White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-01


do? II l leave 1t, some one else'll
see it, He scratched his chin per
~plexedly; and the cud went back to
starboard. Il got it,
He took of his coat and carefully
dropped 1t down over the mysterious
box. 1t was growing darker and
darker all the time, and shortly
neither coat nor anchor would be
visible without close scrutiny. Trea-
sure; greed, c%upidity, crime. Steve
saw only the treasure and not its
camp followers. What did they call
them?-doubloons and pieces-of-
eight?
He ate his supper with his mess
mates. and he ate heartily as usual.
1t would have taken something more
vital than mere treasure to disturb
Steve Blossoms 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 a lord. If he
wanted a drink, all he would have to
do would be to turn the spigot or tip
a bottle; and more than that, he'd
have a bartender to do 1t. Onionsi
He swore he would not have an onion
within a mile of the ellison house.
"Onions." Quite unconsciously he
spoke this word aloud.
Huh? Well. If We don't like on
ions, find a hooker that packs violets
In her hold" was the cheerful advice
of the man at Steve's elbow.
Who's talkin' I your" grunted
Steve. What did | say?'
Onions, We lubber, Don't We
know whut onions is2 Amt We
smelt 'em SO long that we could stick
yer nose in tn starboard light an
never smell no kerosene? Onions.
Pass tn cavity"
Steve helped himself first. The
mar who spoke bunked over him,
and they were not on the best of
terms. There vas no real reason for
this frank antagonism; simply, they
did not splice any more effectually
than cotton rope and hemp splice.
Sailors are moody and superstitious:
at least they generally are on hook
ers of the Captain Manners" breed.
Steve was superstitions 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 a whole
thumb once. on the way to gouge out
somebody's eye. and had inadver-
tently connected with somebody's
teeth.
Spanish doubloons and pearls and
diamonds and rubiesi 1t was mighty
hard not to say these words out loud.
100. blare them into the sullen faces
grouped about the table. He was off
watch till midnight; and he was won
dering If he could get the box with
out attracting the attention of the
lookout. who had a devilish keen eye
for everything hat stirred on deck or
oil water. Well. he would have TO
risk it; but he would wait till fully
darkness had fallen over the sea and
the lookout would be compelled to
keep his eyes off the deck. The boys
wanted him to play cards.
Not for me. Busted. How long
d'y' think $40 II last in New York,
anyhow" And he stalked out of the
forecastle and went down into the
waist to enjoy his evening pipe, all
the while keeping a weather eye for
ward, at the ratty old pilot house.
1t was 10 o'clock. land time. when
he rammed his Guilty into q pocket
and re~solutely walked forward. If
any n watched they would think he
was only looking down the eutwater.
The thought of money and the pleas
cres 1t will buy makes cunning the
stupidest of dolts: and Steve was
ordinarily a dolt. But tonight his
brain was keen enough for all pur-
poses. 1t was a hazardous job to get
the box of the fuke without letting
II 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
securely wrapped about his precious
find he made for the forecastle. His
mates. save those who we're doing
their watch. were all in their hunks.
An oil lamp dimly Illuminated the
forward partition. Steye's bunk was
almost In darkness. Very deity he
rolled back the bedding and secreted
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