Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 445) (1914 04 10)
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APL.IOT# ISI4¢ AME 5 Cenls - ‘Sees Coast 28 THE GUDEN Ti gor THe CHATER mes of the gas ascended from the crater and were breathed by Jim. He uttered a cry as he felt his senses leaving him, staggered back, and would have fallen had not Will and the Indians seized his arms.
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me and Fortune Weekly STORIES OF BOYS WHO MAKE MONEY Issued abecag Jz. Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered according to Met of Congress, in the year 1914, ih = office of the brarian of snags Oo Washington, D. C., oy Frank Tousey, Publisher, 168 West 23d Street, New Fer , Post Office as Second-Class Matter. ntered at the New York, NEW YORK, APRIL 10, 1914. Price 5 Cents. ~ The Secret Chart ok, THE GOLDEN TREASURE OF THE CRATER . By A SELF-MADE MAN ¥ > CHAPTER I. } “Where are you going?” asked Will. _ Z = “We'll go out to the Heads, if you don’t mind.” THE MESSAGE FROM THE SEA. “Let her rip.” : “If teacher heard you say that, there'd be a’fip in your E RTF % pants. She'd send you to the principal, and he’d tickle you fine day for a sail,” said Jimmy French to his partic: | nicely with his rattan.” Dose mag cmtuslomi ag oad fans pirstaeg lies td of old ai It wouldn't be the ‘first time,” grinned Will. : our life it is,” replied Will, glancing over the spark- over to your Steg What were som deips when } come ters of the bay. Are you thinking of taking a boat “I was making something,” said’ Will, evasively. and going out?” « ‘ = “You were up to some end business, Own up now. I What do you say about it? won't tell on you.” “I'm with you if you pay the freight. Just at present I’ m | clean busted.” | “It was a patent plaster I was making out of melted bees- “You're always busted, Will.” | wax and other things.” Pe “That isn’t my fault. My old man won’t give me enough; “What were you going to do with it? spending money.” | “Put'it on teacher's chair. It sticks both ways. Wher she “How much do you call enough?” | gets up the chair will go with her.” “T could worry along on four bits a week.” “And what will happen to you when she learns who did it?” “If we stay out four hours it will cost me a dollar.” | “She won't learn.” ‘ _. “Have you got a dollar?” | “There'll be a riot in the room. - “I've got one half, two quarters, and three dimeés.” | “Who cares? \ é “You're rich,” said Will, enviously. | .“Not me, for I won't have a hand in it. She'll suspect you, “Oh, I've got more in my trunk,” | though, for you are always up to some lark.” “Where did you get it all?” . | “Suspicion isn’t proof.” : “My uncle was down from Napa the other day, I'm a great | “You'll have to He to save yourself. I don’t believe in that. favorite with him. He presented me with five shares of Con- The copybook says he who lies will steal.” 3 ‘solidated Virginia, as a nest-egg, he called it.” “The copybook is a liar. I wouldn't steal for anything. “Well?” .“ Suppose you found a purse in the street with five dollars in “The day he went a I took the stock to a broker and sold | | it, and you found out who it belonged to, would you keep it?” -4t for $6 a? Tapa - / “No, but I probably wouldn't find out who it belonged to.” ~*¥ou did! He didn’t expect you to do that, did he?” .| “of cou Pebagtnc. abe cm out?” “No; but I generaliy do what people don’t expect of me,” said Jimmy with a aria! “That's why I'm flush. at as you're! | “That's right. Honesty is the best policy. Say, what's that _ willing to go with me, we'll take a sailboat. The one we used | floating yonder? It looks like a square bottle.” "last Saturday, and which is called the Sea Bird. It’s floating} {That's what jt is.” i: down there waiting for somebody to come along and make | EH steer Tag 2. and-you plek-it "up, ‘use of her. Come along. There's old Mitchell, her owner, What for? ; = _ smoking his pipe and ruminating as usual. A dollar looks as | “Because I tell you to. I'm the skipper of this craft. house to him.” | In a few minutes Will reached over, seized the bottle by the an in question was seated on the landing steps with | neck and pulled it on board. ste ha . haere “It’s a foreign bottle,” he said, after locking at the label. °. Pop, want to rent the Sea Bird for the afternoon?” “Hand it over. I see it’s corked. Maybe there’s something itt ‘ ty-five cents an hour, son,” said the old shellback, “If there was it wouldn't float. It's empty.” ea an eye on the lad. “There might be a message in it.” fe << “it. Here’s a dollar. If we get back under four “A Message!” 4 ell be something coming to me.” “Yes—a message from the sea. You've read about such are. Take her along.” things, haven't you?” am ia, sie sal, and put of “Sure I have. There was a paragraph in he tn te
