Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-19

think Of Is, the Lord saw It was best
for some one that she should get in
side, and he sent leading wind, and
steered her in himself. However, there
she's got, and must say that as far as
the eye can tell she seems as sound
as a bottle"
But didn't you get on board to
make full examination"
II did not, miss, this time. The
Moors had taken possession, and as
there were at least six hundred OF
them on her decks when we hove In
sight. and as I'd only six Of crew IN
the surf-boat, concluded to leave
them where they were for the time
being" ~
"And they shot at your" There,
George, I told you those were shots
we heard"
"The Norman Towers has couple
of brass signal guns, miss, and they
must have brought some OF their own
powder on board. and used stone Tor
shot. I suppose the noise and the
powder smell pleased them, and the
stones certainly didn't hit us, SO all
was we'll. II thered been need. OF
course I should have gone on board,
but as we we're, SO to speak, merely a
accommodating expedition, and our job
was to do survey Of the channel,
concluded to let them enjoy their war
dance in peace. All the same, I've got
the idea there's a white man directing
them"
"How's that?"
They're showing more savvy than
it's good for niggers to possess. Ana
they're looking ahead, and that's a
thing clear outside the ordinary col
ored mans contract. What do you sup
pose there would be on board that any
Moor would care to loot? A few NOV
ables that would perhaps add up to
five or six hundred pounds In value.
And then when he'd got those. and
started to break the port hole glasses,
and gage glasses, and a few sky
light glasses, and smash the door
panels out of sheer light-hearted-
ness, and to throw overheard
hatch covers and wheel gratings.
and other trifles they didn't
want, what would be the bill for dam
age to an old ore tramp like the Nor
man Towers? Call it another five hun
dred pounds. WE'LL and after that, and
when they'd got tired OF trampiing
mud off their splay toes into the
saloon carpet, and had looked through
the reserve coal bunker to make sure
that wasn't the treasure room, what
would be the next move? Go home
with what they'd got, and swap lies
about it round the kitchen fire? That
would be the ordinary colored mans
scheme Of enjoyment. And II you
asked him il he wouldn't take the
steamer and her cargo along while ne
was there he'd say he was much
obliged, but really he'd got no imme-
date use for her. Do you follow my
argument?' -,
eyes, that seems all right. But aren't
they doing as you say?"
They're not, sir. They're arranging
to hold the Norman Towers for keeps,
and I tell you straight we're going to
have a tough job in getting her away
from them"
But in wonders name, what do
they want her for?"
'aThat's what's bothering me, sir.
That's why l seem to smell out the
white man with the head-piece at the
back of this pack Of darkies. though
even what his game is I can't guess.
I tell you I'd be lot easier II l could,
because then one could fix up a plan
to upset it, whereas as 1t Is he's get
tina in all his moves undlsturbed."
Sir George squared his big shoulders.
"Can YOU get this boat In moderately
close alongside?"
Right up against her plates, If you
want her there"
1r,v4o - yy{
your beauties here with the rifles to
pump lead into every one we see on
the Norman Towers deck till those
that are left get sick Of 1t and clear
off? Then we proceed to make fast a
tow-rope and pull her out, and SO
across to Las Palmas, where we sell
her, for cash down, to some enterpris.
ing juggins who's in need of an antique
steamboat and a cargo OF copper con.
centrates, and live happily ever after
ward on the proceeds. Sounds beauti'
fully simple
"Far too simple, SIR" said the little
sailor emphatically. "rm just con
WINGED that there's bad snag waiting
for us to run ourselves against it some
where. And will you please tell me
what's the meaning of this: they're
quarrying."
"Quarrying what?''
"Stone, as far as could see. And ii
didn't look like mine either. There
was a great chocolate colored slab OF
rock sticking up out Of the beach just
beyond where the Towers was lying
and they were as busy on 1t as hive
of bees. There must have been seven
or eight hundred on that job, and they
stuck to it like little men all the time
daylight lasted. They'd a night shift
too, because we heard them working
though how many theirs were on that
! 1t was too dark to see. Mark you, 1t
wasn't work they were used to; they
none Of them seemed to have much
skill in navvying; and though they'd
! got heap of iron bars and shovels
from the stoke-hold, they seemed to
prefer gathering fallen stone from the
screes, to splitting off fresh chunks
from the face. Chocolate-colored stone
| 1t was: rummy-looking stuff"
Perhaps it's iron ore and they're
filling the Towers down to her marks