The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-22
SANFRANCISCO SEACAPTAIN
STORY

ficer took it upon himself to effect the
distribution Whenever he gave out a
bag he kept one for himself, claiming
that he was entitled to the lions snare
because he was an officer But in be-
ing so smart. he Overreached himself
The sailors reflected that if he was out
of the way there would be so much the
larger share for each of them and. fur
thermore, as they were going to wreck
the ship they scarcely needed naViga-
tor. destroying being proverbially east
er than building up They made no
bones about killing him and then there
were only six to share alike They
drifted on to Tower island and buried
the treasure there. But killing ha db-
come a habit with them and presently
there. were only four
Mixed Nations
These were an Irishman, a Portu-
gese, and two CIileans They sue
ceedea in wrecking the ship, but one
the Chileans plotting to murder them
To forestall this unpleasant experience
which they had inflicted upon so many
others being brought home to them
selves they naturally pitched the two
| plotters overheard, and so there were
| two.
These two derelicts were destined
| to a long and strange companionship
| They had to pass themselves off for
sailors and invent some story that
would take them away from the island.
They succ eeded in getting to California
and from that time their constant aim
was to establish connections with their
hidden treasure. In the meantime,
they drifted to the mines and had d
checkered career. Each lived in terror
that his companion would sneak away
and get possession of the whole treas
ure, so they never dared to lose sight. of
each other Hating and distructinC
each other. Hating and distructing
gether than brothers.
Portuguese Plot.
At last the Portuguese fled. The
Irishman. whose name was Pete. had
been a boy of IS when he buried the
treasure on Tower island now he was
20 and yet he had not entered into
| possession of his riches. He began to
be afraid that he should die without
ever seeing them again. So he revealed
the story to a abrber in GilrOy. who had
I been kind to him.
An expedition was organized and
financed by the barber. Old Pete went
with it to show the way. Though hall
: a century had elapsed. he had not for
gotten the place that had once been in
delibly fixed in his youthful memory
He went straight to the spot and found
everything as it had been except tina
g cactus had grown over the burial place
of the treasure. But Pete had grown
o suspicious of his companions and. per
[ maps recollecting what he had himsel
done in a similar position. he wa:
afraid they might kill him when they
5 had learned the position of the treas
= who knew he calculated that he wa:
II safe Neither threats nor pormise:
= awaited to make him reveal the place
: an das he dared not do anything alone
e old Pete found himself with only few
feet of dirt between him and thu
treasure he had longed for all his life
yet as far away from it as ever. TIL.
{ expedition returned to Guayaquil anC
II on the way Pete confided in Capt. Lee
{ wick. who was in command of the yes
sci. He was coming back in a year. h,
IL said, to dig up the treasure
When the American expedition in tn.
: Lila and Matte visited the islands