The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-03


ing on With this double purchase
by putting out all his strength, he was
able to raise the boats stern.
1t was the queerest thing in the
world. he thought, that the stern of
that boat should be 50 heavy. 1t
seemed as though it We're made Of
solid iron. At last he got the boat
clear Of the chocks and got the line
made fast just in time to meet the
jerk on it that came as the boat, now
hanging free by the falls from the
ridgepole of the roof. swung across
nearly the whole width of the loft with
such lunge that the ridgepolc bent
and creaked and the whole framework
of the old oil house swayed as though,
it were coming down.
at this stage Of the proceedings, while
the boat swung backward and forward
like great pendulum flashing through
the rays Of sunlight.
BY the time that the boat had stop
ped swinging and hung steadily by the
falls just clear of the floor he was pref
ty well rested and ready to go to work
again. To open the trapdoor he must
raise the boat about six feet. He went
at the ropes with WILL hauling away
easily at the bow fall and tugging at
the stern fall with the double purchase
with all his might At last the bow
was high enough, and one more tussle
with that dreadfully heavy stern would
make everything clear for him to open
the trapdoor and lower away. Teddy
strained away at his tackle with ali hi
strength. stepping to rest and to puff
like a porpoise after each round, but
gaining steadily. At last the boat
swung level, a clear six feet above the
floor, and victory was almost within
his grasp.
1t was just as he had reached this al
most triumphant point in his labors ant.
had turned to make the rope fast to the
Delaying pin while he opened the trap
door-at this critical moment Miss Ruth
Marbles spectacled face showed ut the
top of the stairs, and Miss Ruth War
ble's sharp voice exclaimed:
".vhy, Teddy Rodford! OF all Gre
ated things, what badness are you do
ing here!'
Teddy jumped as If he had been shot.
The rope slipped from his hands and
whizzed through the blocks. and that
tremendously heavy stern of the boat
flashed downward through the sun
light. With a bang and. a crash Of
splintering wood it struck beam with
such force that the old oil house sway
ed and trembled and seemed in a fai1
way to fall to pieces there and then.
With this banging and crashing was
also most curious jingling sound, and
very astonishing was its cause. AS the
stern Of the boat struck the beam the
stern sheets were broken all to pieces
ard out Of the stern locker poured q
stream Of gold and silver coins which
/ jlngled as they fell and which blazed
| aud glittcred as the sunbeams touched
thela while they went rolling ever,
which way over the floor.
| In the silence which followed thi.
autburst OF noise Miss Ruth Marble
and Teddy Rodford just stood ant
stared at each other across more sill
yer and gold and five dollar pieces ant
ten dollar pieces and even twenty dol
lar pieces than either of them eyer hat
seen anywhere and certainly more thai
they ever were likely to see agail
loose on the floor of sail loft.
And SO the lost fortune that Captain
Tranquil Marble had hidden in thi
queer place before he sailed away h
the Harmony Home to his death in th
northern seas was found at last.