, 1923-08-08

you Dioody scraper, l told you
to hold of from the business! Satan,
forgive you that clap on the head.
Lord love me I'll never carry a der
ringer again. Give me a fryin' pan,
that's the weppin; o can dodge 1t
no more than you can dodge a thun-
derstorm.''
"Well.'' said Satan, "fryin' pan back
the lot of you, and I'll be on board the
Juan inside half an hour and settle my
business with you. If Clark had kept
his mouth hut instead Of givin' me
orders. we'd have finished 1t by now
and no heads broke
Wen be waiting for YOU" said
Sellers.
They tumbled into the boats and
r0wed of.
They never drew a knife" said Rat
cliffe.
"Oh, Cark took their knives from
them," said Satan. HE didn't want
no blood spillin' and trouble-too much
afraid Of the law"
Jude, who had collapsed sitting
wise on the deck, began to laugh
Historically.
what are you %laughin' at? demand
ed Satan.
Il dunno" said Jude.
Ten minutes later Satan and Rat
cliffe boarded the Juan. Cleary was
already on board. down in the cabin
with the others Clark and a bottle of
gin were presiding at one end of the
table. Satan, with a nod to the COM
pany, came to the table and took his
seat, m~otioning Radcliffe to AXE the
seat opposite to lin.
1t was like a meeting of a board of
directors, and the table just held the
six comfortably.
What followed struck the unaccus-
toned Radcliffe with establishment
the amiability of tit might have
been a card party, with Satan the
loser-momentarily.
well, gentlemen" said Satan,
whats to pay?"
There were extra glasses on the
table and a box Of cigars. The cigars
were pushed along by Sellers as he
spoke.
There's Cark's loss of time said
Sellers, mot to say mine and Cleary's.
We tried for you round Rum cay when
you gave us the slip. and then there
was the run dow here. A thousand
dollars to us that means, and five hun
dred to Cleary."
MAXIM 1t two thousand FIVE hun
dred and forty" said Satan. I'm
agreeable-and the derelic' is mine"
(which derelic?" asked Sellers inno-
Gently.
Satan. absolutely ~disdaining to reply,
lit a cigar.
"She's worth all ten thousand dol
lars" said he. ''and what's the salvage
on fhat?"
stuck on the sand there?" said Cleary.
mot worth fve-b'sides, she's our
meat"
Satan dropped Sellers and turned to
Carquinez. you'll maybe explain"
said he. you know the rights of the
law. II you try to collar that hooker.
I'll come in with first claim. and here's
a gentleman will back me In law ex-
penses. You know him-Mr. Radcliffe,
Holt 4 Ratcliffe."
"rli back you" said Radcliffe.
And ii seems to me Law is not your
lay, Cark," went on Satan. "We came
in here yesterday and boarded and
claimed that hooker. and / was fixing
the tackle for towing when you blew
along. The things ms clear as paint.
She's ours for salvage, and you're not
in It,"
Look here !" began Sellers violently
then he closed up: Cark had given
him a kick under the table. Then
there was silence for a moment, during
which these two scoundrcls seemed to
brood together t~elepathically.
Then Clark spoke. addressing Satan.
"Wil o take the air on deck for
one moment with your friend?" said
Cnrk.
Sure" said Satan.
A few minutes later they were called
down again.
"See here" said Sellers, acting as
spokesman for the others. I'VE don't
want. to bear hard on you. hut we've
been at a big loss over this business
"And who let you In for AY" asked
Satan. Haven't you been chasin' me
since last fall. oyer the Nombre? Was
1t my fault she weren't there7'
"well. anyhow we're losers. hut I'm
coming to the derellc'. You1l never be
able to do. the tow. with the Sarah
why, the Sarah amt bigger thar her,
and you're undermined anyhow"
THAT'S so.'' said Satan.
well. what | propose is this" said
Sellers. "we1l drop claims for the
run down here and only nsk u thou
sand OF you. and you drop claims on
the derelic'.'
Satan laughed.
Maybe you don't know she's got nm
auxiliary IN her worth four thousand
dollars II it's worth a cent. Shes
broke her propeller. but she's got n