The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-10-18

that he did not suppose he was follow
ed, Or he would not have taken the
risk of going ashore unless disguised.
This theory turned out to be wrong. as
will appear later.
l looked for q week among the Is
lands of Casco bay for the Muller with
put getting any trace Of her whatever.
Then one morning when l went up
from below I saw a boat anchored III
cove that answered to her except
that the latter was a lead color, while
the Muller was white. 1t happened
that we had for two days had one of
those fogs that float in from tbs ocean
in that region. This put me on to a
train of thought. My father had been
in the volunteer navy during the war
between the states, and he had told
me that ships attempting to run the
blockade of the Confederate ports were
painted a light gray, this being the
color best adapted to concealment, es-
pecially in the gray of the morning.
This, together with the resemblance in
all except color between the Muller
and this boat l was looking at. sug-
gested to me that the fugitive had been
repainted. During a two days fog
there had been ample opportunity to
do this.
l at once ran over every point had
noted when the Muller was lying at
Philadelphia, and this gray boat before
me correspondent with her in every par
ticular. at once gave orders to steam
for her. We were lying at anchor at
the time, and the fires were banked.
Before we could get the anchor up and
sufficient steam OH the gray boat got
off and disappeared around a point Of
the island
She had evidently been waiting for
the return Of boat that had gone
ashore and started without any appear
ance of haste as soon as it reached her.
1 did not believe-if she were the Null
ler-that she suspected we were after
her. In order that she might not know
that we were avoided all appearance
of haste, though I was Immensely i'm
patient When we finally got off I pur-
posely went around the island on the
other side from the suspect. When we
next saw her she was steaming along
deliberately.
Looking eastward I saw a low bank
of fog OH the horizon and feared that
we would be caught in it before reach.
ing the suspect. l ordered on full
steam, but the fog bank rose rapidly
and we We're soon enveloped in it.
That was the last glimpse we got OF
the gray boat for another week, when
in passing a narrow inlet In the main
land l saw her at the further end part
~ concealed by overhanging trees.
at once ordered our course altered, and
we entered the cove. I now felt easy
for she could not get out Of the inlel
| without our intercepting her. AS W.
sailed, on drawing closer and closer,
noticed that she was lying at anchor
but no one was on deck. No move wa:
made to get away from us, and whel
we drew up within cables length O
her we saw plainly tAat no one wa:
aboard Of her. I got into a small boat
was pulled alongside Of her and gol
aboard. Every entrance to her cabil
was locked There was reason to be
lieve that those who were cruising IL
her had gone ashore and had left he
under lock and key to avoid losing wha
she contained.
On pulling toward her had notices
the name on her stern. 1t was til
Seminole Of Jacksonville, Fla. NJ.
| suspicious of her were lulled by thi
till / remembered that no such small
craft from Florida would be likely Il
make it's way up to Maine. Besides
the letters had been evidently fresl
painted.
! felt such confidence in her beinl
the vessel l was looking for that
sent to my tug for implements, brok
open the doors to the companionwa.
and went below. Everything indicated
that the crew had gone ashore. Their
was no steam on-indeed, no fires II
the furnaces. l searched her for ev1
dence as to what she was or to whom
she belonged, but could find not
scrap Of anything to give the informa
ton. I was reluctantly forced to th
conclusion that she belonged to par
ty who were cruising for pleasure. S
l fixed up the door as well as l coul'
and got back to my tug.
The captain, after hearing what
had to say about the matter, said tina
J he would go aboard the Seminole an,
have n look for himself. l concludes
to go back with him. Having obtain
ed access to the cabin, he led the wa.
straight to the furnace and opened til
door. All was dark within the fire
box. The captain scratched a mattel
and held it inside the box. Then b
took out package. snatched it iron
him, unrolled it and exposed a larg
package Of bank bills. On bein
counted they turned out to be til
amount was after, lacking abou
$500, which had evidently been pai'
for the boat and other expenses.
| asked the captain how he ha,
come to suspect that the money ha'
been hidden in the firebox, and he sal
that when an examination Ind bee
made OF the interned German liners a
Hoboken at the time the break wa
made between the United States an
Germany he had been OH hand an
seen pieces of the machinery of on
of the vessels taken from an unuse
furnace.
The rest of the story remained e
some time mystery. Then one of th
Simpsons crew, who at the time di
!, not know what he was hired for, II
vealed the facts. Simpson got word @
the fact that we were inquiring fo