Arizona state miner., 1926-04-10
CHAPTER VI-Continued

"Have we failed in any important
venture since our association began?"
"You ha' a head on your shoulders"
conceded Flint.
"And you have not" amended MUIR
ray. "No, do not say any more. You
are an excellent man to handle your
ship, Flint, and as fearless as any of
our ruffians; but you are no more ca
pable of looking ahead a week or two
than Ben Gunn."
"Well, what would your Flint flung
at him with an air of defiance, which
Murray ignored.
Il would make the greatest coup we
have attempted"
Flint laughed disagreeably.
$50 you said when you arranged to
go into New York, but you have car
ried back no treasure with you.''
My uncle regarded him with what,
under other circumstances. I should
describe as honest indignation.
"You fOol!" he said with a rasp in
his voice-and I did not wonder that
FLINT pulled sidewise in his chair as
IL TO avoid a stab. did you think
! was to go into that huddle of town,
with its wealth in furs and groceries,
and fetch out a treasurer"
"W al then?" demanded Flint,
B.oistening his lips.
My uncle leaned forward across the
table, lips drawn tight over his teeth.
His eyes shot sparks.
knowledge, fool! Intelligence!
That which wise men labor a lifetime
20 secure and the ignorant pass by in
the gutter"
Murray rose from the table and com
menced to stroll the length of the
cabin hands clasped under the skirts
Of his coat. And as he strolled he
talked. Flint followed his every move
uneasily, with occasional drafts of
rum. Peter and I watched. the two
OF them, fascinated by this conflict
OF wills, which was to exert a vital
influence upon our lives-yes, and
upon those of hundreds of others.
II must speak in simple terms,
perceive, Flint" began my great
uncle.
The passion was out of his voice,
and the sentence trickled from his
lips slowly, with an air of detachment
Flint nodded sullenly, seeing that
a1l answer was required.
"We have frequently discussed the
possibility of taking one of the Span
teh treasure Ships" continued Muir
ray. "But we have never attempted
the project because we could not dis
cover the date of sailing or the port
wherein the treasure was embarked.
it hath been the custom of the Span
Sards in recent years-in fact, since
the depredations of Morgan and his
brethren to shift arbitrarily the port
OF embarkation from year to year, as
likewise to change the date of sailing
One year the port would be Cartagena,
the next Chagres, the next Porto BelIo,
the next even Vera Cruz. They have
peen known to ship the years produce
OF the mines around Cape Horn. And
similarly the treasure ships, which
used formerly to sail invariably In
the fall of the year, now depart when
ever 1t pleases the fancy of the cOun-
ell of the Indies to fix a date
He paused, and Flint rasped-
$50 much is known to all of u.s."
'I conceded as much" answered
Hurray smoothly. what follows you
do not know. When we returned from
Madagascar"
"'Twas against my advice" growled
FLINT. "Ye play too much VII politics" :"
with politics. Exactly" agreed
my great-uncIe. "Well, perhaps I do.
"riH true that so far 1 have obtained
Erifling advantage from the sport, ex-
Guiding one substantial fortune, this
vessel we are in and the information
which makes it possible for me to
take this years treasure ship"
Flint sat erect. l caught my
breath. Peter, too, showed a gleam
of excitement in his little eyes that
fwinkled from behind the ramparts
Of flesh that masked his solemn face.
g. me, Murray swOre Flint
'Do you say that in sober earnest?
How-hOw much?" he quavered.
"One million five hundred thousand
FoundS"