The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-24
Red Peppers
Treasure
He Died Without Betraying
Its Whereabouts.
By QARISSA MAcKIE

"
i-s-sii-aa-i-i-s-s-isssi
Captain Ham Tadskate sat on the
wharf and dangied hts boots over the
water.
1t was very pleasant there, for the
tang Of the salt air was agreeably
mingled with the fragrance from
empty clam barrels and lobster pots
and the more elusive odors Of cedar
shavings and tar.
Besides these doors. each nothing In
itself. but as whole making up what
one at once recognized as sea smells,
there is the expanse Of water surface
stretching before one with nothing to
break its continuity. A sail here and
there creeps along, a gull soaring above
suddenly swoops down on some luck
less fish, and all the while there Is
the plash Of the waters driven In by
the salt laden breeze. One who has
ever experienced the combination of
fragrance and scenery will never for
get it.
There was the sound Of hammer and
saw and the creaking Of windlass
as rusty little oyster sloop moved
slowly up the railway Of tho shipyard
"Hum-how yawned Captain Ham
contentedty. "Where in thunder is
Ferdief'
At that instant Ferdie Pratt's eau.
tious voice hailed him from the land
ing steps.
"Ahoy. there, capr' he called.
Captain Ham arose with difficulty,
rubbed his rheumatic knee with a
large freckled hand and limped down
the steps.
Ferdie Pratt, a rotund little man
with sunburned skin and bleached tow
hair. turned pair Of Dubious blne
eyes toward his friend.
"ReadyT' he asked.
"Ready," assented the captain as he
entered the boat and picked up an oar.
'Letty's watching u.s." remarked
Feriie as the boat swung out from
the wharf.
Captain Ham squinted over his
shoulder at the gable of his white cot.
tage on the east shore
The sun focused on the hens of o
marine telescope held In the steady
hands of Mrs. Ham Tadskate.
II wish Lefty wasn't so drafted
nosey,' complained Captain Ham as
they headed toward the harbor mouth.
''If she guessed we were looking for
Red Peppers treasure I'll be blamed
II 7 know Whist she'd do
ITS safe to say that she'd tell every
man, woman and child in Punderson
village" growled Mr.. Pratt, who cher.
ished no illusions regarding that strong
minded lady.
81 wish that the New Jersey wizard
they tell about would invent some
thing to bride wtmmen's tongues, "
pulled Captain Ham as he bent to his
oar against the tide.
Nothing but death will do it"
Ecoffed Ferdie. ~.~.
what does an old bach like you
know about wimmenT'
Its what l know about wimmen
that's made me an old bachelor" was
Ferdjes tart reply.
Outside the breakwater they turned
the boat to the east and rowed along
the shore for several miles. At Last
Captain Ham laid down his oars and
rubbed his bands together
I Now, Ferdie, I guess I'll take an
other look at that map l found" he
said complacently.
He fumbled in his hip pocket and
brought ont a yellowed bit OF paper
which unfoded to display some strag.
Cling characters in faded purple ink.
Il guess there amt no more on II
than when you found it week ago, VI
remarked Ferdie impatiently.
Captain Ham smoothed out the pa.
per and studied the rude map with
avidly curious eyes. muttering the
words TO himself.
Grab point--hum-that's here-the
old hickory-thats yonder-under the
big pudding stone three feet deep"
"where'd you say you found the map
Ham," asked Ferdie
"In Letty's workbox. It's one that
belonged to her grcatgrandmother
Seems the great-grandfather made II
for her during long voyage to the In
dies. Lefty sets great store by the
box, and when the bottom came out
she asked me- 20 mend II
'Oomound my buttons, per1iA but
Jon could huve Knocked me nattern
q pancake when i found this map hid
in q false bottom to tho box! Courss
knew where It came FROM
Ferdie winked solemnly. y reckon
Letty's great-ganddaddy hid 1t there.
My mother used to say that old Cap
tain Biddie was a mate of Red Pepper