The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-09-18


year e~ch."
"But haven't given your owner six
pence fos the boat" I declared There
must be some extraordinary mistake"
mo mistake on his part, you bet,"
the skipper replied. "'E showed US
the newspaper in which it was said
that the Macclesfield was carrying buH
lion consigned 20 the Turkish govern
ment, and explained that although you
were bit touched you had conceived
an idea of getting hold of it by flying
the French flag, giving 'erH bit Of
bounce, and stating that war had been
declared"
"But I was ignorant of the whole
thing!"
well, we've got the money, any.
how" the man said, placing mis- cay
at the approved nautical angle. What
shall we do with it?'
II don't care" l answered.. "Sine
the lot if you like. I'll land at tha
nearest l TT, and wash my hands Of
the whole thing. It's very ugly mas
ter, this
VERY well, make us a New Yearn
present of it," he laughed. Well know
what to do with the brass, you besr
mister" and he winBed knowingly. ~
amt the first bit O. bullion that
been aboard this ere craft. You'vts
card in the papers of the Cape Jubs
pirates, and now you can congratulate
yourself that you've made their az
quaintance. They're supposed to b.
Moors; but you'll be able to relats'
some adventures when you get bacs
to Monte. Tell the folks that Saflt
Swale, the skipper, drinks their 'ealti'
in drop of rum 'ot. And you migE"
add, too, that he looks regular knock'
'em-down in the French naval UNI
form"
l laughed at the mans imperturba
BILE good humor as he struck an attb
tude to show off his new suit. He wal
merry-going rover of the sea, and
could not complain of the treatment
l had received on board.
Then you'll put me ashore?" I IN.
CURED.
Eyes, if you wish-at Marseilles at
midnight tomorrow" he answered.
'sThat is if you don't care for our COM
pany any longer"
"Well," I said with a smile, truth
to tell, I don't"
The remainder of the day was spent
in slowing away the guns and warlike
appliances-some of which 1 dis.
covered were merely of painted wood
and that evening Swale and myself
dined together in the saloon, when he
admitted to me that the mysterious
Grant, who always had marvellous luck
at Monte Carlo, had sailed in that boat
for several years, committing all sorts
of acts of piracy, disposing of the cap
tured merchandise in the smaller
towns along the west African coast
and gaining enormous sums yearly.
He was known as The Demon Yachts.
man, because, although others had
been detected and punished, he had
always managed to escape and keep
in the background. His luck, Swale
said, was the DEVILS own, and in that
I agreed when I recollected how per
sistently he had won at Monte Carlo.
Next night, having bade farewell to
Swale and his ruffianly gang, was
rowed ashore close to Marseilles, and
on landing stood watching the green
light presently move away, and stand
far out to sea.
The attack on the Furness liner by g.
supposed French gunboat was made
the subject of very serious representa-
lions on the part Of the British am.
bassador in Paris, and the French gov.
eminent, unable to prove that theiE
gunboat Gauges was not in those wat.
ers on the day in question, were &C.
tually compelled to pay very sub.
stantial indemnity.
Having no desire to be mixed up in
the affair, I returned to Monte Carlo.
and kept my own counsel. l made in.
uuiries about Archibald Grant, but all
l discovered was to his discredit and
went to bear out what the captain had
told me. One fact was, however, Ger.
tain, that he won an enormous sum at
roulette before my very eyes. Some
months later /, however, read with
more than passing interest how, in q
dense fog off the Island of Gorgona, on
the Italian coast, North German
Lloyd liner had been in collision with
an unknown yacht, which was sup
posed to have sunk with all hands.
There was no doubt from the fact
that a boat with the name Garbino
upon it was afterwards found, that the
vessel run down was Grants, and
have since come to the conclusion
that the reason why / was put on
board and placed in the curious posi-
ton of ownership, was in order that
if we were captured during our cruise
after the bullion l might bear the
prosecution. Likewise, l have no
doubt that after putting me ashore
the piratical Swale ran the boat up
the Mediterranean and picked up his
employer.
One further facthave discovered. Not
many weeks ago, while passing along
the Promenades des Anglais, at Nice,
1 noticed an elderly man in frock coat
and silk hat standing on the terrace
of the Cercle de la Mediterranee draw
ing on his gloves with dandified air.
At the same instant our eyes met. His
gray face became blanched, and turn
ing he quickly disappeared within.
1t was Archibald Grant-the Demon
Yachtsman.