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2 - other day about a bottle that had floated across “Atlantic. MS ateebasy living at Nahant, near Boston, pieked it up on the beach. There was a message in it from somebody in Ireland.” “I read the story. It was a message from a girl to her fel- - low, a chap named Hennessy. There was no address given on it. A Boston paper printed it in full. It wound up, ‘If you ~ don’t get this, let me know, lovingly your sweetheart, Nora.’ ~ Pretty good that. I guess it was a hoax, but it came across : the ocean all right. I wonder where this bottle came from?” “China, maybe.” 4 “Or Australia.” “Or the Fiji Islands.” “Get out. The label is Dutch. The bottle held Holland _» Jimmy held it up to the sun. “By George, there is a paper in it.” “Pull out the cork and read it.” - “The cork is stuck in.” _ “Break the bettle, then.” “TF guess I'll wait tili I get home and pall the cork. _ be a message from a shipwrecked party.” _ “What will you do if it is?” 2 “What do you suppose I'll do, you ninny? Turn it over to the Exchange.” - “Td laugh if somebody threw it over from an outgoing ves- by Tt might “Tt doesn’t take much to make you laugh.” “TI wouldn’t mind having the laugh on you,” chiickled Will. - “You play that trick on teacher, and you won't do much laughing.” in course of an hour the boat reached the outer entrance to _ the Golden Gate. “How much farther are you going?” asked Will. “Half a mile or so.” The sun w tting in a blaze of glory. and Jimmy kept the boat po io.that the mainsail would shield their eyes. oa It looked, a bit ty, which ought to have warned the boys - that a fog, so prevalent in summer, was forming out at sea. They had another hint in the dropping of the wind. "Frisco fogs are very much like great jets of steam, and it n't take them long to roll in till the upper bay and north- ‘ern part-of the city is enveloped in a damp eurtain as thick 2 as pea soup. “The course Jimmy was steering was taking the boat diago- _ nally out to sea. i a wasn’t going very fast now, as the wind had become - Night. ene tide, however, was beginning to ebb, and that was the fae to-day and it has just floated back.” crane eur . . “Turn about and run back, Jimmy,” will catch us if you don’t.” ~ Jimmy took the hint and turned the boat around. ~ But the wind was gradually failing them. Only for that fact, fog or no fog, they could have easily gailed back, though they would have found some trouble in “fetching Meiggs Wharf. -Im an incredibly short time the fog overtook the veil and blotted out their surroundings. Ten minutes before they could see clear to the horizon and > vain in the’ sun’s face; now the sun could only be distin- guished as a glow through the mist, and they could hardly _ -Bee each other in the boat. Tt was stili broad daylight, but the light was yellow behind them and y in front toward the bay. The sail bellied out some ard the boat forged ahead a few yards, then it flapped and hung motionless and the little craft lost headway. "The = of wind came less frequently, and then stopped The on was becalmed and at the mercy of the tide, which was setting out into the broad Pacific. ae The short four-hour sail the lads started upon was destined ) turn into a lengthy cruise, full of adventure, with 2 fortune : = ee said Will. “The fog rs 5 CHAPTER II. i nie A eta “This is a nice fix we're in,” srartbiea Will, with a shiver, or the mist rolled damp and elammy about the boat and the : well gave one a moist one Bet over pepeent feeling. THE SECRET CHART. = —_— was optimistic, and he never looked on the @ark side “We're only half a mile outside the Heads, and the carry us in.” “How do you krow the tide is running in?” : Read ge we picked the bottle up it was coming i tide.” *But that was more than an hour ago.” “Suppose it was, I don’t think it has changed yet.” Which showed that Jimmy was ignorant of the real facts. When they picked the bottle up the tide was practically slack, between ebb and flow, and during the hour and a half which had intervened it had turned to the former, and there would be no change for a matter of five hours. “Suppose it has changed?” persisted Will, who was 4) to take a gloomy view of their situation, which wasn’t under the conditions they were up against. “What's the use of supposing a thing? Anyway, the likely to spring up agein. and then we will! sail right “How can we find cur way in this murk?” “Hasily enough. We are headed east, and the Golden Gate = is before us.” “Sure of that, are you?” “Of course Iam. You can see the reflection of the sun be- hind us.” *But the sun is going down, and when it’s out of sight you won’t know where you are.” “ft won’t go down for an hour yet. heaéed in the right directicn.” “But the tide might turn the boat around.” “J don’t think so. As long as it’s calm the boat will stay in the same position. I'll hold the rudder just as it is.” “*“I’'m getting a chill. Pm going to crawl under the half-deck and try and keep warm.’ “Good idca. I'll tie the tiller, so it won’t move, and crawl under with you.” “But one of us ought to stay out here and keep watch.” “What can you see?” “You can’t see anything, but you can hear. An ItaNan fish- ing »~smack, or an incoming ship might run us down in this fog and we would be drowned.” Jimmy admitted that there was a possibility of such but still he argued that the chances were against catastrophe. He was willing to risk it rather than take a continu bath. He tied the tiller and the boys crawled uncer the half-derk, where they felt more comfortable than in the cpen air, though the fog found its way under the deck. too. “We were foclish to come out here,” said Wiil. “Maybe we were, but there is no use of howling over that now.” “We may not get back before morning. you two bits an hour for all the time we are ont. make a hole in your cash.” “Oh, I'll compromise with him. mine.” “My felks will give me thunder for staying out al! night.” “Why should they when you couldn't help yoursclf?” “My father will say I had no » bushicas to put wyself in such predicament.” “RBiame it on me.” “That won't do any good.” : “I'll call at your house and sauare things for you.” “Tf we’re out all night we'll Ilcse cur supper.” d chtckled Anyway, we'll still be Mitchell wil! charge That will I don't own a Comstock os “Then we'll have twice the appetite for breakfast,” Jimmy. “Bret I don't want to go hungry all night.” “I know, but it will be a new sensation for you.” : “Say, you ssem to take things mighty casy. Do you like — being out here in a fog, with the prospect of staying all night?” “No, I don’t like it any better than you do; but will grawk © i ing over the matter get us back any quicker?” “I don’t know that it will. Still it’s pretty hard to be ful when you feel-down in the mouth.” “I don’t often feel down in the mouth. I find it fellow feel better by taking things as they cgraa and the most of them.” “I wish I cculd look on things es you do, but 1. can Thus time passed, the sun went down and darkness fell upon — the sca, turning the fog into a dark, pulsating mags Not a sound broke the stillness that reigned a beet, now more than a mile outside the Heads. ‘ The boys had no idea hes, — ue the Pacific, . s
