The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-05-11
(Continued.)

he SuUIudTluc y UOdL udu COLlO
ashore in the night, and her crew
were awaiting, with many curses,
no doSpt, a sea in which they could
reembark. The one man was Sleep
ing away the absence Of his mate.
But why was this of interest to
Wilmer? Unless he were a revenue
spy, they were apt to be people OF
whom 1t was better to know little
than much.
At the desk Of the hotel Wilmer
got paper, envelopes and bit of
copying carbon, sat down, wrote a
letter, and addressed it to himself,
in care of the chief Of police Of Mo-
bile, to be turned over to the col
lector of the port, and by him open
ed If not called for by certain
date. He carefully copied the adj
dress of the original upon the en-
velop of the carbon copy, took
them both to the clerk, handed him
a fine cigar, and asked him as a
favor to certify on the back Of the
copy that he, the clerk, had per
sonally placed in the mail the orig
insf, addressed precisely as was
copy.
Don't know what your game is,
old man." said the clerk, "but I
hope you get away with it all
right"
Mr.. Wilmer rowed straight back,
and made his way to the boat under
the bushes. The man was sitting
up, now. smoking. Wilmer walked
into camp jauntily.
''Hello, Faville," said he; "ain't
you pretty near lost?"
Faville started and dropped his
hand to his hip; but changed his
attitude and shook hands cordially.
mo" said he, "but you are, I
should think. Where'd you drop
FROM"
you're ashore at a bad time"
said Wilmer. where's the Sickle
back?"
ooh" replied Faville, I'm not on
her any longer"
Funny you brought away her
boat" said Wilmer. And her cap
tain, tool"
This latter remark was evoked
by the arrival Of third person,
wiry, smooth-shaven, with a dark
face, a dead-black eye, straight
line of mouth, three fingers missing
from his right hand. giving the i'm
preston that he was perpetually
pointing at something, and thin, pal
pitant nostrils, like those of trap
ped rabbit He came lazily in, and
dropped to the ground.
"Hello Winner" said he.
"Hello, Captain Reagan" replied
Wilmer. Can you give me a snack"
"Sure," said Reagan. Lets eat,
Faville; I've got a grobeck for din
ner."
The "grobeck" was a big, tooth
some bird, like a bittern, in appear
,ance. While the meal was cooking
Wilmer sat joking, like a man en-
joying himself, while the others
grew more and more taciturn. A
4Couple of bottles of excellent wine
washed down the meal, and the
men sat looking at one another and
smoking, In an atmosphere tense
with Misunderstanding
(Which way you going, Wizner?"
finally asked Reagan.
81 thought I'd go aboard the
Stickleback," replied Wilmer.
1.-THE hell you did" replied Rea-
gan, with an easy laugh. well,
you've got another guess."
-,..-''You think Faville can handle
the engineers BERTH" queried Wiz
.ner. with a covert sheer.
"The surf don't roar like 1t did,
said Reagan. THE winds off shore.
It's quieting down. Stick up that
signal, Faville."
Faville departed and Reagan, sit
ting up, spoke in the manner of one
who scents conflict.
"Whatever it Is, Wilmer" said
he. "out with it. I'm not safe to
fool with"
81 want the Stickleback for a
while" said Wilmer.
What for?" asked Reagan.
"To stand off and on. do az | say,
ask no questions and to tell no
tales"
Feeling mystery in this demand.
Reagan controlled his temper, and
let tho case develop.
"And if this modest request is
refused?" he queried.
"Why," said Wizner slowly, II
may let the authorities know that
instead of saving mahogany, the
Stickleback is proving around off
Harrods.'
Reagan lay gently back. this time
on one arm. The other slid slowly
to his hip pocket. He was the pic
ture of slothful ease.
well" he said slowly. that
might interest them, but what is
there in IT."
mot much" said Wilmer. "But