The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1914-12-11

tuntty. For half an hour the ~forecastle
was empty Of all a v 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
cover and feast his eyes upon the
treasure; but under the leather and
ivory and mother Of pearl was imper-
vious steel. It would take an ak or
a crowbar to stir that lid. He sighed.
He replaced the boards, and became
to all appearances his stolid self
again.
But all the way down to the BAHIA
mas he was moody, and when he n
swered any questions it was with
words spoken testify and jerkily.
Il know whut's tn matter" said
Dunkers. He's in love-"
Shut your mouth"
Didn't l tell yuh?" laughed the tan.
taller, dancing toward the compan-
ionway. "Steve's in love, T he didn't
git drunk enough on shore t satisfy
his whales belly!"
A boot thudded spitefully against
the door jamb.
you fellahs let me alone, r I'll bash
in a couple O. headsi"
20, yuh will, will yuh?" cried Dunk
ers from the deck. IF yuh want a
'!ttle exercise, yuh can begin on me,
yuh moonsick swab! Whut's tn matter
It'll yuh, anyhow? Where'd yuh git
is crouch? Whut've we done Z yuh?
.hh?"
You keep out O. my way, that's all
m mindin' my watches, an don't ask
40 odds Of you buffers. What II | have
crouch? Is It any O. your business
NJ right. When We step ashore a
~ Bahams, Mister Jim Dunkers,
III tear the ropes out O your PULLEY
blocks. But till we git there. you [
tn upper bunk an me T. mine"
Leave tn OIL crouch alone. jim
Tn mate won't stand for no %scrappin
aboard. Wen have tn thing done
right in tn custom sheds. Wen have
a finish fight, Queensberry rules, an
may tn best man win"
Pm willln'," said Jim.
Som l." agreed Steve. But his In
tentions were not honorable. He pro
posed to desert before any fight too
place. Not that he was physical,
afraid; no; he wanted to dig hi
hands deep into those doubloons ana
pieces-of-eight.
So the four days down passed other
wise uneventfully, amid paint pots and
iron rust and three meals a day Of
pork, onion soup, potatoes, and strong.
bitter coffee. The winds became light
and balmy and the sea blue and gen
tie, The men went about in theiI
undershirts and dungarees, barefooted
OF course the coming fight was the
main topic Of conversation. 1t prom
Used to be a rafting good scrap, for
both men we're evenly matched, and
both had a kick" in either hand. Even
the captain took a mild interest in the
affair. He was an old sailor. He knew
that there was no such word as arbi,
tration in a sailors vocabulary; hi
disputes could be settled only in on
manner, by his calloused fists,
When the old mudhOok land some
day Steve was going to buy Il an.
hang it over the entrance OF the Gil
son house) slithered down into the
smiling waters of the bay, Steve con.
cluded that discretion was the better
part Of valor. He would steal ashore
on the quarantine tug which lay along.
side. He was willing to fight under
ordinary circumstances, but he must
get his treasure In safety first, They
could call him a Welcher II they
wanted to; devil a bit did he care So
he pried back the boards OF his bunl
wall, took out the box, eyed It fondly
and noted for the first time the let
tering on It;
STANLEY HARGREAvE.
He rinkled his brow in the EFFORT
10 recall a pirate by this name, but
was unsuccessful. No matter. He
Rugged the box under his coat and
made for the gangway, and inadver
tently ran into his enemy.
Dunkers caught q bit Of the box
peeping from under the coat
What e. yuh got there?" he de-
manded trueulently.
None o. your damn business! You
femme by; hear mel"
Amt none o. my business, huh?
Where'd yuh git = box like that7 Steal
III BY cripes. I'm goin' T. have a
look at that box. my hearty. It don't
smell like honest onions"
You femme pyl" breathed Steve,
with murder In his heart.
Suddenly the two men closed. surged
back and forth, one determined to
take and the other to hold this mys.
FERROUS box. Dunkers struggled to up
hold his word; not that he really
wanted the box but TO prove that he
was strong enough TO take 1t II he
wanted to. The name on the box
flashed and disappeared. It was q kind