The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1915-01-01


AN keep out O. my way. I'll git
y yet" growled Blossom.
Keep your mouth Shut said the
mate, cor I'll have you put in irons,
you pig!"
All right sir I've said all I'm goin'
t say t'day;" and Blossom strobe off.
What was the box like?" asked the
captain Of Dunkers.
Chinese contraption, sir; leastwise
it looked that way to me. Didn't look
as II it'd been in tn water long, sir.
Somethin' lost overheard by some pri-
vate yacht, t. my thinkin'. I'll keep
out o Steve's way. I'll lay low on
shore, SIR
And though Steve made a perfect
range of the. spot, he never came back
to find the mysterious box, never saw
the Gibson house back home, nor did
he ever see Dunkers, again. On the
voyage home he brooded continually,
and was frequently found blubbering;
and one night he skipped his watch
and went to Davy Jones locker.
Dunkers had not told about the
name he had seen on the box; and
Blossom had not thought to. The name
Hargreave had instantly brought back
to Dunkers' mind the newspaper
stories he had recently read. There
was no doubt In the world that this
box belonged to the missing million
aire, who had drawn a million from
his banks and vanished; and, more
over, there was no doubt in Dunkers'
mind that this million lay in the Ba-
haman waters. 1t had been drawn up
from the bottom of the sound, under
the path Of the balloon. He proceeded,
then, to take most minute range.
1t would require money and partners;
but half a loaf would be far better
than no loaf at all; and he was deter
mined to return to New York to find
backing Finding is keeping, on land
or sea-
Now it happened that his favorite
grog shop was cheap saloon across
the way from the headquarters Of the
Black Hundred; and Vroon occasion
ally dropped in, for he often picked I'D
a valuable bit of maritime news.
Dunkers was an old friend of the bar
keeper, and he proceeded to pour and
guzzle down his throat very poor
substitute for whisky. He became
communicative. He Dragged. He knew
where there was million, and all he
needed was first-class diving bell. A
year from now he would not be drink
ing cheap whisky; he'd be steering a
course up and down Broadway and
buying wine when he was thirsty.
He was no miser. But he had to have
a diving bell; and where the blue devil
could he get one with $12 and an
Ingersoll watch in his pocket?
From his table Vroon made a sign
which the bartender understood. Then
he rose and approached Dunkers.
Il own a pretty good diving appar-
atus," he said. eff you've got the
goods, I'll take chance on a fifty
fifty basis" Vroon did not believe
there was anything back of his talk;
but 1t always paid to dig deep enough
to find out. Have drink; and, Bill,
give US a real whisky and none Of
your soap-lye. Now, let's hear your
yarn"
Il don't know yuh," said Dunkers,
with drunken caution. How Is it,
Bill?" turning to the bartender.
He's the goods. Jim. You've heard
Of Wyant & Coz"
"Sure I've heard o. them. Best
divin' apparatus they is
'Well. this gent here is Mr.. Brooks,
general manager for Wyant & Co. I
can o. K. him."
Vroon threw an appreciative glance
at the bartender. He was not afiliated
with the Black Hundred, but he had
often aided Vroon in minor affairs.
"All right, if yuh say so, Bill. Well,
here's tn yarn
And when he had done, Vroon
smoked quietly without speaking.
Don't yuh believe it," demanded
Dunkers. truculently. ...
But 900 feet OF water. in a coral
bottom, and no way of telling Just
where 1t fell overheard. That's a tough
proposition" 5
20. 1t is, Is it2 I'm sailor. can
lay my hand right over tn spot. Do
yuh think I'd be fool enough e. hunt
fer 1t without perfect ranger" Dunk
ers tapped his coat pocket suggestive
ly.
And Vroon knew that the one thing
he wanted was there, a plan or a draw
ing Of the range. So there was another
man shanghaied that night, and his
destination was Cape Town, % days
voyage by the calendar.
Vroon' carried his information to the
organization that same night They
would start the expedition at once,
and till this was accomplished, Har-
greave's daughter was to be immune
from attacks Besides, it would give
Hargreave wherever he was) and the
others the idea that the Black Hun
bred had concluded to give up the
chase.
Above, with his ear to a small hole,
skillfully bored through the calling