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Es 5 Th mere suspicion of such a thing would have given Will a fit. Jimmy tried to cheer’ his companion up by talking on sub- jects that he thought would interest him. This went well enough until a sense of hunger started Will growling again. : “What time do you suppose it is?” he said at last. “Haven't the least idea,” replied Jimmy. “TI wonder how things are outside?”’ “Abcut the same.” “Tf the wind had started up we’d know it, wouldn’t we?” } “Sure. We'd feel the boat TRAVANE, She hasn’t moved since before we came in here.” “TI wish the wind would start up. hungry.” “Get out and whistle for it.” “What good would that do?” “TI don’t know that it would do any good.” —— why do you tell me to do it?” “Because I've read about sailors whistling for wind in a “Did the wind come?” “TI don’t recall that it did. Sailors are curious sort of chaps. : They believe in things that few other people take stock in.” “I know. They’re awfully superstitious. A sailor told me once that he wouldn’t go to sea on a Friday for double pay. “I believe you. You've héard of a bird called the Stormy Petrel, haven’t you?” 4 “Yes.” : “Sailors call it Mother Cary’s chicken. They believe it rep- _ resents the soul of some seaman lost at sea. If you were at! _ sea and shot one of them, the crew would feel like throwing I'm getting awfully you overboard. In their opinion it atom bad luck on a ship to injure one of those birds.” “Do you think it does?” “No. The Stormy Petrel is just a sea bird. It only shows the ridiculous notions sailors carry in their heads.” ae Pe _“Tf they hear strange noises in the hold or forecastle they think the ship is haunted.” “Sure they do. It was sailors ‘who started the superstition of the Flying Dutchman—the spectral vessel that they claimed haunted the seas off the Cape of Good Hope.” For awhile Will forgot he ‘was so very hungry, but when ten | r o’clock came around he declared he couldn’t hold out until morning. ori “What are you talking about?” said Jimmy. “Suppose we “were shipwrecked out in the middle of the Pacific, and had ‘mothing to eat, we’d be worse off, wouldn’t we?” “Don’t mention it. We'd starve to death.” The boat was several miles west of the Heads by this time, | | period of slack water would presently set in. Then the flood tide would set in, and they would be carried “pack to.the coast two or three miles to the south of the Golden “Bate, by which time the fog would probably not be so dense. Lt At any rate if things had not happened they would have got _ back to Meiggs Wharf some time during the morning. © in the sae pret movements of the; fog-bound lads. be \CHAPTER III. THE DESERTED CRAFT. g that?” ejaculated Will, suddenly. ed to be*bumping stern \on against something a piooe of timber that has floated up against qt can’t be anything else unless it’s a log. 4 He elon out backward, and “when he stood up he saw a! like ourselves. ey, Will, come out—quick!” no time in doing so. c, for he thought something had hap- he asked. ist a vessel,” said Jimmy. “Loox. : oe te against which they ” THE SECRET CHART. - but the outward trend of the tide was nearing its end, and a! Rut something oceurred just then that made a lot of differ- | dark object loom up in Be fog Against which the cc swung. That must be a ship,” thought the boy: “She's be-. ee Tee oe ee ena ae oe ee i “We'd better get aboarfi of her. We'll be safer than in this boat, and we can get something to eat,” he said. Jimmy looked to see how he would tie the sailboat to.the — vessel. He finally felt a rope hanging down over the side of the big , craft, which was something not shipshape, and he tied the — ' painter of the sailboat to it. r Then grabbing the rope and telling Will to wait till he had } asked permission for them both to come aboard, he shinned up ito the bulwark, straddled it and dropped on the deck. ; The deck being lost in the fog, he could not sce.anybody. xe He listened for the voices of men, but the only sound he — heard was the creaking of a rope through a pulley, caused by ~ the slight heave of the vessel on the surface of the ocean. - Not knowing which was forward and which aft, he started — {to the left on the chance that the cabin lay that way. It happened that he took the right direction. {| As he followed the bulwark he presently came to a short | ladder which led up to the poop deck. ' The stern railing began at the top of the ladder, ran the — _length of the cabin, circled the stern, and continued around ~— on the other side to a similar ladder. te Between the rail and the rise of the cabin roof was a pas- — sage, duplicated on the other side. Both passages ended at the open space where the wheel and binnacle stood. Jimmy mounted the ladder, followed the passage and came out aft. j< 4 | He knew just where he was, for he had a pretty good knowk Me edge of vessels of all rigs. He naturally expected to find a sailor standing at the wheel, even though the craft was becalmed, for at sea a man always Bard serves his trick at the wheel during his watch. 