Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-06
THE BUBBLING WE'LL


back from tho golf links. '"the idea of
an Intentional wreckage is preposter-
Gus. Why. Webb and the boatswain
are two of the very best men we have
in the service, and they've been in 1t
for years. And they both know, just
as well as we do. that it means I'M
prisonment for life. Do you think
they would take a risk like that ana
actually turn pirates-for that IS
what it amounts to-for the mere
salvage from a coasting schooner?
Never. I don't believe a word of it."
well. 1 can hardly credit it myself,
: but Barlow & Co., the owners, de-
clare they have perfectly clear case
against them and swear they Will
prove it in the colonial court"
LET them prove it, them was the
j., emphatic answer of the governor, as
he drove his walking stick deep into
s the sand to enforce his opinion.
The subject of this conversation
was an occurrence that had stirred
the whole foreign community, and IN.
cidentally taken up good oeal OF
space in the columns of the local
papers. 1t was briefly this: The
Edward had sailed out of the harbor
At dusk and had set her course Tor
Formosa. Her cargo happened TO De
an unusually valuable one. consisting
of several thousand pounds worth OF
the choicest ginseng, the most cost
~ of native drugs. which the Chinese
shippers (for some unknown preJu-
dice) had been unwilling to consign
to the regular steamer. Every pre-
caution had been taken to secure
and protect it. and it was Whispered
that her captain and crew were
heavily armed. All had gone well
until midnight when she was APP
preaching PAX Lao Ting lWhite Tiger
point), and then suddenly the llght
in the tower on the point began 10
the CONSERVATION of her skipper.
sputtered and went entirely out.
A STRONG ebb tide was running at
"A the time, and before she could
be brought about, in the sharp turn
that they have to make at the red
buoy, she was swung close In TO
the headland and was thrown broad
side on the beach. The native crew
of eight men became panic-stricken
at once, seizing the first things at
hand-which happened to be the
oars of the schooner's boat-)umped
into the surf and shrieked to their
Iish sailors tried to cut the boat
loose. but, finding the oars gone.
threw off their coats and started Tor
the shore. which. fortunately. they
all succeeded in reaching.
There being no apparent way OF
scaling the cliff, they decided that
their only hope was in following the
beach to the nearest village where
they could secure help. Fortunatei!
they found two of the native crew
ing them as guides and interpreters.
they walked all night and half the
following day, when they reached
cluster of fishing huts and there
found food and shelter. When tne
from the port. after their arrival
there reached the scene of the wreck
few days later, the schooner was
found intact. though badly battered.
but every trace OF her precious cargo
Looted by Cantonese pirates" was
what the papers said. and no one
doubted 1t, was correct-except bar
low & Co. and some government
agents.
panied the lighthouse inspector went
at once up the steep path to the
tower, and there they found Weoo,
the keeper and his assistant . ,sno~ W
1T wasn't our fault. gentlemen"
they cried: at wasn't our fault. Some
thing went wrong with the OIL ana
we've been these hve days trying 10
"And what's the meaning OF all
this?" inquired the inspector. pointing
TO several large bundles OF ginseng
behind the door.
= That's what the boatswain ana 1
saved from the wreck in the daytime.
before the pirates got at her. sir" was
"And why are you trying to hide it?'
Were not trying to hide it, sir; me
and my mate just slowed 1t there tor
safekeeping." VI
"a likely tale. that. Well. back
with you both to Hongkong aboard
the tug-these two new men will take
charge of the light and you'll explain
all this to the court.
Now. the charge of tampering in any
wav with q government lighthouse is.
as every one knows. very serious
one to bring against an Englishman,
but when to this is added the accusa-
ton that light has actually been ex-
a ca pitai offense. Yet Messrs. Barlow
& Co.. the owners of the schooner.
brought this charge against Webb
and the boatswain. and claimed that
they had 4 budget of evidence to
prove it. The case was simply this;
the two native keepers were in league
with confederates in the colony who
knew of the sailing OF the Prince Ed
ward with her valuable cargo. and
who arranged with them to extin-
Ruish the light at the critical moment
and thus throw the schooner on the
beach. The ginseng was to be taken
from the wreck on the following day
and temporarily stored in the light
house until a junk which was hiding
behind the headland-, could get 1t on
board and then sail away to a pre-
arranged spot Here it was to be
landed and carried away to an inland
town to he sold. and a rich profit
would accrue to all concerned.
There was great noise and hustle at
and the Red Cloud alley. where the
largest Chinese drug stores were To-
Gated "Yiu niue leh lao Yiu niue
Ieh iaor c'What is the excite
ment?"). cried the passers-by as they
stopped to look at the red festoons
ten to the frecrackers. PAX yu tai
nan hsiao jie pei ting" THE
daughter of the proprietor of the
White Pearl drug store is being be-
trothed"D was the answer of the
crowd Of chair coolies. who. having
brought their fares to the doorway.
were now RECALLING themselves with
the free tea and tobacco which the
happy host was always expected to
furnish Within the famous estab-
thought Of business had been given
up for several days. in order to make
suitable preparation for the auspi-
eious event. The decorations were
most elaborate and the music was at
one moment weird and mournful
IN lx WaRn ND he