, 1923-06-27
What are they trying to sayr, he

.,r, ~ hoes' replleQ Satan.
iheyre not tryin' to say anythln,
only flynn to show times I'D. Cark
hasn't got a full set Of the c'mercia,
code; wouldn't know how to use
men, neither. Now If you're ready
Wen put off. Jude will stick here
to keep ship"
Jude protested.
why, you'll see the blow-up from
here a burned sight better than from
the boat" said Satan.
i want TO see her innards when the
decks Off" said Jude.
why, Lord bless me! you'll have
days to see them in," said Satan. "and
there's no KNOWN what NAV hapnan
when the blow-up comes, what with
YIN timbers and muck. I'll come
back and bring you off when the DOW.
der's fired. ! can't say fairer than
that"
They got into the dinghy and showed
off. Jude watching them.
Sellers was waiting for them on the
reef, and Cleary. Their boats were
on the strip of beach surrounded by
me crews and a couple of fellows on
the wreck were putting the last
touches to the preparation of the
charge. Sellers was holding what
seemed a length of thick white cord
in his hand.
Here's the fuse" said he, "I had
1t left over with the barrel from that
last wrecking business we did in the
fall. It's a five-minutes' fuse"
oh, is it?' said Satan, handling
the thing. "And where's your guar.
antee? S'posin' it only takes a min.
ute? And five minutes is none too
much for the man that fires 1t to get
clear of the reef and put out"
That's true" said Sellers, "and one
of you will have to do the firm bust
ness, seem I'm lame"
What's famed you?"
Fell on the deck this mornin' over
a slush tub one of them d-n dagoes
left lynn in the dark. Near put my
knee OUT
Then Cleary will do the trick"
said Satan.
Cleary laughed. mot mel I'm not
lame, but it amt my job. Runnin'
over rocks don't suit me, and / reckon
the man that lays a light TO that thing
will want to be a boundin' kangaroo"
Instead of a id ass like y'self,"
said Satan. Come on, I'll light 1t,
I'm not afeard."
They clambered over the rocks,
crossed the rock bridge, and gained
the wreck.
While they were examining the
fuse-hole, Radcliffe took notice of the
cuts radiating starlike from the
charge-hole that had been made in the
d~eck-casing. When he turned again.
Satan, with the aid Of Sellers. had
fixed the fuse. The Spanish sailors
who had been at work had taken their
departure and were already down by
the boats, leaving only four men on
the wreck-Satan, Sellers, Cleary and
himself.
Satan rose up, clapped the knees of
his trousers as If to knock dust Off
them, and produced a box of matches
from his pocket.
Look here" said Radcliffe. ITS
not fair. Let's draw lots who'll fire
the thing"
mot me-" said Satan. II wouldn't
trust one of them two with a box of
matches, let alone a dollar. Now then,
scatter for the boats"
Then to Radcliffe. as Sellers and
Cleary made off. stand by ready to
shove the dinghy off when you see me
coming. on with you. and, If Pm
blown to blazes, look after the kid"
When Radcliffe reached the strip of
beach the boats of the Juan and
Natchez had showed Off. He could see
the figure Of Carquinez Mt the after
rail of the Juan and Jude watching
from the Sarah. He pulled the din.
ghy down n bit more to the water and
then. turning, looked at the wreck.
Satan was standing against the sky
line, now he was down on his knees,
and now he vas up again. The fuse
had evidently been fired, but he did
not move; stood evidently looking to
see that IL was burning properly, and
then moved of, walking, not running,
and moi even hurrying himself.
Then he came clamberlng over the
rocks, reached the dinghy, and they
pushed OF. 81.
We'll, you are n cool chap" said
Radcliffe. I'D have run
"And broke your leg, maybe. There's
no danger unless n spark got ut the
powder. The burned thing was spark
in and spittin' like all possessed when
left II. reckon that's why Sellers
got cold feet. We're out far enough
now" He ceased rowing. and they
hung drifting.
Ratcllre looked round. The other
boats were much farther out. The
tepid wind Ind almost died of, so that
the flag on the Juan and Natchez
hung in wisps. They could hear the
wash of the water on the reef ana
,ba occasional InmpntntiOn of n gull.