The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1909-04-01

tra He anchored the boat by means
OF heavy stone and few fathoms
or rope. and then, by the aid of long
pole, he suspended the bag containing
the portion of dead buffalo from the
stern so that it hung some feet above
the water. Quite satisfied with mis-
work. he lit his pipe and made COM
Portable couch for himself in the bot
tom of the boat.
The four on shore missed Tong ear
ly that evening. One of their number
had wasted considerable amount of
time and patience in crawling silent
ly to the spot where the Chinaman
usually slept, and was much disguised
ut finding that Tong Sue had changed
quarters. His companions We're also
disguised when he made his report.
They made an extensive search of
the beach, and towards midnight the
moon, that peeped for an instant from
behind the black clouds, enabled them
to locate the boat in the middle of
the little bay.
The four felt aggrieved. They looked
upon the Chinaman's action as a per-
sonal insult. He had insinuated by
his action that their company was not
desirable. and they acted quickly to
avenge the indignity. They drew lots
between themselves. and five minutes
afterwards two of the Japs placed
their knives between their teeth,
stepped out of their scanty clothing
and waded into the warm water of
the bay. The white man and the 9th.
er Jap sat themselves down on the
sand and waited.
An hour passed and the two who had
swan out to expostulate with Tong
had not returned. Three hours went
by, yet no sounds came from the
water. At last the white man, ours
ing softly. moved up the beach. The
Jap followed slowly. 1t was plain to
both that the gods had not been kind
to the two swimmers.
Tong Sue did not come ashore
next morning. He had examined the
beach very early, and seeing only two
OF his visitors moving about lie thought
it advisable to stay on the water and
rest. The Jap and the white man also
rested. They sat on the beach and
watched the little boat, punctuatins
long silences with strange curses
They wondered how Tong had dis.
posed of their two friends. There
We're no firearms at Cape De Castro
and one has to be quick with knife
to deal with two visitors who make
a surprise call Sometimes the two
Oh the beach wondered what was in
the bag that Tong Sue had suspended
from the stern OF his boat.
He will be sleepy tonight" re-
marked the white man, as the sun
Dipped towards the mangrove trees.
The Jap nodded and sharpened his
knife on a smooth pebble.
Well get him sure" continued tho
white, and the other barred his yellow
teeth in smile Of approval.
"Gettem good" he snapped. "Thes
two dam fools last night Never mind
mucha more for u.s." He thought q
the Chinamans gold and stroked hi:
knife cunningly
| They relapsed into silence, sitting
side by Side till the thick night swept
| down from Asia and blotted out the
| little boat.
Tong Sue oversight himself the fol
lowing morning. The sun was shin
ing upon a deserted beach when he
looked shorewards. He searched thu
shoreline patiently, but no one was
visible. Then he glanced cunningl!
al the suspended bag of offal and the
blue water beneath.
"Gettem all four" he laughed soft
ly. "Plentee good SMELL plentee goot
shark. Dam fool not know"
He tripped lightly to the stern ant
started to unfasten the rope tina
bound the end of the pole to the seat
Tong Sues thoughts were far away al
the moment. The little maiden a
Ilankow came up before his eyes, ant
he fingered the rope with clumsy fin
gers.
But it was a bad moment for day
dreams. AS Tong stepped across the
pole, the united end was suddenly
jerked up by the weight hanging upor
the other extremity, and the Celestial
was thrown into the water.
A big gray nurse" shark that hat
shepherded the buffalo meat for the
preceding Sc hours, snapped the bag
before it touched the surface of the
water. Her travelling companion, g
medium-sized "bull nose," attended tc
Tong Sue, and peace settled down
on the white beach of Cape De Castro
American Royalty.
A. ,,;citor tn ono NJ tho hoto1o al