The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-05-31
CHAPTER w
We Dig Deep

During the colloquy no portion
of Jmpiter's person could be seen;
but the beetle, which he had suf-
fered to descend, was now visible
at the end Of the string and gilt
tered like globe of FURNISHED
gIod. in the last rays of the set
ting sun, some of which still FAINT
Ily illuminated the eminence upon
which we stood. The scarabaeusI
hung quite clear of any branches,
and, If allowed to fall, would have
fallen at our feet.
Legrand Immediately took the
lscythe, and cleared with 1t a cir
cular space, three or four yards In
diameter, Just beneath the insect,
and. having accomplished this, or
dered Jupiter to let go the string
and come down from the tree.
Driving a peg, with great nicely,
into the ground at the precise spot
where the beetle fell. my friend
now produced from his pocket a
tape measure. Fastening one end
of this at that point OF the trunk
of the tree which was nearest the
peg, he unrolled 1t till it reached
the peg and thence further unroll-
ed 1t, in the direction already es-
tablished by the two points OF the
tree and the peg, for the distance
of fifty feet = Jupiter clearing
away the brambles with the scythe.
At the spot thus attained second
peg was driven. and about this, as
a center, a rude circle, about four
feet in diameter, described. TAX
ing now a spade himself, and CIV
ling one to Jupiter and one to me,
Legrand begged us to set about
digging as quickly as possible.
To speak the truth, I had mo-
especial relish for such amuse-
ment at any time. and, at that
particular moment, would most
willingly have declined it; for the
night was coming on. and felt
much fatigued with the exercise
already taken; but I saw no mode
of escape. and was fearful OF dis
Iturbing my poor friends equani-
nifty by a refusal.
Could I have depended, indeed.
upon Jupiter's aid, would have
had no hesitation in attempting to
get the lunatie home by force; but
was to well assured of the old
lnegro's disposition, to hope that
he would assist me, under any cir
cumstances, in a personal contest
with his master made no doubt
that the latter had been infected
with some of the innumerable
Southern superstitions about
money buried, and that his phan-
tasy' had received confirmation by
the finding of the scarabaeus, or
perhaps. by Jupiter's obstinacy in
maintaining 1t to be "a bug of
real gold"
A mind disposed to lunacy
would readily be led away by huch
lsuggestions-especially If Ginning
In with favorite preconceived
ideas-and then I called to mind
the poor fellows speech about the
beetles being "the index of HIS
fortune. Upon the whole, was
sadly vexed and puzzled, but at
length, I concluded to make vir-
tue of necessity--to dig with a
good will, and thus the sooner to
convince the visionary, by ocular
demonstration, of the falIacy Of
the opinions he entertained.
The lanterns having been 1T, we
all fell to work with a zeal worthy
a more rational cause; and, as the
glare fell upon our persons and
implements. could not help think
ling how picturesque q group we
composed, and how strange and
suspicious our fabors nust have
appeared to any interlopsr who,
by chance, might have stumbled
upon our whereabouts.
Continued I'm Our Next Tssue.)