The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-09-17

uTe ana not It's camp IOllOWerS. Wnat
did they call ?-doubloons and
pieces of-eight?
He ate his supper with his mess
mates. and he ate heartily as usual
IT would have taken something more
vital than mere treasure to disturb
Steve Blossom's appetite. He was one
of those enviable individuals whose
Imagination and gastric juices work
at the same time. And while he ate he
planned. In the first place. he would
buy that home at Bedford; then he
would take over the ellison house and
live like q lord. II he wanted a drink.
all he would have TO do would be to
turn the spigot or tip bottle; and
more than that, he'd have a bartender
to do it. Onions: He swore he would
not have an onion within mile of the
ellison house. "Onions!" Quite uncon-
sciously he spoke this word aloud
"Huh? Well. If ye don't like onions,
find Il hooker that packs violets in her
hold" was the cheerful advice of the
man at Steve's elbow.
who's talkin' T. you?" grunted
Steve. "Wha' did l sav?"
Onions. we lubber! Don't we know
what onions X? Amt we smelt 'em so
long that ye could stick yer nose in
tn starboard light an never smell no
kerosene? Onions. Pass tn cavity"
Steve helped himself first. The man
who spoke bunked over him. and they
were not on the best of terms. There
was no real reason for this frank an
tagOnism; simply. they did not splice
any more. effectually than cotton rope
and hemp splice. Sailors are moody
and superstitious; at least they gen.
orally are on hookers of the Captain
Manners" breed. Steve was supersti-
tious and Jim Dunkers was moody
and had no thumb on his left hand.
Steve hated the sight of that red nub-
bin. He wa quite certain that 1t had
been a whole thumb once, on the way
to gouge out somebody's eye. and had
inadvertently connected with some
bcdy's teeth.
Spanish doubloons and pearls and
diamonds and rubies- 1t was mighty
hard not to say these words out loud.
too; blare them into the sullen faces
grouped about the table. He was off
watch till midnight; and he was won
der:ng IL he could get the box without
attracting the attention OF the look,
out. who had a tlevilish keen eye for
everything that stirred on deck or on
water. Well. he would have to risk 1t:
bu. he would wait till full darkness
had fallen over t.. sea and the lookout
would be compeiied to keep his eyes
nff the deck. The boys wanted him to
play cards
Not for ne. Busted How long d.
" think $40 II last in New York. any
how?" Ard he stalked out OF the fore
castle and went down into the waist
to enjoy his evening r.pe. all the
while keeping weather eye forward.
at the ratty old pilot house.
u was 10 o'clock, land time. when
he rammed his cutty into pocket and
resolutely walked forward. If any one
watched him they would think he was
nnly looking down the cutwater. The
thought o. money and the pleasures II
VIII buy r!akes cunning the stupidest
of dolts; and Steve was ordinarily a
dolt. But tonight his brain was keen
enough for all purposes. 1t was a haz-
ardous job to get the box off the fluke
without letting ii slip back into the
sea. Steve. however. accomplished the
Feat, climbed back on :ha rail and sa,
down. waiting. a quarter OF an hour
passed. No one had seen him. With
his coat securely wrapped about his
precious find he made for the forecas-
tie. His mates. save those who were
doing their watch, '-nre all in their
hunks. An oil lamD t. :nly illuminated
the forward partition. Stevc's bunk
was almost in darkness. Very deity
he rolled back the bedding and Sc
cretei the box under lis pillows, and
then stretched him { out with tho
pretense OF snoozins ill the bell CALI
ed him to duty.
He was rich; ant ne moment man
has IEioLcy he VIZ troubles; there Is
always some one 10 wants to take Il
away from you. u is bunk was on the /
port side, and IT, =, was plenty of hid /
Ing space betwI the iron plates and
the wooden p ;tion. He intended to-
loosen three e. Jour planks, and then
when the tin came, slip the BOX be-
hind them. s, me time during the
tr forccastIe werld oe
empty, and en- would be his time;
stat he s''s.efed tile agonies of dam
nation duriag his four hourB' watch,
some fcoi should 20 rum.
maging about his bunk and discover
the box? Suppose q. But he dared
not suppose. There was nothing to do.
hut wait. IL he create9 any curiosity
on the part of his mates he was lost.
He wonid have to divide with them an,
from the captain down to the cooks
hoy. It was a heart-rending thought.
From being the most open and frank
man aboard. he became the most cum
ming. From being man without ene-
mics, he saw an enemy. even in his
shadow. s
At : o'clock he turned in and slept
Ike a log.
In the morning he found his oppor-
tunity. FcT Salf an hour the !forecaf-
tie was empty. OF all save hiInsaif. Fe-
yerishly she pried back the boards.
found tho brace hean,, sSfs gently. Iasd