5S Jimmy felt his way to the binnacle, which, with its brass ! hood as a protection to the compass, stands directly in front — of the wheel so that the steersman, who faces forward, can ‘look directly inte the opening and see the face of the compass — card. : At night the Yatbsiot of the hood is lighted by a small lamp, — When Jimmy reached the binnacle he saw the outline of the wheel in part. | No one was attending to it. | To make sure, he walked around and saw that the after deck was deserted. | Furthermore, there was no light in the binnacle hood. Jimmy thought this was strange. ’ 2 He went to the opening at the head of the companion stairs a , | leading down to the cabin. All was dark down there, but there was nothing singular in — that, for the door below might be closed. : Locking forward along the roof of the cabin, all was dark a there, too. ee He couldn’t make out the skylight, but he did expect to see x a glow of light shining through it. . “S The lamp under the cabin skylight is always kept burning « _ through the night, though turned low, for the benefit of the , mates when they turn out at the change of the watch. de “I gness it must be pretty late and everybody has turned in,” | thought Jimmy, “but there must be a watch on duty forward, land the mate in charge should be here on the poop. {see him, though. Maybe he stepped below to get a nip to | warm himself. There ought to be a couple of lights ewan : tex the stern rail, and one or two forward. ‘Still, lights don’t — |amount to much in a thick fog like this one. I'll have to. go | down into the cabin and see who I can find there.” | Down the stairs he walked, his shoes clicking on the brate | bound steps. i The door below was open and the cabin as dark as pitch. Jimmy felt in his pocket for a match, for he always carried — a supply of that useful article, flashed one and looked around, — The cabin was a scene of confusion, Clothes were tossed about, mingled with numerous other an , ticles, and things were generally at ‘sixes and sevens. Lying directly at his feet was a heavy Colt’s revolver.. Jimmy picked it up-and looked at it. i It was cocked and seemed to be fully loaded. Pee He laid it on the cabin table on top of a rough pea jacket, “Things look mighty funny here,” thought Jimmy, ms suspicions of foul play beginning to form in his brain. “Some- thing has happened. I wonder if there has been a mutiny? I may find a dead body or two next. I wouldn’t be surprised — if the vessel is deserted. In that case if Will and I could get her into ‘Frisco harbor we could claim salvage. That would put a‘ bunch of money in our peckets.” ¥ eros struck another match. S -
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« THE 65S LIE TOE GRIESE EGS aati nas eit ai ek PERS GORENG BE ETRE EE CHART. The door of the captain’s cabin stood open. He stepped in and found more cenfusion there. “That settles it. Something terrible has happened, or things wouldn’t be in this shape,” he said. With his heart in his mouth, for he fully expected to find one or more dead men in the cabin, he entered each of the other staterooms, the doors of which were likewise open. He saw the same confusion everywhere, but, to his relief, not a corpse. He entered the passage which led to the main deck. He saw two closed doors on either side. The first one had a bunk and lockers, and clothes hung from hooks. Everything was shipshape in it. The room opposite was similar in appearance. ‘The room ahead of it was full of saileloth and had a carpen- ter’s chest. 5 It showed no particular disturbance. The fourth and last room was the steward’s pantry. f There were evidences here that the steward had been getting _ Yeady to serve a meal in the cabin, and had left things stand- ing around. The door of the passage forward stood wide open, which ac- eri for both the passage and the cabin being hazy with e fog. : The deserted cabin assured Jimmy that the vessel was wholly deserted, and he made no further attempt to find any- - body. ’ He made his way to that part of the bulwark where he had - come aboard and calied down to his companion. : -“Hello!” replied Will. “You've been a mighty, long time talking to the skipper, or whoever you saw. Do I come aboard?” . “Shin up,” answered Jimmy, laconically. In less than a minute Will's body loomed up beside him. “Jump on deck,” said Jimmy, preceding*him. Will lost no time in doing so. _ He was chilled to the bone from standing in the boat waiting . for his friend. ie It I don’t have a cup of coffee, or some hot nk I'll have * Fac cold of my life,” he said. “Come with me,” said Jimmy. He took Will into the cabin passage and closed the. door. “It’s awfully dark in here,” said Will. “Why don’: they show a light?” _ “For a mighty good reason,” “What reason?” “Don’t throw a fit when I tell you.” ; \ “Why?” asked the astonished Will. “Because there’s nobody aboard.” _ “Nobody aboard!” gasped his companion. _ “That’s what I said. The vessel is deserted. a “Deserted! Come now, you’re joking.” “Nary joke. There’s been a mutiny, or something of that sort, for the cabin is all endwise. The captain, mates and : who berth aft, have disappeared. Maybe they. were _ thrown overhoard, or made {to walk the plank. At any rate, _ they do not appear to have been killed in the cabin. I haven't been forward, but I take it for granted that the crew are gone, If there has been trouble between them and the officers, they wouldn't stay in the vessel to face the consequences.” files pe naign sored Will, staring