The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-10-04

combining the quest OF health with
moderate income easily earned
through running a pleasure yacht,
and you will discern that nothing
could be so far fetched as piracy, or
police interference, or affiliation with
anything criminal or revolutionary
And yet you will soon see that unwill-
ingly | was made an agent in a stir
ring episode that may turn out SAN
culinary. sensational and fairly inter
national in its scope"
The speaker chose good language,
and was clear and direct i'll his mar
rative.
THE sky was dull and lowering,
the bay chopping and streaked with
yellow splotches. when a, fiat boat
came creeping along the shore in a
way that told me she was crippled in
some part of her running gear. This
was the afternoon of the day you
gentlemen saw me. There were four
men in police uniform aboard. One
of them observed wore a captaincy
button, and as the unwieldy craft
came nearer recognized him.
Hello he hailed, i know you,
and he smiled and waved his hand in
friendly fashion. Remember
captain Discoll / believe
Father of the bride whose party
you took down the coast last week,
added the official. You not only
know your business, my friend, but
you take such good care of your pas
sengers that they have none but the
pleasantest memories. By the way
"a sudden idea seemed suggested 70
my official friend as his eye rested
on my trim and natty craft. He spoke
some words to his companion and the
police boat was soon alongside.
"'See here, Mr.. Butler he said TO
me, drawing me to one side, you
would guess a long time before you
fixed on what we've got in the hold
of that old tub
"'Yes?
"'I think So Contraband expresses
it, in way. We have four big boxes
loaded to the brim with fire arms,
weapons and burglar tools confiscated
from prisoners. Once year we load
them on boat, run out few miles
and sink them. We started today,
but the boat has gone afoul. Again,
we are ordered past the ten-mile linn
it this time, as some of the plumber
has been fished up in the past
81 see,' I observed,
cit would be speedy job for you.
What do you 'say-would you let us
transfer the rubbish to The Arrow
and take our task off our hands-for
consideration, Of course?'
Gladly l answered.
4 know / can trust you. Just at
tend to it right and come to head
quarters tomorrow with your bill and
| I'll o. X. it.
To make long story short, was
all ready to start on my cruise when
that man and girl came aboard. Her
escort offered me $500 to make a Iii
rect run for a point in the Caribbean.
1t was a temptation, and I agreed.
We reached destination on a fast run,
| foul as the weather was. When we
landed the man made another offer
$4,000 for the yacht. / was so dazzled
with all that money that he was in
command and away with the craft
and the girl before l realized what
l had left aboard of the yacht. That
is all except that I do not intend to
send in any bill to the Galveston po-
lice department"
There is a trifie more to add" re-
marked Marvel, after the man had
left. "The two satchels those people
had were swept overheard. From
what the yachtsman learned they
were bound for Separation Island-a
reminder of that word penciled on
the slip of paper-remember?- Sep
aramos.'"
Resilius Marvel was a quick think
er and never slow in action. Behold
us the very next day, a steam
launch at our disposal and a man in
charge who knew the Caribbean like
book.
Resilius Marvel would not have
been what he was had he started on
the cruise unaware of what he was
running into. Separation Island was
one of those innumerable dots on the
water north of Venezuela, sometimes
an appurtenance of the state, some
times ceded to corporation, often
sold to individuals. For fifty years it
had been bone of contention among
varied claimants. It was in dispute
now, as we were soon to learn.
1 think I shall never forget the
scene that greeted our eyes the morn
ing we reached the island. One end
ran up into a bold promontory that
was a natural fortress. The remain
der of the island, famous for large
deposits of silica nature of sound
commercial value, was quite level.
Grouped on that portion in the bril-
liant sunlight was a small army OF
about one hundred men. AS we
neared them we stared and wondered.
Never was a coterie of apparent
warriors so equipped. There was
scarcely a man who bad not at his
belt half a dozen weapons. They car
ried knives, daggers, stillettos. pis-
tolls, revolvers, sawed-off guns. Then
1 guessed what had happened-they
had discovered that fearful armament
aboard The Arrow and had utilized
it to the limit
We were not menaced, only stared
at as we ran ashore. The first man
to greet us officially was Colonel Aloa