The Springdale news., 1909-03-26

tween us. Twice I arose when the as sistant did. resolved to accompany him part way back. Both times men reso- Iutely escorted us and as resolutely separated us from the opportunity of a single word apart The crew never threatened me by word or look. But we understood each other.
 was not permitted 10 row out ro tha Laughing Lass without escort. Therefore never attempted to visit her again. The men were not anxious to do so. Their awe of the captain made them only too glad to escape his notice. That empty shell of past reputation WAS my only hope. It shielded the arms and ammunition.
 As look back on 1t now the period seems to me to be one of merely po- tenttal trouble The men had not talk en the pains to crystalline their Ideas. I really think their compelling emo ton was that of curiosity, They want ed to see. II needed a definite i'm pulse to change that desire to one of greed
 The impulse came from Percy Oar row and his idle talk of voodoos. As usual he was directing his remarks to the sullen nigger.
 "Voodoos :" he said. "Of course there are. Don't fool yourself for minute on that. There are good ones and bad ones. You can tame them If you know how. and they will do anything you want them to. Pulz chuckled in his throat. You don't be lieye it?' drawled the assistant, turn ing to him. Well, it's so. You know that heavy box We are so careful Of? Well, that's got tame voodoo in it '
 The others laughed.
 What he llke?' asked the nigger gravely.
 He's fine voodoe, with wavery arms and green eyes and red glows." Watching narrowly its effect he swung off into one of the genuine old croon- ing voodoo songs. once so common down south, now so rarely heard. No one knows what the words mean-they are generally held to be charm words only-a magic gibberish. But the nig. ger sprang across the fire like light ming, his face altered by terror, to seize Darrow by the shoulders.
 'Doan you! Doap you!' he gasped, shaking the assistant violently back and forth. Dat he King Voodoo song. Dat call him all de yoodoo-alln'
 He stared wildly about in the dark ness as though expecting to see the night thronged. There was moment of confusion. Eager for any chance hissed under my breath: Danger! Look out.'
 1 could not tell whether or not Oar row heard me. He left soon after. The mention of the chest had focused the mems interest.
 Well" Pulz began, we've been here on this spot for long time.'
 "A year and five months" reekoned Thrackles.
 "A man can do lot i'll that time.'
 "If he's busy"
 They've been busy"
 "Yes
 "Wonder what they've donef.
 There was no answer to this, and the sea lawyer took a new tack
 'l suppose we're all getting double wages"
 "That's SO"
 And that's say four hunder' for u, and Mir. Eagen here. l suppose the ole man don't let the schooner go for noth ing"
 Two hundred and fifty month, , said I and then would have had tht words back
 They cried out in prolonged aston ishInent.
 Seventeen months pursued the lo gician after few moments He scratch ed with stub of lead That make. over Sl1.ooo since we've been out How much do you suppose his outfit stand, himf' he appealed to me
 Pm sure l can't tel you" I replied shortly.
 Well, its pile of money anyway
 Nobody said anything for some time
 Wonder what they've done? Pull asked again.
 Something that pays big" Thrac kles supplied the desired answer
 Dat chis' - suggested Perdosa
 "Voodoo'- muttered the nigger
 That's to scare us out said Handy Solomon. with vast contempt. That. what makes me sure il is the chest.p
 Pulz muttered some of the jargon ol alchemy.
 That's It." approved Handy Solo mon. If we could get
 We wouldn't know how to use it, } interrupted Pulz.
 The book = said Thrackles.
 Well. the book asserted Pulz pugnaelously. How do you know what 1t will be? It may be the philos opher's stone and it may be one Of these other things. And then where'd we bef"
 It was astounding to hear this non sense bandied about so seriously And yet they more than half believed fol they were deep sea men of the old school, and this was in print. Thrae kles voiced approximately the genera attitude.
 philosophers stone or not, some things up. The old boy took too goot care of that box. and he's spending tot much money to be doing 1t for hii health"
 You know wat t'ink?" smiled Per dosa. He mak' dfmon's. He say dat"
 The nigger had entered one of hi black, breeding moods from whicl these men expected oracles
 "Get him ches'," he muttered. T SC. him full-full of dimon's."
 They listened to him with vast re