through the dark- . replied Jimmy. CHAPTER IV. | ‘THE OCCUPANT OF THE FORECASTLE, ell, n never mind, it isn’t our funeral,” said Tuaniie “We 1h aboard till morning, at any rate. There are bunks to we can have a snooze after we get something to eat.” 1ere jt age to eat about?” said Will, in a hungry ; ur life. ‘The pantry is full of food, but there's no cote Riess chilled you can help yourself to some in Steg under. the cabin akyitaht. It's. whan will warm your blood.” d. Let’s go into the pantry.” ~~ Pca Bay wen : ‘he lamp there and they looked around. Sa eet vegetables on the sea, bas Fe, te Nag An opened box of soda crackers on the floor under the stew- ard’s working shelf. Half a ham swinging in its canvas jacket from a hook. and two or three more hams which had not been touched. In fact, there was lots of eatables in sight. The boys were satisfied to fall to on a plate of sliced ham cut by the steward, possibly for supper, using crackers to make sandwiches of it. They ate like the hungry lads they were, and cleaned up the ham. “We'll top off with a jar of that marmalade,” said Fintan: taking a jar down and proceeding to open it with his jack- knife. “Td like a drink,” said Will. He spied a red tank attached to one corner of the room and labeled water., He put a cup under the brass cock and turned it. He put the cup to his mouth. “Whew! That’s terrible,” he said, laying the cup down. The water certainly smelled strong. Jimmy smelled it and agreed’ that it was no gocd. “It’s been standing too long,” he said. “Maybe this vessel has been deserted several days. There's some white wine in that box. Get out a bottle and we'll drink that.” A corkscrew hung from a nail, and Will drew the cork. The wine was mild and went very well. They finished their repast, and. then Jimmy led the way to the cabin. He lighted the skylight lamp end let his friend gaze around on the state of things. “There’s been trouble on board,” admitted Will. “Maybe the vessel sprung a leak and was abandoned in a hurry be cause the skipper thought she was sinking.” “Don’t believe it,” replied Jimmy. “She’s high in the water. ‘No danger of her sinking.” “T couldn’t guess what has happened. Mutinies don’t happen often, and I don’t think there was one here. The vessel looks to me as if she had been abandoned in a hurry.” “We can tell better in the morning when the fog is gone. We are close to the Golden Gate, and if we can gail her into the harbor we will have a claim on the vessel for good money. This cruise of ours might turn cut to be the best thing that ever happened to us. It might make us rich.” “Do you think so?” said Will. “That would be fine.” “Sure it would. Now let’s turn in.” And turn in they did, and in spite of the ooh of their surroundings they were soon fast asleep. The wind sprang up, an off-shore breeze, shortly afterward,. anid as the sails of the vessel, which was a small brig. were spread, she bore off to the westward, getting further and fur- ther away from the coast cf California every hour. It is true she didn’t sail as she should have done, because her wheel swung this way_and that. The consequence was she would come up and then fall away, very like a drunken man staggering along on the sidewalk. Still she made considerable progress, as the wind freshened with the coming of dawn, and when sunrise lighted up the face of the ocean, now free of the fog left behind, she was clear out of sight of land, and many miles to the south of the Farallones, which are about Sporn! ii west of San Francisco. ~ ; The boys having gone to sleep ate iatelens themselves. It was nine o'clock when Jimmy turned out and dressed himself, The cabin, in spite of its \disordered ’ aspect, looked quite cheerful now, for sunshine flashed through the skylight and | glistened on the decanter and at row of glasses upon the swinging tray. The tray had been motionless when the boys turned in, but under the swing of the gently rolling brig it had a constant illating motion. “The vessel is under way,” said Jimmy; “IT must hurry up and see where we have got to.’ He did not stop to awaken Will, but opening the forward aoe door, rushed up to the after or poop deck. laren upon a wide expanse of sparkling nates not even dotted by a Niineis sail. | tion. f Jimmy was. staggered. i “Great Scott! what does this inant”. he ejaculated. It meant but one thing—-that he and Will were far out at yee to see the Golden Gate close ahead, instead of The water line extended clear to the horizon in every airec . around ad one i: ter oriacrmest, jee
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THE SECRET CHART. : 5 Jimmy rushed down into the cabin and, seizing his companion, nearly pulled him out of his bunk. “Here, I say, what are you doing? Wil. “Get up and come on deck,” cried Jimmy, excitedly. “What's on deck? Anybody aboard?” “You'll see when you get there.” “You look excited. Have you discovered any dead bodies?” “No. Haven't looked for any.” “Then what’s in the wind?” said Will, hustling into his clothes. “You'll have a fit when you get up where you can see things.” “I will? Tell me what’s up. You might as well.” “Tell ycu nothing. I’ve just had the surprise of my life, and I'm bound you shall have the same.” ; Something's wrong, I T’ll bet,” said Will, getting his jacket. “I’m ready.” “Come on, then.” When they reached the companion stairs, Jimmy stopped. “Go up first,” he said. ' What for?” asked Will, holding back. “G. on and don’t ask questions.” ; “mmy’s words and action.” had made will nervous, and he showsd it. “You go up first,” he salu “No. I want you to see thin... as . saw them. : - “There are a lot of bloody corpses ui. deck, I kn: *. There's been a mutiny. I don’t like to look at dead people, particu- larly if they’re covered with blood.” “There are no corpses. At least I didn’t see any. that at all.” “What is it?” *Get up and see and don’t stand here like a gilly. Get a . Wiggle on.” » Will reluctantly walked up the steps, but he went very slowly. He was afraid ef what he was going to see. Jimmy followed close behind him. He finally stepped out on deck and lcoked around. He first looked forward. but the rise of the cabin roof pre- vented him from seeing the main deck. Then he looked upward and saw that the vessel “was under sail. a “We're under sail,” he cried. “The crew is aboard.” - “No, there isn’t a soul aboard that I have seen,” said Jimmy. 