking any ques-
| tions. but he saw several things that
looked more than little queer. one OF
these was that they kept him away over
In a part Of the steamer furthest from
the gang-plank. when he might just as
well have been doing the heavy work
there and the men did not look Ike the
KIND that would consult his preference.
either But he managed 70 edge over
20 the other side just before the boat
actually left the wharf, and he saw
/ the gans-plank, which lad been taken
up. let down for just moment. and six
| Cinnamon, one after another, close as
lockstep. were marched on board. and
the plank went up again before the last
| Celestial had quite taken his heel of It.
Then Cregan knew this was a business
trip and began to watch for chance to
hang out the red light which was 10 be
a signal to the revenue cutter TO come
along.
The chance was long in coming. tor
Captain Tolson OF the Emma 3. was
not taking risks with a new hand ever.
if he was black He had been taught
the old hymn.
satan finds some mischief stin
For idle hands to do"
So he found all he could.
Just as the twilight was turning black.
however. Cregan got up 20 point Of
vantage and swung his light. which was
instantly answered BY a twinkle in re
distance. Then he dropped his smashed
lantern over the side. for he was nat
taking any risks either. and he knew
what Captain Tolson would do TO him II
he found out OF even suspected sny-
thing. The Canadian mate. and the Ital-
ians and Portuguese and American scum
who made UP the crew would help. and
there would be no more Cregan in the
Secret Service or anywhere else.
The cutter gave chase. $ piping along
as warily as a cat after a squirrel. and
as the squirrel makes for his hole 50
the Emma =. flew before IT, Presently
Cregan found himself in sole possession
just considering the possibility Of slip
ping into the water and making swim
for it. when he was summoned to the
aid Of the rest OF the crew. On Tia
lower deck was a piece Of the Inferno
In a yellow writhing mass.
The crew were engaged in tying the
Cinnamon hand and foot and Weighing
them with iron weights. The yellow
men fought like demons. or snakes. or
Cinnamon. with all the why. unaccouut-
able Monaghan strength that makes
the Chinaman a sinister Zoe.
IT was all over in a very few minutes,
and the bubbles from the drowned cool
les breath We're hardly done rising 70
the surface when the revenue Of
ficers were on board, and the captain
and his men were looking as innocent as
their former lives allowed. The boat
was searched, and nothing suspicious
was found. The captains story was
straight as a foot rule. and there was
nothing TO d. but 90 hack home.
When Cregan. having unobtrusively
deserted at the first opportunity, made
his report the officers declined TO be-
lieve it. They were disappointed, cross.
and skeptical, and they said-well, they
did not say that he was mistaken.
Cregan came TO Washington and told
his story so realistically that the As
sistant Secretary who listened felt sick.
Cregan Is no actor, but ne himself had
not got over feeling sick when he
thought OF dumping those Cinnamon
overheard
Maybe you don't understand he
added. They don't think any more O.
Cinnamon out there than tl.ey do o
dogs There's a rock on the Northern
Pacific that they call Chinaman's Rest.
because twenty or thirty of en- wa =
working on the railroad and used TO go
there to eat their dinner Then one day
the place was blown up with dynamite
and they never found enough pieces
Of those Chinese IN one place TO pay for
diggin' a grave
Ugh said the Assistant Secretary.
He sent a telegram to the revenue men
| and they dragged the river. In the
| spot mentioned in Organs report they
| found six skeletons weighted with iron.