Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1915-03-24

the box suppose !. l8.'I-. But he dared
not supp pose. There was nothing to do
but walt. II he created any curiosity
on the part 81 his mates he was lost.
He would have to divide with them
all. from the captain down to the cooks
boy. It was heart-renLing tllousht.
From being the most open and frank
man aboard. he became the most cum
ming. From being Z man withone
mile Of the Gilsen house. '.Onions!,
Quite unconsciously he spoke this word U I'd
aloud. A. s- ~
Huh? Well. II We don't like onions,
ind hooker that packs violets in
her hold was the cheerful advice
OF the man at Steves elbow. z58 H
Who's talkin' t your" grunted
Steve. VIVA did say?"
Onions, We lubber! Don't we know
whut onions is? Amt we smelt 'em
SO long that We could stick yer nose
in TIL starboard light an never smell
no kerosene? Onions! Pass tn
cavity &. e.
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
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 OH his left hand Steve
hated the sight Of that red nubbin.
lie was quite certain that it had been
a whole thumb once, on the wayst to
| gouge out som ebodys 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 rhe lookout,
who had a devilish keen eye for every
thing that stirred on deck or on water.
Well, he would have to risk it; but he
would wait till full 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 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 weather eye forward,
at the ratty old pilot house. III
It was ten O'clock, land time, when
he rammed his Guilty into a pocket
and resolutelv walked forward. II
enemies, he saw an enemy even IN MS
| 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. It was a mighty curious
i looking box Once heEhad stocked fhp
i the Chinese coast from the Philip
/ pines, and he Judged it to be Chinese
| in origin. He tried to pry open the
i 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 appear nces his stolid self
again. Sta
But all the way down to the BAHIA
mas he was m oody and when he an
! swered any questions it was with
words spoken testify and jerklly.
Il know whut's tn natter said
Dunkers.. HE'S in love- I'LL.
/ Shut your mouth" ,sy !.
Didn't I tell yuh?" laughed the tan
taller, dancing toward the compan.
! ionway. 'Steves in love, r he didn't
git drunk enough on shore t. satisfy
his whales belly!" asy
/ A boot thudded spitefully against
the door, jamb.
j you fellahs let me alone, r I'll bash
in couple O heads!"
i 20, yuh will, will yuh?" cried Dunk
ers from the deck. IF yuh want a
| little exercise, yuh can begin on me-,
yuh moonsick swab! Whut's TIL matter
with yuh, anyhow? Where'd yuh git
| this crouch? Whut've we done t. yuh?
Huh?' Il
"You keep out O. my way, that's all:
I'm mindin' my watches, an don't ask
no odds of you buffers. What if have
] a crouch? Is it any o. your business?
/ All right When we step ashore at
tn Bahams, Mister Jim Dunkers,
| I'll tear the ropes out o. your pulley
blocks. But till we git there, you t
tn upper bunk an me Z mine
Leave tn op crouch alone, jim.
1 TIL mate won't stand for no scrappin'
| aboard. Well have TIL thing done
right in tn custom sheds. Well have
| finish fight, Queensberry rules, an
/ nav tn hest man win - II