23 “Then how did the sails get up? You couldn’t have hoisted them.” “They've been up right along. When ‘the brig was aban- doned they were left spread.” . Then Will gazed around upon the ocean, and he fairly gasped. “Why, where are we?” he cried, in eotstornation, é “Qut at sea,” replied Jimmy. ' “How did we get here? What shall we do? We'll never get =~» home: again.” t Will was all up in the air as Jimmy expected -he would be. “The brig being under sail, she started off as soon as the wind sprang up, and that must have happened during the night. hat we are to do I don’t know, for we can’t work this It isn't ns | She’s headed straight out into the Pacific, and we ‘have got te go with her. Our only chance of getting back - home bog be picked up by some vessel bound for San Fran- * ” “But we can’t be far from the coast yet. In what direction ile?” ¥ way, said Jimpiy, pointing. : m do you know?” “Because it lies to the east, and there’s the sun, wt. dehy piss + the east.” “What's matter with yearns the brig around and run- back?” : ou mean by aid of the wheel?” ie ef! ~t 6 ty ae detent ‘This is a square rigger rhs the yards ‘would have to be braced around before the vessel could be put on a new tack. We can’t do that. We have got to let her run. We have no more control over her than we'd have over a avever. eae ‘foken the bit in its teeth.” ned Will. “But we've | got the sailboat, We! re this vessel and sail back in that.” q kK then ti risk, See; bs _ be thirty-or forty of the forecastle, the slide of which was wide open. me {a resting” senate . som, We're safe enough as long as the weather We won't starve, for there’s lots of food in the “Never mind. holds fair. What's up?” protested | pantry.” That remark réminded the boys that they were hungry, an¢ Will suggested that they should #ijourn to the pantry and get their breakfast. , That suited Jimmy, so they went below and divided a jar of potted meat, which they ate with crackers and washed down with some of the white wine. And while-they ate they talked over the situation. As usual, Jimmy looked on the bright side, while Will eoulé see nothing but disaster looming up ahead of them. “Never mind, Will, don’t worry over what you can’t hel». We'll be rescued in a day or two and taken back to ’Frisco, then think what a fine adventure we'll have to tell the boy: They'll all take their hats off to us. The newspapers are bound to get our story, and our names will appear in print. Think of that, old man! The mayor of the city won't have such a lot on us.” “That's all very fine, but on the other hand we may flox* way out on the ocean, a thousand miles or more, before a ship passes near enough to see us. And in the meantime a storm might come up, upset the vessel and drown us both. Anyway. these provisions won't last forever, and when they're goné fe’ll starve to death. Then we'll never get home to tell what we've been through,” said Will. “Say, yon wouldn't be happy unless you “were miserable, wou:d you, Wi? I don’t know what you will do when you grow u,, get Married and have te hustle for a living if you strike a sudg. Eve. body has his ups and downs. My father failed twice i: business, but he didn’t sit AJown and cry ween things were looking black. He hustled aroux.4 to get a fresh grip, and he got it. Now he’s doing fine and has money in bank against ariother rainy day. You're always looking for trouble when things are not running smooth. You'd kick ifa ; house fell on you.” a” “If a house fell on.-me I wouldn’t be able to kick, ydu chump.” . <i “My remark was not meant to be taken in the literal sense, — Have you ate all you can stuff into yourself?” “Yes. I’m through.” “Then we'll get back on deck and look around. We'll go out the back way, through the passage. 1l’m going forward to look into the forecastle and see how things are there.” He knew that the “sailors’ parlor” would be dark; and though he was as plucky as any lad of his size, he decided to take the revolver with him, as a precaution. He got it, and then he and Wild walked out on the main deck. r, The brig’s deck looked in fair order, though a number of | — things were scattered about, asif dropped by the crew in ‘the hurry of a sudden departure. ~ The vessel wes equipped with four beats, besides a skiff tied down on the roof of the galley. Two of the boats were missing, and the falls were dangling close to the water on the port side. Rye The.other three boats were in their places. : Sie The galley door was ajar, and the boys looked in. tee. Pots and pans were scattered’ on the floor, and the little house in great confusion. - The stove was half full of dead ashes. pa An overturned can proved to be full of ungroand coffee. © “We'll have coffee for dinner,” said Will, putting it back on a shelf, “that is if we can find any decent water.” ¢ A barrel strapped outside, with a loose, square wooden cover: : oy over a square hole held iby a piece of leather for a hinge, was -\nearly full of water. Jimmy investigated it, and said if it was boiled first he : guessed the gigs make use of it. 4 Leaving the galley they continued forward to the opening — Jimmy stuck his head down and shouted “Ahoy!” He received no reply, and did not expect any. “There's not a Soul aboard, as Eeupposen.? he said. © “Are you going down?” — “Yes, but I'll get- that lantern I saw hanging in the No use trying to look the place over in the dark.” “Say, look at that cage at the back of the * | notice it before. The door is smashed. ‘to that ‘ carry vestock on a ship?” said Will. | : “I suppose so. It looks too big for carried ‘half a have fresh pork as ng ers ee ‘beth:
