The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1914-12-24

mile Of the Gilsen house. Onions!
Quite unconsciously he spoke this wor
aloud.
Huh? Well. If We don't like onions
find a hooker that packs violets Il
her hold" was the cheerful advic
of the man at Steves elbow
F who's talkin' t your" grunte
Steve. "Wha' did say?"
Onions, We lHbbef.. Dent we know
whut onions is? Amt We smeit EN-
SO long that>ye could stick yer nos,
in tn starboard light an never smell
no kerosene? Onions! Pass til
cavity"
Steve helped himself first. The maj
who spoke bunked over him, and t1ey
were not on the best of terms. There
was no real reason for this franl
antagonism; simply, they did not splice
any more effectually than cotton rope
and hemp splice. Sailors are moody
and superstitious; at least they gener
ally 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 nubbin.
He was quite certain that it had been
whole thumb once, on the way to-
gouge out somebody's eye, and had
inadvertently connected with some
body'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 around the table. He was off
watch till midnight; and he was won
dering If he could get the box without
attracting the attention of the lookout,
who had devilish keen eye for every
thing that stirred on deck or on water.
Well, he would have to risk 1t; but he
would wait till full darkness had fallen
over the sea and the lookout would be
compelled to keep his eyes off tho
deck. The boys wanted him to play
cards.
Not for me. Busted. How long d
y thing $40 II last in New York, any
how" And he stalked out of the FORE
castle and went down into the waist
to enjoy his evening pipe, all the
while keeping a weather eye forward,
at the ratty old pilot house.
1t was ten o'clock, land time, when
he rammed his Guilty into a pocket
and resolutely walked forward. II
any one watched him they would think
he was only looking down the cut.
water The thought of money and
the pleasures it will buy makes cum
ming the stupidest Of dolts; and Steve
was ordinarily dolt. But tonight his
brain was keen enough for all pur-
poses. 1t was a hazardous job to get
the box off the fluke without letting
it slip back into the sea. Steve, how.
ever, accomplished the feat, climbed
back on the rail and sat down, wait
ing. A quarter of an hour passed. No
one had seen him. With his coat Sc.
curely wrapped about his precious
find he made for the forecastle. His
mates. save those who were doing
their watch. were all in their hunks.
An oil lamp dimly illuminated the for
ward partition. Steve's bunk was al
most in darkness. Very deftly he rolled
back the bedding and secreted the
box under his pillows, and then
stretched himself out with the pre-
tense of snoozing till the bell called |
him to duty
He was rich; and the moment a
man has money he has troubles;
there is always some one who wants |
to take 1t away from YOU His bunk
was OF the port side, and there was
plenty of hiding space between the
iron plates and the wooden partition. |
He intented to loosen three or four |
planks, and then when the time came, |
slip the box behind them. Some time |
during the morning the forecastle |
would be empty, and then would be |
his time.
But he suffered the agonies Of dam
nation during the four hours watch.
some fool should 60 rum
maging about his bunk and discover
the box? Suppose But he dared
not suppose. There was nothing to dc
but wait. II he created any curiosity |
on the part of his mates he was lost.
He would have to divide with them
all, from the captain down to the cooks
boy. 1t was a heart-rending thought.
From being the most open and frank
man aboard. he became the most cum
ming. From being man without
enemies. he saw an enemy even in his
shadow.
At four o'clock he turned in and
slept like log.
In the morning he found his oppor-
tunity. For half an hour the forecastle
was empty Of all save himself. Fever
ishly he pried back the boards, found
the brace beam. and gently laid the
box there. 1t was a mighty curious
looking box. Once he had stocked up
the Chinese coast from the Philip
pines. and he judged 1t to be Chinese
In origin. He tried to pry open the