Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-01


chain and lock on the gate gave lie
evidence of having been moved in
long while. Toward the ocean a dis
lance of several hundred yards. there
were no tracks of any kind. There
was no opening from the cellar except
within the house. This matter OF the
storage of goods was a mystery.
John walked out to the rocks which
formed the shore. Here he was more
near the water. Naturally his eyes fell
upon the irregularity that marked the
shore. There were many protuber-
ances. many lamentations. He de-
scended TO the sea level and. the tide
being at the ebb, noticed q place where
the water washed in under the rocks.
John wondered how far in it extended.
Ee couldn't tell without going IN I'M
der the rock. and this was impossible
without a boat or q raft unless he
swan. and the water was too cold for
swimming.
The boy pondered on what he should
do. Should he go on home or remain
and try to solve the mystery: Curiosity
held him. He would go back to the
house and see If be could not look
into the cellar through the crack at
which he had listened, He did so. but
the cellar was too dark for him TO see
anything. His mind reverted to the
overhanging rock. and be went back
TO have another look at ii. The rising
tide had partly covered the place. and
he knew that it would be nearly
twelve hours before the water would
give him an opportunity to examine IL
again.
He resolved to improve the interval
by securing boat or building raft to
use in his investigations. Going to Il
wood near by. he saw plenty of fallen
timber, and after walking several
miles to a house where he was given
some breakfast he returned and car
ried sufficient wood to the shore 20
make float He laced the pieces to-
gether with twigs and when the tide
subsidized in the afternoon put his raft
into the water and padded to the
rock In question. Lying fat, he pulled
himself In under the land some twenty
! feet when he came to an iron door.
1t was fastened with an iron latch.
which. being covered by water at
every tide, was so rusty that he could
not move it. He scuttled out, got a
stone, returned and by hammerlng
| opened the door. There before him lay
| subterranean passage Leading In the
| direction of the house
Not having a light, the young discov-
| erer did not attempt to investigate any
| further. Besides, he had no mind TO
be caught in a trap by an incoming
tide. He got out as quickly as possible
and sitting on a rock, bethought him
| self what next to do. He concluded
| to go on home and consult with some
one about his find. He was not sure
but that there was something in it for
him. and he wished to find way to
| get 1t out.
| John was secretive boy, and, though
| he told about his experiences in the
city. he said nothing about the house
| by the sea. In a few days, armed
with some carpenters tools and
candle. he went back to it and, closing
the shutter behind him through which
he entered, took up part Of the floor.
went down into the celler and found
it full Of boxes and bales.
BY this time it occurred to the boy
that the house was q storage depot for
smugglers. He found door In the
| celler leading into the passage TO the
water and presumed that the goods
were carried in by that route. Re
| placing everything as he had left it, he
made his way to the nearest port OF
entry and, calling for the collector. told
him that he had discovered depot for
| smuggled goods He was too smart to
! give any cIew to it till he had made
terms with the government. This neces
STATED some correspondence between
| the officials and the government. and
! it was finally agreed that of any Snug
gled goods that John should point out
to the revenue officers half the amount
accruing by confiscatIon should go to
| him.
These preiminaries having been set
! tied, John led the officers TO the house
| and showed them the goods. But.
being DESTROYS Of capturing the Snug
glers. they placed watch in the house
anu Ndiltu lOE tleiI w NpIic aSutB.
1t was several weeks before the I'M
sCspecting men fell into the trap.
When they did they found both the
egress by the passage to the sea and
the one up into the house stopped.
They were all taken Just after they
had deposited a new. valuable boat
load Of goods.
Johnny received a small fortune for
his information. He decided TO go to
college and is now a lawyer with a
good practice. Inquiries as TO the
lonely house resulted in his learning
that the parties owning II had gone
abroad many years before and left It
to be sold as it stood IL changed
hands several times without being oc-
cupied and was finally bought by the
Crawford mentioned by the smugglers
as AN available depot for Struggled
goods. He had grown rich by this