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THE SECRET CHART. Jimmy looked down and uttered an ver nec eee “What's the matter?” asked Will. “TI see a pair of glittering eyes in that corner.” “There must be a man aboard there, then.” “No man would have such eyes. Take a look.” _ Will did, and also saw th® eyes, which looked red and fiery, and were moving back and forth like the swing of a pendulum. “Holy mackerel! It’s some kind of an animal,” he said. “Maybe it’s a lion or a tig——-Oh, heavens, it’s coming toward us.” “Nonsense!” said Jimmy, taking another look. “Wait till I get the lantern and I'll find out what the eyes belong to.” He ran to the galley, took down the lantern, and was light- ing it, when he heard an awful yell from his companion. Looking out, he saw Will running away from the forecastle opening for bak he was worth, with fear stamped on his fea- tures. Then he saw issue from the opening a great flat head, fol- lowed by a long, thick neck, and a stifl longer body. A serpent, af PO aac of enormous size, was gliding out on deck. That was enough for Jimmy. As Will flew past, heading for the cabin, Jimmy cut after him, and neither stopped till they hit the cabin passage. CHAPTER V. WHAT WAS IN THE BOTTLE. ' Then Jimmy faced about and looked forward. A. big snake, of the boa constrictor species, and about twenty feet long, was sliding about the deck near the entrance to the forecastle. “My gracious!” cried Jimmy. “What are we going to do?! That reptile will make short work of both of us {f it can reach | us.” Will was almost in a state of collapse. He had caught sight of the snake at close quarters, and the shock had scared him from his boots up. ' He got as far as the cabin, and rushing into the stateroom he had occupied during the night, slammed the door and put ‘his back to it. Jimmy, having recovered his nerve, stood at the passage door watching the boa. It was a big specimen, but not so large as it appeared at . first sight. It glided around the forward part of the vessel, and then partly entered the galley, . _ It had found food there after the evacuation of the brig, and | was looking for more, It was disappointed. - Then it started aft. Jimmy waited till the reptile got within easy range, and fired his revolver at it. The bullet nicked its neck, and the boa uttered an angry \ ; Jimmy fired again and wounded its body. Another hiss, and the snake, spying the boy, started for Jimmy stood his ground and pumped a third bullet at the _ Feptile, which entered its mouth and drew blood. _ Then he shut the door and bolted it. : y _ Rushing through the cabin, Jimmy closed the companion ye ont bolted that. He didn’t believe that the snake could force entrance, but uneomfortable reflection remained—that the reptile had jon of the deck. ok were prisoners in the cabin. long to figure out th a hurry by officers and Was a passenger on the ie probably in- a’ circus menagerie, had broken out of its cage and unpleasant for all hands that to save their aeiags cg of the deser- aE: “Where is it now?” asked his companion. “Somewhere about the deck, or it might be up on the poop;” he answered, “This is awful,” said Will. happen to us.” “Of ‘course you did. I’m afraid you’re a Jonah. You're always expecting the worst to happen.” “What are we going to do? "We can’t_go on deck now.” “T’ve three bullets left. Maybe I’ll kill the thing.” “T heard you fire. Did you hit it?” “T did, and made it squeal!” “It’s too big for you to kill it.” “Not if I hit it in the right place.” “You mean the head?” “Tf I could lodge a ball in its brain that ought to put it out of business.” “You couldn’t get near enough to do that.” « “T cut its mouth just the same. It was only six feet away when I fired the last time.” “You have more nerve than me.” “Tf I didn’t I'd feel sorry for myself. sage door and take a look.” “Nixy. The snake might be watching the door.” “T don’t believe it. Come on.” Will wouldn't, and Jimmy had to go aicne. He unbolted the door and opened it cauticusly an inch. The snake wasn’t in sight. He ventured to open the door wider and poke his head out. The snake lay stretched out near the port poop ladcer. Its head lay in a pool of blood. It was not dead, but no longer formidable. Jimmy’s last shot had entered the base of its brain, through its mouth, and had practically settled its career. The boy looked at it attentively. Then he went into the pantry, got the empty potted meat jar and, taking aim at the snake, threw it. : It hit the reptile on the neck, and it worked its body around, but not with any great degree o? animation. : “I guess I did it up,” said Jimmy. He called Will and, told him the snake was pretty well done for. “I’m going to take another shot at its head,” he said. Will came to the door and watched him approach the snake. “Better be careful,” he called out. Jimmy was careful, though the boa did not look very ag- gressive. - He fired two ghots into its head and