The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-09-20

| III IdcL, ana my IFienu Vi the WOuueIs
I full works of God" looked up with a
fdeprecating air. Its effect on George
Twas nil, except perhaps to further
| deepen his sulks.
And this / did notice. after while,
| that my remarks to George seemed to
/ have set up certain sympathetic ac-
! quaintanee between him and my pas
lsenger, the shackly deckhand being APP
parently taken in as an humble third.
They sat for'ard, talking together, and
my passenger read to them, on one
occasion, from piece of printed pa
per that futtered in the wind.
The captain was occupied with his
HELM, and the thoughts he didn't seem
i to feel the necessity of sharing;
Iquiet, poised, probably stupid man, for
i whom could not deny the respect we
i must always give to content, however
simple. He was sailor, and | don't
i know what better to say of man.
i So for companionship was thrown
back upon Tom. l felt, too, that he
was my only friend on board. and
1 vague feeling had come over me that
4 within the next few hours might need
ID friend.
II "Are we going too fast for fishing
/ Tom?" asked.
4 mot too fast for barracuda" said
n Tom; SO we put out lines and watched
q the stretched strings, and listened to
4 the sea. After while Toms line grew
u taut, and we hauled in five-foot bar
!. racouta.
s'Look!" said Tom, as he pointed to
!, little writhing eel-ltke shape, about
1 nine inches long, attached to the belly
of the barracuda.
II "a sucking fish," said Tom. "That's
. good luck" and he proceeded to turn
over the poor creature and cut from
i his back Immediately below his head,
flat inch and half of skin lined
/ and stamped like rubber sole--the
device by which he held on to the
B belly of the barracuda much as the
circle of wet leather holds the stone
IA IN Scn0OlDOyS sling.
SNOW" he said, when he had ii
clean and neat in his fingers, 1--WE must
E hang this up and dry it in the north
/ east wind; the wind is just right
nor east-and there is no mascot
like it, specially when" Old Tom
hesitated, with slyly innocent smile
in his eyes.
"What is it, Tom?" | asked.
swell, sir, I meant to say that thi!
particular part of sucking fish, prop
erly dried in the northeast wind, is {
wonderful mascot--when you're COINS
after treasure"
"Who said I was going after treas
ure?" | asked.
"Aren't you. sah?" replied Tom
|. asking your pardon"
Lets talk it over later on, whel
you bring me my dinner, Tom"
/ Later, as Tom stood, serving m,
coffee, / took it up with him again.
what was that you were sayin'
about treasure, TomTr l asked.
~ well. sar. what I meant was this
that going after treasure is danger
Gus business It's not only tn
living you're to think Of" Here Ton
threw a careful eye for'ard.
1.-THE crew, you mean?"
He nodded.
"But it's the dead too"
"The dead, Tom?'
swell, sar, there was never burie
/ treasure yet that didn't claim its viz
! tim. Not one or two either. Six o
, eight of them, to my knowledge-an
the treasure just where it was for a
!. that. 1 das'say 1t sounds all foolish
! ness. but it's true for all that. Some
4 thing or other'll come, mark my wor
| just when they think they've &c
! their hands on 1t: hurricane or
II tidal wave or an earthquake. And
! well. the ghost laughs, but the treasur
j STAYS there all the same"
/. "The ghost laughs?' asked.
.e "Eh! of course; didn't you kno'
. every treasure is guarded by ghost
r 1c . EUl w hCCp WdlSA IhSiO iii ~
. next fellow comes along, to reliey
Il sentry duty so to speak. He dOesn
II give it away. My no! He dassn't d
"a that. But the minute someone else
h killed, coming looking for it, then he
i free--and the new ghost has got
Il go on sitting there, waiting for eve
Il SO long till someone else comes loo
% ing for it,"
wi "Bnt what has this sucking fish g
to do with it?' And l pointed to Il
red membrane already drying in Tom
i hand.
re "Well, the man who carries this
ne his pocket won't be the next ghost"
to answered.
he "Take good care OF 1t f0y me, the
Tom" I said, sand when it's proper
". dried let me have 1t. For I've so
d. lof idea I may have need of 1t, aft
I ALL"
err And just then old Sailor, the qniete
KS member of the crew, put up his he,
into my hands, as though to say tn
", he had been unfairly lost sight Of.
p- Eyes, and you too, old chap-tha
Ilright. Tom and you and l."
lii And then / turned in for the nigl