Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-08

heave me overheard, and down. down,
down l would drop TIL, with one eye
at the portfolio. I'd sight those broken
old treasure ships down in the sand
of the ocean bed.
What then? l asked Anauias as
got up and edged around him. What
am I to do then, Ell?
His little blue eyes stared fishily at
me-thats what AnaniaS was like. a
small Goldfish. and his hands were cold
and damp like dead ashland he edg-
ed around me.
What then, Ananias? What shall 1
do when 1 get down there and see all
those pieces OF eight, ehY"
"'You can signal and We'll pull you
in, sir he said solemuly. still edging
away. Then We'll so home and form
a company and come back and get the
stuff
"T suppose we could make a chalk
mark where 1 come up again. sug-
gested.
Yes, sir; was thinking OF that
"'How about AZ, Ananias? 1t would
not take me long to breathe up all the
air in that water butt and I wouldn't
be alive when l got down there
Its noble to die for great cause,
sir he replied dreamlly.
Wouldn't you like to go down your
self, Ananias? It's your idea, and it's
only fair that you
His dull eyes suddenly flashed and
he sidestepped out of my reach. 4 Of
fered that honor TO you, Captain Fish,
he said insolently.
"'Have you figured on the depth,
AnaniasT l pursued mildly. Just
think how many fathoms deep the
ocean is-miles. man-and consider the
enormous PRESSURE
"T was thinking Ananias suddenly
interrupted, that If you were very near
the treasure ship all you would have
TO do would be to kick out the bottom
OF the cask and still protected by the
slaves and top walk over the wrecks
and bring up few pieces Of gold. We
ought to have them TO convince the
stockholders Of the company
"'Of course 1t would make easier
hauling with the water butt l unused.
But when you got it up to the surface
you might find that shark or Il devil
fish had made of with me. Where,
tuen, would be your gold pieces?
"Ananias never hickered an eye
lash. I'll nail a tin box inside the
butt, so you could put the gold in that,
sir he said calmly, and after that |
was silent.
"Ananias Slime stood there watching
me, never so much as stirring unless
made a movement toward him and
then almost imperceptibly moving out
of my reach. After awhile concocted
scheme.
Your idea is an excellent one
said as heartily as l could muster.
When have you calculated we would
be in the right position to make the ex-
| periment?'
! "If the wind holds out. about 8
! o'clock this afternoon
"'Of course we would have to heave
/ to and cast an anchor l suggested to
| gain time.
"'Yes, sir
"In that case you better go below
! and get the water butt up. The car
penter will find some spare ports, and
/ the tin box you can get from the cook.
! Get out all the spare lines aboard and
set all hands TO splicing. It's long
/ trip down TO Davy Jones' locker l
/ added.
| Yes, sir he said. not making a
move to obey my orders.
/ land if never return you will take
command of the Indus, Ananias.'
YES, sir, and you'll not forget the
! gold pieccs?' he asked anXiously.
Il stiIed laugh. i won't forget,
! Ananias" And just then managed 70
! catch the eye of two of the hands who
! were peermg from the fo'castIe hatch
way and signalcd franticaly.
"'You might go forward and see
/ about that wafer butt, Ananias,' said
as the sailors crept up behind him.
"I'll think it over he said with a
I sudden scowl. and, turning, he walked
straight into the arms of my men.
"Auauias Slime was n slightly built
man, but he was as tough and wiry az
some of the yarns he used to spin, and
we had pretty tussle to get him lock-
ed in his own cabin, where his rage
soon beat itself out against the door
and Ananius simmered down into a
| drunken siumbcr.
Yes. ma'am. THAT'S what was the
matter with Ananias Slime. II was the
first time 1t ever happened to him and
the last II seems he'd been inspect
ing the cargo. and he found a small
cask Of rum there that had sprung
leak. Well, Ananias must have drank
that rum to save It. but it was almost
the undoing Of him that voyage. He
had been reading lot OF that historical
stuff and drinking that liquor with the
result that | almost got to see the or.
mada-just rs told you, Miss Telham.
Rum and reading did H."
What did he say after he recover
ed" ! asked curlOusly
He said lie didn't recolect a word
Of it and, for his part, he didn't be-
lieve it," returned the ioyial captain.
But, you know. his name IS Ananiasi''
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