Evening star., 1925-12-06
The Mystery of Captain Knott


I've got it in my head he says,
that / was right. Knott's got the
stuff, but I'm thinking he hasn't ship
ped 1t, for the very good reason that
! that message was sent off, 10 to l. as
soon as he'd located the cache. He
wouldn't have had time TO ship 1t.
That message must have been sent off
yesterday morning. OF course it may
be that he sent it off after he'd got
the stuff on board. but it's unlikely.
Carstairs is a friend of his. most likely
partner, and in the flush of the strike
he sent him news of it right of
| That $ my reading of it. It's most
| likely he's been here months on the
business and keeping up correspond
ence with the chap. Well, now. what
we've got to do is plain enough. If
Knott had treated me fair and told
the truth, I'd do nothing, whereas now
I'm just going to develop engine trou-
bic and lay here till the Brunhilde
| rots or that chap gets out. and. mean
while. I'm going to hunt the woods on
my own. day after day. with you and
the first officer to help me. There's
sure to be some sign somewhere of
digging having been done.
Right l said, and then we came
down and put off for the Brunhilde
NO sooner had we got on the beach
than the clank of windlasS pawls
bct,SIl 10 come over tne water, ana
we saw that the Tennessee had got
her canvas on her. She was going to
put out. taking advantage of a wind
that had sprung up. and Burt, as we
showed off. gave laugh as much as
to say. That's one for me- Then he
hung silent whilst we got on board,
and by then the Tennessee's anchor
was up and she was passing us for
the break. with Knott by the steers
man waving his ha nd IN nS
Burt waved back and we dipped
our flag to her. I felt pretty much
tfattened out and / didn't like to think
of what Burt must be feeling with all
his deductions gone wrong, but l
didn't know Burt. He stood there
watching till the Tennessee was
beyond the reef. then he gave orders
for all hands to be piped aft.
He lit a cigar whilst they were
crowding up. then, when they were all
in bunch, Burt takes the cigar from
hts mouth.
"Men,' says he. I've reason to be-
lieve there's money hid on that island
Maybe I'm wrong or maybe I'm right
anyhow. I'm going to have a try to
get 1t. and It's half shares for me and
half shares for the crew to be divided
equal If we hit it; and if we don't it
will be. a weeks extra pay for the
trouble you'll take. I'm going to
comb those woods for signs of digging
having been done in them. and every
man jack of you'S got to join in the
hunt except Mr.. Mccall and two OF
the crew. who'll keep ship. Mr.. Jane
son. pipe the boats away; well start
right off,
The chaps let a cheer out OF them,
and five minutes after they were
crowding into the boats wild as school
boys to get at the business.
They spread through the woods
under direction of the first officer and
they hunted till dark.
Next day was the same. and by
noon we'd secured that island without
finding a dropped toothpick for evi.
dence of treasure lifting. / came off
to the Brunhilde with the news and
found Burt under the awning reading
"A novel. He dropped the book on the
deck and nursed his knee whilst l TOLD
him. Then he says: The stuff's
there. all the same. but I'm thinking
of something else more important
than gold, Cap he says. We've been
fools: we shouldn't have let Knott
clear out
II couldn't take his meaning and
said nothing. The lads were coming
back to the ship and he stood up and
watched them come on board. Then
he gave orders for steam TO be got up.
ana TWO hours after we were clearing
the break: outside he gave orders to
put back to North Island.
Il watched him as he stood there
on the bridge and l couldn't make
him out at all; he was different man
from the Burton Williams I'd left
that morning when we started for the
treasure hunting. manner quite differ
ent, brooding and quiet and scarce Il
word out of him, whereas he'd always
been full of chat as a magpie.
1T was pretty much the same at
dinner that night. SO much SO that l
opened right out and asked him what
was wrong and whether I'd done any
thing to displease him. Not a bit.
says he, but I've got something on
my mind. that's all. and I'm not going
to speak about it. if it's all the same
to you; it's one of the stiffest propo.
sitions I've ever struck, and I've
always worked better with a shut
head
Then we played ecarte for beans
and he turned in, whilst I went on
deck 10 look after the weather.
x X X
SWE raised North Island next
morning and put right in
whilst Burt went ashore. / saw Car