White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1935-05-16
(Conclusion)

The count de Corlay and Doctor
White were both out aboard the divers
yawl when this report was made, and
the agitation of the count, though
contained in mastery manner, did
not escape the keen observation of the
doctor. Not unnaturally, for Mikes
English was crude, the count interro-
gated him in his native Portuguese.
But this did not prevent Doctor White
from arriving at his own conclusions.
| He was more and more convinced that
| the bore of those guns contained some
| thing OF interest not only to the col
| lector of antiquities but to the, COL
lector of cold cash.
Lets get those guns up and aboard
he said.
Mike shook his head Dem ting too
dam heavy, sir. S'pose we try lift EN-
board, da tackle bust
Gould you get them up alongside?"
| Tom asked.
II guess SO, boss. Don take-a much
| to hist 'em in da water"
"Then go down and rig chain strop
on one of them and we will drift it
over to the beach at high water" the
doctor advised. 1--WE can handle them
from there"
This accordingly was DONE But even
then Tom, who was bossing the job of
hosting, trembled for his gear. Looking
over the side as the gun came nearly
aWash he was surprised to find it no
larger. The yaWl must, he thought, be
tender for this piece of ordnance, less
its specific gravity, to give her such a
heel. 1t was not very ornate cannon,
as were many of it's epoch, and it
seemed to be covered with some sort of
gummy slime rather than the tarnish
of verdigris that one might have ex-
pected.
/ The tide was flowing in at this mo-
ment, about three-quarters high, and
as it was time to knock off for midday
dinner they decided to wait until after
their meal, then boat the cannon over
to the beach when it might be exam
ined at leisure later in the day. This
program was carried out, accordingly,
when Doctor White, although finding
it repugnant to suspect French Off
Ger and gentleman for whom he had
! conceived a sincere liking and respect,
still kept wary eye on the spot where
that gun had been deposited.
The two others were handed in like
manner. Tom towing the yawl into the
little cove behind the battered launch,
for the damage to which he had in
sisted on making full indemnity. Then,
when the twelve feet drop of tide had
left the pieces of ordnance high and
the interested little throng of specta-
| tors had departed for their respective
suppers, the treasure hunters went over
l fN yY,1,o n o+ rs
vide any great remuneration for their
toll, expense and incidental danger.
There were only the five of the ac-
lively interested. Aunt Martha had
shifted at this poor find and returned
! to the more important detail of sup
per. Mike had chugged over to town,
Doctor White, walking down the hard
shingle with the count, stood looking
at the guns reflectively.
"Odd that they should be so foul"
he observed
Tom leaned down and scraped at the
glnmy cooting with his knifes edge
1t was displaced to show a brassy
CLEAN beneath, at which Tom scratched
with the point of the blade, that
Scared it very slightly
LOOKS ike pure DraSS, ne SalQ a
| little dull for our kind, but about as
hard. Wonder what this gummy stuff
was for. 1t isn't sea slime. More like
wax, or rubber"
The count cleared his throat. He
was pale, and his hand trembled a
little on his malacca stick. For many
years." he said truthfully enough,
"gunners have had the habit of cover
ering their ordnance with such pre-
paration when they are not required
to keep them polished"
| Doctor White tapped the mouth OF
| the gun sharply with the iron tip of
his own stick. 1t gave out bell note.
Then, deliberately, he showed his cane
into the muzzle and along to where it
fetched up at the breach, laying off
the depth on the outside of the piece.