The Washington herald., 1907-12-10
By S. R. CROCKETT.

Port Pit and those two square miles Of
moor. I only wish we had thought OF
il in time But we only bought out his
existing interests. This IS a new game.
The Old Man can no more. help il than
cat can help stealing fish or rollins
in mint He loves a speculation for its
own sake. It's the interest OF doing
the others that takes him, not the money
20 be gained
These might be called the two schools.
one advocating 'Senile Debility and the
other the "Dyer's Hand
But Jacob R0mer's motive was hid
from the wise and prudent, even IN the
head office Of Incubus & Co.-though not
yet had IL been revealed unto babes Stiu
Phil Caimont, who had leanings that
way, OWNED more of il than any others
Meantime. even as the old mine master
bent his brows over Pills Saturday bal
ance sheet. and the paper mills over at
Parton began 10 take tie new PortOgar-
ten coal at shiilings per tOn-the build
ing Of the light on Rough Isle Point took
up all the time OF Billy Bryan and his
senior assistant. Dick Finnan II be-
came also the talk Of the neighborhood.
and the laughter spread in a joyous
wsYe.
But for that. At least. Uncle Barnv
proved 10 be sufficient There really was
a need for shore light on the spot. the
channel being frequented and difficult
So. after many negotiations with the
commissioners Of northern lights. a little
secondhand electric plant was procured.
which threw a beam sufficiently bright
20 reach the Skerry
We must keep a boyl" said Dick and
Billy. simultaneously. Then they added,
but where can We find one? Boys
And with complete unanimity they com
pared the male yOuth Of the human spe-
cies TO the younger angels who kept not
their first estate Only these were not
the words they used-something shorter
and brisker satisfied Dick and BSlv.
Dick looked at Billy, and Billy looked
back at Dick
Night about, you and me inquired
Billy.
Dick.
THE boy can do some cleanin' ,yp. with
one OF US 20 look after him." he added.
thoughtfuny
What abou; Emma Smith2" suggested
Billy; i am nOways clear about havin'
boys near the light They are forever
pullin' handles and trying capers-''
They're not all as bad as that one
that called you"
Never mind-I know what he called
me- cut in Billy. whom this particular /
reminiScenCe aroused. as Dick was per
haps aware, " 'red-he1ded' I may be. but !
/ am not and never was.T
II did not occur TO either Of them that /
up on the face Of the Heugh above the |
Portogarten they had left a certain boy" |
considerably short-fun6 l. IN mining 1
perhaps. more than in ~ other human 4
occupation, a comfortable bank balance 4
is necessary 10 success. tt is not Ike
sweeping a crossing. or writing books. or I
picking up nuggets among the gravel Of /
some 'wash-Out" You must have peo-
pie TO dig for you-big-bOned peopla /
mostly Irish, all hungry and thirsty
thirsty with a thirst that 1
Increases as pay day draws nearer. With \
such men cash down" is the sine qua
nom No money, no NAVY,
But the cash figure. and particularly
the name of Jacob Romer at the BOT
tom of the check handed in by "Phillp \
Calmont in person" improved the com
mercial standing Of the Portogarten Mine
wonderfully. The cashier showed the
blush slip 10 his chief with immense
knowingness. and the shief gratifed him
by nodding and smiling Their opinion
was very much that Of Messrs. Hector
McKiil and Walter Grinding.
AT it again-he can't let il al6nel'' was
their UnspOken comment And next Sat
uTday both inquired privately of Phil If
a share, or two could be got al any rea-
sonabie figure in the new Portogarten
Pit Phil knew the wisdom Of gratifying
such men, and he smoke 10 his chief on
the subject The moment was not wei
chosen. one Of the electric fittings OF the
main beam" not having come up to time
But Billy Bryan told Phil TO do as he
liked. not to come bothering him about
every little trihe Little things meant
things unconnected with the lighthouse
bis things the contrary
DICK Flnnan was already busily paint
ng the inside-all best regulation colors.
and had plentifully bedabbled his grey n
~hiskers and the side of his nose with \
bright green. "Unc Barny' mad con- II
nected, but all the money that had been
sent by the New York lawyers was ur-
gently needed for the new installation on
he Point Phil up on the Heugh. alone
With his 'sinkers" and pitmen. must get
along as best he could 1T makes the
10y win his spurs" said Billy. without
he least thought OF plagiarizing the
ather of the Black Prince.
only one at the Cottage on Rough Is
and (Which, by the way was not an is
and. but only PENINSULA bethought her
elf-yes, OF course ii was her-of poor.
emi-abandoned Phil CalmOnt. keeping
lis end up as best he could among the
ough pit~lads ard noisy "sinkers' on
he heugh of Portogarten
The little white cottage sat low down
n cove where Of old time they had
anded many cargoes Of Isle o. Man
'randy. Hollands. eau-de-vie. and other
'otent waters. 1t was closely beset with
lish cliffs on the one side-thOse in which
Phil was sinking nis mine-and packed in