The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1907-03-27

us If we put up every cent we've made.
| We shall have to borrow at least an
other thousand. and hate. to. In
year. if things go as we'll as they have,
we ought to be able TO build a new
vessel and pay for every stick of her.
And yet" he added. 'it seems a shame
TO let this chance go by"
The captain glanced at his compan-
ion and drummed with his fingers on
the table. When he spoke there was
hesitancy In his manner.
1--WE can't let 1t go by" he said.
WED never git another like II. Now,
Brad-now. Brad He stopped and
drummed again. Then he went on
without looking up. II don't knows
l mentioned this afore, but all my
money amt been put into this wreckin'
deal yt. You see, own some shares
in that big cranb'ry bog of the Ostable
folks. Must be about $1,000 with al
together. l carlate maybe l amt
spoke Of this to you afore. have ~
We'll, no, you haven't" answered
he astonished Bradley dryly.
mo. l presume likely it-er-m2st
ave slipped my mind. Well, I'll sell
he bog shares and put up what's need
ed to finish buyin' the Divin' Belle.
You can pay off your part as we earn
II. Is 1t a goT"
"All right" Bradley said finally; "Tll
agree, Of course. If you're willing to
risk it, ought to be-"
Good! Wen take a day of tomor-
rer and go up to the Haven and look
her over"
The partners started for Vineyard
Haven in the early morning. The cap
tain talked most of the way, for which
Bradley was thankful. He didn't feel
like talking. They found the Diving
Belle lying at the wharf. and Captain
Titcomb watched his companions face
as they stood on the stringpiece look
Ing down at her.
They bought the schooner. 1t re-
NAMED only to bring over the check
and take away the schooner, and this
they did a week later. Meanwhile
Captain Titcomb had performed anoth-
err miracle. He had hunted up man
who had expressed a desire to pur-
chase the Lizzie and after two days Of
bargaining, during which time the cap
tain had twice pretended to give IT up
and return to Orham, had sold him
the old schooner for $3.50; also he sold
bis shares in the cranberry bog.
There was a good sized crowd Of
| a. rhar -
the Diving Belle slid smoothly past the
harbor mouth and up to her moorings.
There was Il splendid breeze. but they
wouldn't have used the sails for any
consideration. The sight of the NOV
ING plstons in that wonderful sixteen
horsepower engine, the enchanting
smell of the gasoline, the mutiied drum
ming of the propeller under the stern
| these were brand new, unadulterated
joys of proprietorship that no mere
| item like the saving of unnecessary
expense could induce them to forfeit.
Captain Ezra put In the most of his
spare time improving" the new pur-
chase. Bradley told him 1t seemed
| like the Thomas Doane days to smell
paint and trip over a bucket of water
and a swab every little while.
Orham was Just then in the throes Of
burglar scare. Two houses in the
village had been broken into, and the
natives were talking Of calling an in
dignation meeting for the purpose Of
expressing their opinion Of the select
men. Then a steam yacht belonging to
summer resident, which lay housed
over for winter in the harbor, was
boarded and ransacked.
1t was on the day following this rob
= berry that Captain Tltcomb began tin
kering with the cabin door. This door
and the sliding hatch above it had been
fastened with a paddock. The captains
FIRST move was to block the hatch so
that it would slide back but a little
way. Then he sawed and hammered
away at the door.
THERE he cried in triumph after
| two hours OF hard work. Brad, come
mere! S'pose one of them mean sneak
thieves tries to bust into that cabin.
He can pry the staple Off that paddock
| CdEgt Ndn I nc 4NHg bhN NhN "oy AheAN
hatch is now 'twon't open fur enough
for him to climb down; he's got to open
that door. And that doors got on 1t
three dollar patent lock that can't
be opened without the key, and no ten
rent whistle down the barrel key Ell
Their. The key that'll open that has lace
edgin' on 1t. You hear met And I've
took off the knob on the inside Of the
lock so it can't be worked that way.
Now, when we want to go home we
haul to the hatch and lock it with the
paddock. Then we jest slam the door.
Click! There you are! A spring lock.
How's that for high? Thunderation |!
I've left the key insidew
Luckily the key was lying on the top
step Of the cabin stairs, and they were
able to reach 1t with a fishhook on the
end Of a stick
Getting up the tar with the aid Of
the natent Vyindlass and the engine