The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-08-13

faint hope that some day he would make fortune out of her. He had inherited the vesse! from his father who had sailed 1t out of Sos- ton many years, and as matter or fact he had just managed to break even in the money mart of handling her. But still he clung to the belief that some day the old ship would make a rich of him.
 And then he would retire to the little town on the Massachusetts coast where his married daughter lived with her half dozen children His wife had died years and years before, after a couple of years of married life, leaving the little daughter. An aunt had reared the child and now she and her children took up all the affection of the old mans heart.
 To make enough money to retire and live Tn a little cottage near his daughter and her chill dren: to have enough to keep the wolf from the door and to leave something for his loved ones was the old maras great dream. dream, which, it would appear, had no chance or lui- flIment. His son-in-law was an industrious young mechanic and owned his own home, but old Marvin had dreams of having enough mon ey to educate his grandchildren and give them a better chance in the world than their parents or grandparents had
 He thought of these things as he gazed al the old hulk and then sighed and shook ms head It didn't appear there was any fortune in the Sea Gull, in fact the Sea Gull appeared on its last wings so to speak,
 And then suddenly out of the clear sky came the first sign of the voyage of the Sea Gull which was to carry Marvin Hummer into the treasure port of war.
 Your vessel?" said voice behind the old man.
 Marvin took another slow puff at his pipe then turned his head and calmly observed the sneaker He had seen him about the docks the last two days and had noticed that he was tax ing a keen interest in various vessels, so he gave an affirmative grunt, and then went on smoking his pipe.
 The other, Norwegian walked up and down, glancing at the Sea Gull now and then and then at Marvin But Marvin continued staring at his vessel and calmly puffing at his pipe. He was interested for he knew that the other was interested in the Sea Gull and he wondered why Maybe it was some smuggling scheme. But Marvin had never taken part in any Of these For he considered 1t too much trouble and he didn't think the profit worth the trouble and risk
 that" finally announced the stranger. want to sell?'
 Marvin rehectivey, took a half dozen draws at his pipe. Then glanced at the Norwegian.
 Sell? Oh. no. I've got business to do with it in the next week. Can't afford to-" And he strolled down to the other end of the dock.
 Why on earth did the stranger want to buy such worthless looking hulk the Sea Gull?
 That night his boarding house Marvin heard other sea -faring men tell of several ves- sells that had been sold that day at good prices. And the question was, why?
 Now this nearly year ago when the had haen In months, win paid little attention the It hadn't interfered with him or his business. So what did he care?
 But that night after he had gone to bed. he sat propped up in bed on his pillows, smoking, smoking, smoking his trusty pipe. Why did that Norwegian want to buy the Sea Gull and who was it that was buying these other vessels?
 The old New Englander was slow but a sure thinker, but he couldn't exactly figure it out. Then toward morning he fell asleep.
 Suddenly he awoke. The first gray beams of daylight were struggling in the window and hastily Marvin scrambled out of bed and got into his clothes. Then. lighting his pipe, he wandered out into the half deserted streets and made his way toward the dock where the Sea Gull lay at anchor. He went on board and sat down and smoked until the sun arose, when he went back and ate his breakfast.
 Immediately afterwards he went back to the vessel and taking a chair from the cabin he
  the stranger of the previous day strolling along the docks. Marvin slowly made his way off the vessel and was standing in the same spot the previous day when the stranger approached him and spoke Marvin merely grunted first and went puffing his pipe
 "Anybody'n sell anything any tine," he re- marked, in discussing the sale of his vessel. Make your proposition"
 There was talk the side of the stranger which Marvin answered principally by smoking his pipe.
 At last he said half impatiently, .What'n you give?'
 The answer staggered him. Twenty five hundred dollars"
 Marvin slowly took his pipe from his mouth, struck il against his heel to knock the ashes out, and then calmly walked deck where he sat down. He was staggered. He knew the vessel wasn't worth anything unless some one wanted take risk.
 But the stranger followed him.
 "Tll give you 5000 and it'll be cash money" he said Say yes or mo-"
 Ten thousand dollars said Marvin, slowly and emphatically The other laughed.
 It finally ended after considerable haggling in Marvin accepting $75o0.
 There's need of saying anything about this" suggested the stranger after they had gone to an attorney and then to a bank where the transfer made and the money paid Marvin assented. Then he hurried out to the docks again, and quickly bought much better vessel than the Sea Gull for 5000. Then he hunted up the purchaser of the Sea Gull.
 'Pve got another bargain for you," he an- nounced
 'Huh?" demanded the other in amazement
 Marvin repeated his remark
 'Why?'' asked the Norwegian.
 The war, the brief response.
 The other stared collectively at the American for few moments.
 Want in ths?" he finally asked.
 Marvin gravely nodded. He thought of his daughter ana her children in Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . seee sss = se .