The Mena weekly star., 1919-10-02

on board and, as the fog slowly 1rifted away, my eyes could discern no sign of any boat, no evidence of the crew, along the wide sweep of water. 4 voice aroused me-
 What was it you said, Jack, bout treasure on the old hooker? Why not get it afore it's too late?" .A
 Its thar. all right, Ole and 1 knew the speaker to be Haines "Ain't it, Mir Carlyle2~
 Yes, lads, there must be money on board, unless those fellows took it with them in the boats. I know of fifty thousand pounds stolen in Yir- ginia, and no doubt there is more than that The bark is liable to slide off that rock any minute and go down like a stone. What do you say. bullies? Here is risky job, but pocket full of gold pieces, if we can get aboard and safely off again. Who'll go across with mel"
 There was babel of voices, the men crowding about me, all else forgotten as greed gripped their imaginations.
 Stand back, lads l cannot use ali of you. Four will be enough. You1l not lose anything of what we bring back !; it'll be share and share alike, so fall. to. hearties."
 paused an instant to speak to Dorothy, seated on the flag locker, ex- piaining to her swiftly my object ip exploring the wreck and pledging my self not to be reckless in attempting to board l read fear in her eyes, yet she said nothing to dissuade me.
 l slipped down rope and dropped into the boat. taking my place with steering oar at the stern, and we shot away through the green water. The Nanur proved to be a more complete wreck than our distant view had re veaied and lying in more prccarious position It was no pleasant lob get ting aboard, but ordering 1aincs to ac- company me, and the others to lie by, made use of q dangling backstay, and thus hauled myself up to u reasonably secure footing. The fellow joined me breathless. and together we perched N.
 It was a distressing. hopeless sight, the vessel rising before us like the roof of a house, the deck blanks stove ir a horrible tumble of running rig ging, 3ooms and spars, blocking the way forward. There were three bodies tangled in the wreckage within our sight, crushed out of all human re- semblance, and the face of q negro, caught beneath the ruins of the galley, seemed to grin back at me in death. Every timber groaned as the waves struck and rocked the sodden mass, and had no doubt but that the vessel had already broken in two.
 Haines was evidently reluctant, but sailor enough to follow as 1 lowered myself to the deck. clinging hard to keep my footing on the wet incline. A light spar had lodged here. and by making this a species of bridge, we crept as far as the companion, the door of which was open. and gained view of the scene below. It was a dismal hole in the dim light. but presented no obstacle to our entrance, and l led the way down the stairs, gripping the rail to keep from falling.
 The door of the captains room gave. but 1t required our combined efforts to press it open against the volume of water, slushing about within. For a moment my eyes could scarcely recog- nize the various objects as clung to the frame of the door and stared blind ly about in the gloom. Then slowly they assumed shape and substance. Screwed to the deck, the furniture re- tained its place. but everything else was damned in a mass of wreckage, or else floating about in a foot of water, deepening toward the stern. There were two chests in the room. one of which instantly recognized as that of Roger Fairfax. The sight of this made me oblIvious to all else.
 There's the chest we want, Haines," cried. pointing it out. Have the lads back the boat up to this port; then come down and help me handle it."
 "Yes. sir" his voice trembling, "but but isn't that a man over therein the bunk? Good God. sir; look at himi'
 The white, ghastly face stared at us, looking like nothing human in that awful twilight. I actually thought it a ghost, until with desperate effort the man lifted himself, clinging with gaunt fingers to the edge of the bunk. Then l knew.
 "Sar chezl You those towards left you here to die !"
 No one came for me-" ne answered. choking so the words were scarcely in- telligible. "Who are you. and what brought you herer'
 'T'll tell you frankly, Captain Sanchez" ]" and stepped closer. We risked coming aboard to save that chest-Roger Fairfax's chest-befors it went down. This vessel has it's back broken, and may slide off into deep water at any minute. We must get you out of here first"
 (Will Be Continued Next Week.)