The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-10-13
CHAPTER III-Continued.

WAS IulS FCiy pOiHb buab abbh@StSN tHN
crafty fisherman's attention.
shovels were secured and the boys
we're ordered to delve their way into
the captains room. 1t was easy to find
the door since the sand only extended
about half way to the ceiling OF the
cabin.
While the boys were shoveling back
the dripping sand, old Seadog was al
ternately on the lookout inside and out.
He let nothing on the stranded vessel
escape bis observation and kept con-
slant vigilance out over the bay TO soc
that no one was approaching.
"If can make sure that they were
aboard my future is no longer an un-
Gel tainty," said the old man as he
unused to himself. at was impossible
for any one to survive" he continued.
'"The whole crew and all aboard went
to the bottom OF the sea and the crabs
will have disfgured their bodies be-
yond recognition before they rise to the
surface. And even should they escape
these busy scavengers they may drift
back to the ocean where they will furn-
ish food for the larger fish"
The fishermen were already suspici-
GUS Of old seadog and when driven from
the wreck at the muzzle Of his gun they
Immediately returned to the village
and spread the news.
"The officers ought TO take the mat
ter in hand" said one.
eyes, he Is up TO stealing the ship
and cargo" said another.
The justice Of the peace was appealed
to as we'll as the village constable, but
these two funetionaries declared that
they had only jurisdiction on the land
and not on the sea.
"But the pillaging should be stop
ped" insisted the honest fishermen.
When the justice OF the peace saw
that his neighbors were bent on some
Kind Of legal action, he informed them
that the higher courts had jurisdiction
on the waters; that the government
itself would act il ii were informed
that the vessel was a foreign one and
that the consul OF the country from
which the vessel came would protect 1t
from the hands Of the land pirates.
Astoria then had her customs off
cials and she had United States COM
missioner. Cape disappointment had
her lighthouse, but it was before the
days Of telephone and telegraph service
at that point and there was no way to
communicate with the government
authorities at Astoria, sixteen miles
away on the south bank Of the river,
except by crossing the stream in a
small boat.
But those men OF the river we've not
slow in arranging for the trip. A small
sail boat was launched and three Of the
most intelligent went aboard and were
soon cutting their way across north OF
Sand Island as fast as the wind could
carry them.
Old seadog's watchful eye did not
let them escape unnoticed, and he
knew that ordinary matters did not
prompt his neighbcrs on such jour
ney.
''Dig for your lives, boys; lift out
that sand We may have trouble be-
fore our Job IS done. Some OF those
halibreeds have gone to Astoria to
raise trouble and we must get we'll and
through before the storm blows back. /"
Old seadog did not mean to disturb
the property left on the vessel. He
had a personal motive in view. His
mission was not in quest OF gold /;
neither would he have carried away
the smallest thing OF intrinsic value,
but would have risked his life and that
Of his boys for that which he sought.
While delving their way into the
cabin they came upon many valuables,
These we're cast aside as so much rub
bish. Gold and silver trinkets we're
thrown upon the heaps OF sand as il
they we're of no value.
II was several hours after they had
begun work and old Seadog was already
casting uneasy glances toward the
south side of the river when the boys
struck the sea captains iron chest.
While battling with the storm the
rocking, tossing vessel had shaken this
heavy receptacle from its usual place
and had hurled II about the room like
a ping pong ball. But like a wedge it
had been driven into a heap of fur
niture and baggage iammed together in
one corner of the room and backed by
these and the heavy bank Of sand piled
upon the top of the whole, it seemed a
thing as solid and immovable as the
hull OF the vessel itself,
1t was at this crisis that old Seadog
discovered revenue cutter approach
ing from the south, at whose helm
Aoated the stars and stripes.
Exert yourselves, boys, exert your
selves for your lives, or all lie fol
naueht! those fools have informed tn,
officers and they will soon be upon US,
said the old man.
Then they all put to and CAV,
their energy to securing the iron chest
The old man abandoned his lookou
and Joined the boys in the work. Tn
timbers were interlocked about it an,
at the same time deeply imbedded il
the sand.
"Get the capstan lever, boys; ge
the capstan. We must have her nor
or it will be too late" exclaimed tn
excited old seadog.
Some clowbars had been unearthe
from the ships tool room and with tn
addition Of the capstan lever they st
TO wcrI with renewed vigoi.
"Pry down to the left, boys, pr
down to the leftl" shouted the father
Already the exhaust of the govern
ment launch could be heard as it slowe
up 10 weigh anchor at a safe distanC
from the sandbar.
1t would only require the lowerin
Of a boat and 3 few strokes of the osi
to land the officers upon the fishermen
Fortune had always favored old Set
dog and 1t favored him again. With
heavy lufch they brought the che
from under the timbers that held
down.
ro.t,,ca dorhI., fayneod him Whe