The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1919-07-24
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CHAPTER -NI
CHAPTE I,

",
story 10 my two friends, John and
Charlie Webster. all just as IL I had
never stirred from my easy chair, in.
stead OF having spent an exciting
month or so among sharks, dead men,
blood-lapping ghosts, card-playing
skeletons and such like?
My friends listened to my yarn In
characteristic fashion, John Saunders
eyes like mice peeping out of n cup.
board, and Charlie Webster's huge
bulk poised almost threatening, as II
were, with the keenness of his atten.
tion. His deep-set kind brown eyes
giowed like boys as went on, but
by their dangerous kindling at certain
points Of the story, those dealing with
our pockmarked friend, Henry p. To.
bias, Jr.. soon realized where, for
him, the chief interest of the story
lay.
"The - rebelW he roared out
once or twice, using an adjective De
culiarly English.
For him my story had but one moral
the treason Of Henry p. Tobias, Jr.
The treasure might as we'll have had
no existence, so far as he was con.
cerned, and the grim climax In the
cave drew nothing from him but a pre-.
occupied nod. And John Saunders
was little more satisfactory. Both of
them allowed me to end In silence.
They both seemed to be thinking
deeply.
II must say you two are a great au.
dience." I said presently, perhaps
rather childishly nettled.
"1t's a very serious matter" said
John Saunders, and I realized that II
was not my crony but the secretary to
the treasury Of his Britannia majes.
tvs government at Nassau that was
talking. AS he spoke he looked across
at Charlie Webster, almost as If for.
getting me. Something should be
done about 1t, eh, Charlie?" he con.
tinued.
- traitorl" roared Charlie, once
more employing that British adjective.
And then he turned to me:
"Look here, old pal, I'll make bar.
gain with you. II you like. I suppose
you're keen for that other treasure
now, eh2"
ain, Sdlu j, TdtneT StlHly,
swell, then, I'll go after 1t with
yOu-On one condition. You can keep
the treasure, II you'll give me Tobias
It would do my heart good to get him,
as you had the chance of doing that
afternoon. Whatever were you doing
to miss him?"
" proposed to myself the satisfac,
N hot mi, 4
said, ION our next meeting. feel J
owe It to the poor old captain"
"Neyer mind; hand the captains
rights over to me-and I'll help you
all ] know with your treasure. Be-
sides, Tobias is job for an English.
man-eh, John? It's matter OF king
and country with me. With you II
would be mere private vengeance.
With me 1t will be an execution; with
you 1t would be a murder. Isn't that
%, John"
Exactly" John nodded.
"Since you were away" Charlie be-
gan again, "Tve bought the prettiest
yawl you ever set eyes on--the Fla.
mingo-forty-fve over all, and this
time the very fastest boat in the har-
Dor. Yes! she's faster even than the
Susan b. Now I've q holiday due me
In about fortnight. Say the word,
and tho Elamingo's yours for a couple
Of months, and her captain too. I
make only that one condition"
"All right. Charlie" agreed; "he's
yours"
Whereat Charlie shot out a huge
paw like a shoulder Of mutton and
grabbed my hand with as much fervOr
as though had saved his life or done
him some other unimaginable kind
ness, And as he did 80 his broad.
sweet smile came back again. He was
thinking of Tobias.
While Charlie Webster was arrang.
Ing his affairs 80 that he might be
able to take his holiday with free
mind I busted myself with provision
ing the Flamingo, and In casually chat
ting with one and another along the
water front. in the hope Of gathering
some hint that might guide us on our
coming expedition. thought 1t pos
sible, too, that chance might thus
bring me some information as to the
recent movements OF Tobias.
In this way made the acquaintance
of several old salts. both white and
black. one or two Of whom time and
their neighbors had invested with
legendary SAVIOR OF the old "wrecking
days." which, II rumOr speaks true.
are not entirely vanished from the
remoter corners Of the islands. But
either their romantic halos were en-.
tirely due to imaginative gossip. or
they themselves we're too shrewd to
he drawn. for got nothing out Of
I them to my purpose.
One afternoon in the course Of these
rather fruitless II interesting investl-
cations among the picturesque ship
yards Of Bay street I had Wandered
farther along that historic water front
than Ia customary with sightseeing Pc
destrians. and had come to where the
road begins to be left alone with the