The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-04-22


man toward one of the peep
holes in the canvas screen. Sure
enough, the canoes were making on
toward Otter creek. In the marvel
ously clear light it was easy to see
the threatening arms held out toward
the ship by few men who stood up
right Even their raucous cries were
yet audible. Courtenay was glad he
had not missed this demonstration of
hatred. 1t argued the necessity of con-
tinued watchfulness.
The general attitude of the crew was
one of real annoyance that the fight
had not been carried on at close quar-
tiers. The Kansas bore tokens in plen-
ty of the battle. Many bullets and ar
rows had struck the ship. the canvas
was torn in several places, number
Of port lights were broken, and the
open decks, fore and aft as well as
the spar deck, were Uttered with
stones. He picked up some Of these
missiles, mans earliest and latest pro-
jectile. They were round and heavy.
A few bore the red streaks or oxidiZed
iron; some appeared to be veritable
Jumps of ore. though the action Of wa
ter had made them Smooth stone out
OF the brook" He showed one to Tolle
mache, who seemed to possess q good
deal of out Of the way knowledge, and
the latter instantly pronounced the
Specimen to be almost pure copper
veined with silver.
he 10 x1e 10 y,a 1Y1r
ial of poor Pietro Cana, entered full
details of the fight in the ships log
and helped Walker to search the sus-
pected coal for a further supply of
dynamite as the utility of the surface
mines had been demonstrated beyond
a doubt. He thought it possible, given
the necessary time, to rig a device
A fresh set of dummy poles, which
the Indians would probably avoid in
the event of a second attack, might
defect the canoes into the area Of new
mines laid at sea level.
Their utmost diligence brought to
light no further supply of the explo-
sive. Evidently the prepared Jumps
Mantle, which were placed in the
bunker at Valparaiso had been convey
ed on board by one man, so it was
more than likely there was not anoth-
er ounce of the stuff on the ship except
J the three specimens first discovered.
These, water soaked and useless, were
| locked in drawer In the chart house.
While scrutinizing the bunker Courte-
nay found a grimy piece of paper,
crushed into ball and amalgamated
with coal dust by means of the glue or
other substance which had been used
| for making the bombs intended for the
destruction of the furnaces. He ex-
amined it carefully, believing it had
the appearance and texture of car
fridge paper. He placed 1t in his pocket
and, while changing his clothes before
Joining the others at supper, came on
1t again with certain surprise. He
plunged 1t into q basin Of hot water,
and it yielded its secret 1t was the
outer wrapper of a stick of dynamite.
1t bore the circular stamp of the manu-
facturers, the Sociedad Anonyma de
las Costas del Pacifico. This in itself
meant nothing. The same company
probably supplied hundreds of mines
with the five pound boxes in which
dynamite is packed, and if the stamp
were the only clew none could possibly
say when or where it had been issued
for use.
But miners are apt to be careless
Men accustomed to dynamite will han
die it with an astounding disregard for
danger, and here was a case in point
Some Spanish overseer, evidently at O
loss for a memorandum tablet, had
scribhled hieroglyphics with an indeli
bic pencil on this particular wrapper
1t was clear that the figures and alb
breviated words referred to the de
velopment of a cross heading and tbs
position of certain lodes, but Courte
nay was quick to see that the officia
who made those notes would recognize
them; hence the mine or store from
which the package had been stolen Oh
bought could be identified. Such evi
dence was of highly circumstantia
value Courtenay put the wrapper II
the same drawer as the cartridges, en-
tered in the log the time and manner
Of its discovery and forthwith dismiss
} ed it from his mind
1t was almost dark when he went OF
deck. The wind was keen and chilly
1t whistled through the broken win
dows of the wheelhouse and seemed t.
have in it a promise of bad weather
, But a glance aloft and at the sky be
yond the southern headland - Poin
Kansas, as 1t was called on board-re
assured him. The far flung arc over
head was cloucless. The stars Of thu
southern hemisphere, vivid and bright
though less familiar than those of tn
north, were reflected in the black wa
] ter. The ship was so still, the SUI
! roundings 80 peaceful, save for th
plash of tiny waves created by tn
! breeze, that he was almost startle'
! when a soft voice came from the low
0 er deck.