Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-10

1T amt pearls" said Handy Solo
mon. You can kiss the book on that,
for we amt diver among us. 1t amt
Chinks, for we are cruising sou-'sou'-
west. Likely it's trade-trade down in
/ the islands,
We were all below. The captain
| himself had the wheel. Discipline,
while strict, was not conventional.
"Contrabandista,' muttered the Mex
lean. "for dat he geev us double pay"
I'VE don't get her for nothing"
agreed Thrackles. Double pay and
duff on Wednesday generally means
get your head broke"
mo trade" said the niger gloom
lily.
They turned to him with one accord
"Why not?" demanded Pull, break
ing his silence.
NO trade" repeated the Niger
"Ain't you got a reason, doctor?"
asked Handy Solomon.
mo trade insisted the niger.
An uneasy silence fell. I could not
but observe that the others held the
niggers statements in respect not
due them as mere opinions. Subse-
quently | understood little more of
the reputation he possessed. He was
believed to see things hidden, as their
phrase went.
Nobody said anything for some time.
Nobody stirred except that Handy Sol
onion, his steel claw removed from its
socket. Whitfield and tested, screwed
and turned, trying to fix the hook so
+ that, in accordance with the advice Of
Percy barrow, it would turn either
way.
What is it, then, doctor?' he asked
softly at last.
Cold" said the niger shortly.
"Gold-treaSure."
That's what l said at firstw cried
Handy Solomon triumphantly. 1t was
extraordinary. the unquestioning and
entire faith with which they accepted
as gospel fact the Aegros dictum.
There followed much talk of the ma
ture of this treasure, whether it was
to be sought or conveyed, bought stcSn
or ravished in fair fight. No furtner
soothsaying could they elicit from the
niger They followed their own ideas.
which led them nowhere. Some one
! lit the forecastle lamp. They settled
themselves. Pull read aloud.
This was the programme every day
during the dog watch. Sometimes the
watch on deck was absent, leaving
only Handy Solomon, the niger and
Pull, but the order of the day was not
on that account varied. They talked.
they lit the lamp, they read. Always
the talk was Of the treasure.
AS to the reading. 1t was Of the sort
usual to seamen, cowboys. lumbermen
and miners. Thrackles had a number
of volumes OF very cheap love stories.
Pull had brought some extraordinary
garish detective stories. The others
| contributed sensational literature with
paper covers adorned lithographically
By the usual incongruity fragment
of The Marble Faun" was included in
the collection. The niger had his
ropy of "Duvall on Alchemy"
haven't the slightest idea where he
.ould have got II.
While Pull read, Handy Solomon
worked on the alteration of his claw.
He could never get it TO hold. and
remember as an undertone to Pulls
reading the rumble OF strange, exas-
perated oaths. Whatever the even
ing's lecture. It always ended with the
book on alchemy These men had no
perspective by which to judge such
things. They accepted its speculations
and theories at their face value. Ex-
tremeIy Iaughabie We're the discus
siOns that followed. l often wished
the shade OF old Duvall could be per-
mitted TO see these his last disciples.
spelling out dimly his teachings. mis-
pronOuncing his grave utterances, but
believing utterly.
DR.. Schermerhorn appeared on deck
seldom. When he did. often his fingers
held pen which lie had forgotten TO
lay aside. imagined him preoccu-
pied by some calculation Of his own.
but the forecastie. more picturesquely.
saw him rs guarding constantly the
heavy cssket he had himself carried
aboard. He hreathed the air. walked
briskly. turned with the German mill
tary precision AT the end Of his score
Of strides and re-entered his cabin at
the lapse Of the half hour After he
had gone. remained Percy barrow
leaning indolently against the tanrail.
his graceful figure swaying with the
ships motion. smoking always the
corn husk Mexican cigarettes which he
rolled with one hand. He seemed from
that farthest point afs 10 hold in re-
view the appliances. the fabric. the
actions. yes. even the very thoughts.
Of the entire ship From them 10 Sc
lected that on which he Should com
ment or with which he should play. al.
ways with saripnir. half serious.
quite Ur1risd and indifferent manner.
His inner knoWIedge. viewcd ny the
Ugh. ~ this manner or mannasiSn.
vas sometimes CacanDv. though rRr-
hapS 'ke sources of his information
were commonplace enough astH- al
Certsirlv hp aITays visv.F With
amusement lis victirl'S wonder
Thus one evening 1T tho ri1Se o. ouT
daT ratch on dec b. app-OsrheI
Handy Solomon. II was IT the end .:
ten fa~s. IN no o1e of which the sea-
rnan failed to tinker away at his steel
cIau. Darrow balanced in front 81
him with : thin sn,iic
-Too had Il doesn't wUrk- nv smia-
be pirate sail he 1t would be ~