The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1919-12-18

oun,ntancc between him and my pas
scnccr. the shnckly d%cckhnnd tslnI hP
parcntly taken In MS IN humble th'rd.
They sat for'ard. talking together anu
my passenger read 10 them. on one
occasion. from II piece Of printed pa
per that tut'crrd in the wind.
The captain was occupied with his
helm. and the thoughts he didn't seem
10 feel the necessity ~ sharing; q
oulct. polScd. probably stupid man. FOR
whom could not deny the respect we
must always give to content, however
sImplc. lie was n sailor. and | don't
know what better ~ say Of Il man.
So for companlon>hir | was thrown
. back upon Tom. | felt, too, that he
was my only friend on board, ana n
vague feeling had comc over me that
within the next few hours | might need
Il friend.
"Arc we going too fast for fishing
Tom?' | asked.
"Not too fast for n barracuda" said
Tom So we put out lines ana watched
the stretched strings, and listened to
the sea. After II while Toms line grew
taut, and we hauled in n iivc-foot bar
raCouta.
Look :" said Tom. ms he pointed to
n little writing ecl.liEc shape, about
nine inches long. attached To the belly
OF the b%arracontn.
~ sucking fish :" said Tom. That's
good luck :" and he proceeded to turn
over the poor creature and cut from
his back. Immediately below his head
u HAT inch and n half Of skin lined
and stamped like n rubber sole-the
device by which he held on TO the
belly of the barracuda much rs the
circle OF wet leather holds the stone
In n s~Choolhoy's sling.
Snow" he said, when he had Il
clean and neat in his fingers, we must
hang this W and dry 1t in the north.
east wind; the wind Is Just right
mormon east-and there Is no mascot
like II, specially when" Old Tom
hesitated, with Il slyly innocent smile
In his eyes.
-What Is II. TomT" ! asked.
swell. sir, I meant to say that this
particular part OF Il sucking fish. prop
crly dried In the northeast wind, IS u
wonderful mascut-when you're goin,
after treasure"
who said / was going after treas
ureT" | asked.
Aren't you, sahT" replied Tom
asking your pardon"
Tets talk 1t over later on, whcr
you bring me my dinner, Tom"
Later, us Tom stood, serving IN
coffee, took II up with him again.
"What was that you were sayln,
abou, treasure, Tomy" | asked.
well, sar, what | meant was this
hat going after treasure Is n danger.
u business it's not only III,
living you're to think of" Here Ton
threw a careful eye for'ard.
"The crew, you meani"
He nodded.
"But It's the dead too"
THE deod, Tomi"
swell. sar, there was never n buried
treasure yet that didn't claim It's vic
tim. Not one or two either. Six or
eight of them, to my acknowledgements
the treasure just whore It was for all
that. | daS'say It sounds all foolish.
ness. but It's true for all that. Some
thing or other'll come. mark my word
just when they think they've 90,
their hands on It: II hurricane or a
tidal wave or an earthquake. And
well, the ghost laughs. but the treasure
stays there all the same"
"The ghost laughsf" I asked.
"Ehl OF course; didn't you know
every treasure Is guarded by a ghosti
He's got to keep watch there TN the
next fellow comes along, TO relieve
sentry duty, so to speak. He doesn't
give 1t away. My mol He dassn't do
that. But the minute someone else is
killed, coming looking for It. then he's
ireland the new ghost has got 70
on sitting there, waiting for ever
so long till someone else comes Look.
ing for It,"
"But what has this sucking fish ro,
to do with IT." And | pointed to the
red membrane already drying In Toms
hand.
well, the man who carries this f.
MS pocket won't be the mex ghost" he
answered.
Take good care Of II for mo, hon
Tom said, "and when it's propcrIy
dried let Inc have It. For I've n SCR,
OF idea | may have need Of II. oftcr
w
AND Just then old Sailor. the ouIotes,
member of the crew, put w his head
INTO my hands, rs though to say that
had been unfairly lost sight OF.
Yves. and you too. old chap-that',
right. Tom and you and l."
And then | turned In for the n,ph,
The p~ockmarked man
| DrnlIoc IN ptarnnk..-