, 1923-02-11

3uaItiH Dihhe, law clerk with a
longing for adventure, gets a taste of
1t when his employer.
Josiah Smatt, who handles some
mysterious cases, directs him to carry
a sealed envelope to
Capt. Wild Bob Carew, who is to be
found in the BLACK Cruiser galoon
at Green Street and the Embarca.
dero, q Francisco. While Blake is
getting his instructions as to deliver.
ing the envelope.
DIR. Ichi, a dandifIed Japanese. sits
at Smatt's table. While Ichi pre-.
viously has been closeted with Smatt,
a supposed book agent who Martin
later learns is
Little Billy, n hunchback, steward
OF the Brig. Cohasset. apparently tries
to sell a Compendium of Know.
ledge" The book agent, however, let's
his eyes rove all over the place as he
talks. His attempt at a sale is inter,
rupted by Smatt's summons. When
Blake with the envelope in his pocket
reenters h main part of Smatt's
office he has n sense of someone's
having just left. That night, on his
GRAND, Blake encounters
The Bosun of the Cohasset, alec.
holically m%ournful over the disap.
pearance Of Little Billy, with whom
he had started out to buy a birthday
present for the briggs blessed little
mate" When Blake refers to Ichi
n Carew. the Bosum, q gigantic,
h-less Englishman, becomes suddenly
belligerent.
As he nears the BLACK Cruiser
Martin runs into Little Billy, whom
he tells of the bosun's anxiety.
Though Martin detects no odor OF
liquor on the hunchgack. Little Billy
appears unsteady and, in seeking to
maintain his balance, selzes the law
clerks overcoat. in which he carries
the envelope Smatt was sending to
Carew. Near the saloon Martin
! passes a figure in n gray o~vercoat
He enters the 'Black Cruiser and is
put in an empty room OF the lodging
house upstairs while Carew is to be
told of his arrival. AS he waits in
the dark room he hears a noise that
makes him look out in time to sec a
group OF Japanese dragging a beauti
full white girl. clad in n gray coat
along the passage. AS he opens the
door, a fist shoots through, hits him
in the pit of his stomach and knocks
him back into the room,
The Jap messenger who comes tc
convey Martin to Captain Carew de
clines to answer the law clerks ques
tons about the girl, and to Blake's
excited story. Carew himself-an ex
Extraordinarily handsome man-turns Q
deaf, ear, demanding that Martin de
liver the message. Realizing now
that through the police would CONF
the best chance to rescue the girl
whose gray overcoat was lying on TIL,
floor of the Captains room. Martin
delivers the envelope. As he turnet
TO go Carew discovers that the en-
velope contained only blank paper
He roars out n command that result,
in Martins being assaulted by severa
Japanese servants and
Spulvedo, keeper of the s"BIacl
Cruiser" Blake. knocked out In TIL,
battle, comes to in n small, dark
room. His kicks against the o
bring a bullet crashing through II
and q command from Spulvedo &c
keep quiet. Presently Martin hear
an irregular tapping on the wall OF
the room in which he is a prisoner
Martin is unable to understand the
tapping. Little Billy, coming to res,
u the captive girl.
Ruth lie MOyne. rescues Martin as
we'll. Their escape is discovered as
they leave the premises of the 'BlacS
Cruiser" and in a gun battle that fol
lows Blake, who had been given a
pistol by Little Billy. shoots Spulvedc
and throws his weapon, emptied, full
in the face of Carew MS the latter
shoots. Martin awakens on board the
Cohasset. Little Billy explains that
Blake had suffered a scalp wound
from Carew's shot. 1--WE shanEhaied
you for your own good" the bunch.
back explained. 1.-THE police or
Carew's gang would have got you.
You were not cut out for a law clerk,
anyway"
| Miss Le Moyne, Martin learns, is
mate Of the Cohassetl As he sees her
now. he is convinced he was right in
judging her beautiful when he first
saw her a captive in the dive. Her
grandfather is
Square Jim Dabney, blind captain
OF the brig. Through Little Billy,
Dabney hears the first part of the
Secret of Fire Mountain" The
huchback begins by producing a
parchment covered with figures
which was in the envelope Martin
was carrying to Carew. Little Billy