Evening star., 1928-03-03

DtHlk Oh HN person, LIfY We UFfn
decent enough to wash my things once
stripped to my pe!t. That ought to
be proof enough. oughtn't it?"
Capt. Josephus Mumm plucked at his
beard.
Hint" he gruntcd well. I suppose
you'd hardly be fool enough to Keep
| en- about you. and I'm willing tn admit
them clothes Of your must have been
washed. cause they couldn't look Ike
that If you'd lain in 'em sick for a
matter of near three weeks as you must
have done. according to what these
chaps say. Well let that go. SO where
did you hide them, eh? That's the
| question now"
! II don't remember getting here At
ALL Peter answered evenly. so / must
have been unconscious when they found
| me. Therefore / couldn't have hidden
them, and unless they were on M per-
son or in the motor boat l couldn't
| have had them"
HIM grunted Capt Jo3ephue
| Mumm again. He turned and began
| 10 talk TO Hafu IN the native tongue.
| Peter did not understand There
we're many gesticulations The red
| headed man, while not fluent, seemed
however, to possess a passable working
| knowledge OF the native tongue Al
the end Of few moments he addressed
himself TO Peter again
| He says they found the motor boat
/ on the other side Of the island away
| from the village here. and you wander
! ing around among the trees He say
you were of your nut, but he never saa
any pearlS~the which Is as 1t may be =
Capt. JoSephus Mumm smiled a little
sarcaStically. ITS proof. anyhow, that
! you got ont Of the boat before you were
found. and that you had chance Il
| hide the pearls.
III you think So" said Peter CURLY
you'd better go look for them!"
Not met! said Capt. Josephu,
Mumm. grimly. I'm hardly foo
enough TO start in digging up an island
and particularly when there amt an;
| profit in 1t for me-and. besides, AIM
any too sure his royal highncss here i,
sticking strictly 20 the truth How dc
1 know but that he found them pearl.
on you when you were Off your heac
and that he's got em now? That's one
thing the natives in these parts know
! The value of-pearls. You bct." Capt
Josephus Mumm pushed his cap 10 thu
back Of his head and drew his forearm
! across dripping forehead Come 4
think OF it. guess I've lost interest ii
! them pearls. If you've hid 'em anc
! won't tell where they are. it amt m,
! ioo TO hunt for EN-. and if his imperia
! iIlbS here has got EN-. il amt my jot
| to make him hand EN- over I'm nc
] hog. III have you know, II I got EN-
ID only have 10 pass EN- on to tbs
| police when I got to sydney and moth.
| ing in my pocket TO show for EN-.
| guess I'm satisfied the way 1t is. Luck
| was In sore need Of. and finding yor
IS luck beyond any calculations I've had
since l was kid and dreamed that one
| Gay / was going 10 be rich
| Peter passed his hand across his ewes
YEARLY. The man was mad He looked
Ike some character out Of comic
! opera. Il was a comic opera setting
/ anyway-the hut was nearly full o.
/ natives now. naked but for their lava.
lavas tsome of which were extremely
scantD, and couple OF chaps that
! looked Ike Lascars who had on white
! pants. and one OF these had an abom-
Unable sGuint eye-a couple Of the
schooner's crew. OF course. Beyoad
i through the entrance 10 the hut, a.
heads and shoulders moved occa-
/ sionaily. he could catch glimpse
! OF tall. gracefully bended palm
/ and the simmer from the blue
laeoon-like the painted scenery tha'
would make the background o.
/ the stage. There should be some dusk,
beauties, though. making love 10 thl!
man OF the outrageously red hair. anc
the outrageousiy wide shoulders
! I'm glad you look OH 1t as a p;cc,
/ OF luck-dnding me. mean" sa,t
Peter evenly. You've been kins
enough 10 accuse me OF theft and Of be
! ing murderer. and when you &c
around to searching my pockets. as yot
! probably will. you'll find my world,
wealth consists OF some s!x or sever
Snll!ings, which, as passage money Il
/ Sydney. Will be about as Improbable
/ II not more so. than the freight rate.
you have been complaining about OF
/ the pearls you haven't got ! had {
wrist watch. but. unfortunately for yol,
am sorry TO say it's gone-ioSt ~.
! stolen-~f don't know which. There.
I fore, you must either leave ME here. ol
| feed and nurse me at loss oil the voy.
age TO Sydney. can't see where youl
/ luck comes in Peters voice grew
suddenly savage. L think you'd bette.
! leave me here. and ran along
NO periShing fear, my lad," Satd
Capt Josephus Muinm, with low
chuck!e. Luck. / said: and luck.
mean. Trad,ng's been very poor u:
late. Even ran OH, ot Water-that'>
! how | came 10 put III here And ths
nt$t thing ! see is Il biz ~ motor boa:
WIKI tie name Marion OIL her. mooret
out there III the lagoon. Luck SAYS !
Bas It's too much - hope !or--he':l
have gone weeks ago But you weren't,
And now, my lad. youre goins To be
the most Profitable cargo that I've han.
oled since ever I've been a, sea
You're talking III riddles 10 ME g
said Peter co!dly. What do ycli mean
by proatahleH
! Five thousand pounds" said Capt.
JaSephuS Mumm. with II short latSa
IhatS profitable, amt IT. Five thouS.