settled its goose for good, though the snake’s tail was not entirely motioniess until after sunset that day. The finish of the boa constrictor was a great relief to the boys. ; It would have gone hard with them to have been cooped up 1 in the cabin with such a big reptile at liberty, and liable to ~ come of them unawares if they ventured out. “Seems to me the skipper and officers should have done as well as I did,” said Jimmy. “I wonder how far cut to sea they were when they left the brig. The captain will hare 2 nice explanation to make to the owners.” The boys went on the poop to look for a sail, but none was in sight. Jimmy decided that the brig out to be brought up on her eourse and the wheel lashed, even, though this course was taking them further away from home. This was done with Will's help. The outlook indicated continued fair weather, and before it changed they hoped to be sighted and taken off. The wind freshened during the afternoon, and the brig bowled along in fine shape, just as though her officers and crew were aboard. The sailboat was sailing along the lee side of the vessel, which shut off the wind from her sail. “Old Mitchell will wonder where we have carried his boat,” said Jimmy. “He will cail at my house as sure as anything and tell my mother that you and I went off in his boat yester- day afternoon and haven't returned. As he saw us start for - the Heads, he'll judge we were caught by the fog. My father will hire a tug and start out looking for us, but that won’t do him any good. If we don’t get back soon our folks will fear that we were capsized and drowned.” When the boys came on deck next morning the wind had — calmed down and the brig was not making much headway. ‘Jimmy thought it a good chance to drop into* the ‘sailboat ; and lower the sail. This he did, and put the stoppers about it: ae sat atte wt the pone ‘boat. “voulan't get t anay, be ; “I knew something else would Let’s go to the pas- de wash ot ae _ a
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THE SECRET CHART. a called for another rope, and Will threw him one, which he! “Good idea. 3 didn’t think of it. You’re some good after Imade fast to the sailboat’s stern. jall. We'll go below and hunt for a flag.” Then picking up the empty sin bottle with the paper inside, “Where do they keep'the flags aboard?” he stuffed it into his pockets and returned on board. “In.a locker in one of the rooms.” He got a corkscrew and drew the cork of the bottle. : They repaired to the cabin and searched for the flag-locker, ‘Then he pulled out a stiff roll of paper. They found it after a short search, and the first bunting “Now we'll see what the message is,” he said.’ ; they pulled out was the British merchant flag. red, with the “T think we cught to write.a message about ourselves, put it union jack in the upper left hand ccrner. in the bottle and send it adrift,” said Will. | “This must be an English craft,” said Will. “We can do that,” nodded Jimmy, spreading the stiff piece “J guess it is.” o* parchment-like paper on the pantry shelf and smcothing “We haven't found out her name.” out the kinks in it. “Tt’s on the stern, of course, and also on either side of the Both boys bent over it. bows.” “Ssems to be a sort of chart, "-said Will. “There’s a cross “Maybe it’s on the safe in the captain’s room.” at that corner with the four cardinal points of the compass—! “Run and look.” north, east, south and west.” ‘ Will did so, and presently returned with the information _ *You’re right,” nodded Jimmy, “The outline, filling most that the name of the brig was the Melbourne Castle, and that _ of the paper, indicates the marking of an island, for the word she belonged in Carqiff, Wales. _ ‘Water’ is written on the four sides of it. This indentation “I’m thinking the owners stand a good chance of losing her, here is marked ‘Cove.’ Behind it the word ‘Bluffs.’ Over here She was bound from some Australian port to San Francisco _ is a‘‘hill.’ On hill three rude trees, with feathery tops, in line. when abandoned, I guess.” : ‘re ‘Banana Grove. Down there ‘Beach.’ Further down “I think she came from the East Indies more like,” said _ * another ‘Cove.’ Under the compass marking are the words Will, _ ‘Latitude’ and ‘Longitude,’ which are not given. The name of “What gives you that idea?” «the island is not given, either. As it stands it’s an incomplete! “The fact that she had that big snake aboard.” : chart of an island, and amounts to nothing.” ; #T tip my hat to you, Will, Your head is growing bigger - “Tf it amounts to nothing, why was it so carefully corked up every minute. If you weren’t what teacher calls a_ pessi- in that bottle and sent adrift?” said Will. i mist ‘ : “Ask me ici sets 5 easier, It might have ‘hans done for a! “Hold on, don’t call me hard names.” joke!” ; |. “That’s what you are—a pessimist. You are continually i “Are you going to keep it as a curiosity?” {looking on the worst side of things. If some astrologer “Sure. I want to show it to old Mitchell. He might be able prophesied that an earthquake was going to wipe out San ~ to discover something about it that we can’t. It isn’t drawn Francisco on a certain date, you’d\believe it, and harp on the on common paper, but upon some stiff material like the subject every day till the time came around and you jound * hed skin of an animal. Looks as if the person who made that the prophecy. amounted to nothing.” ~ it intended it for some purpose, but failed to finish it.” “T wouldn't be surprised if it was knocked out by an earth- u “Maybe he was shipwrecked on the island, and didn’t know quake,” said Will. “There have been several big shocks a few "s its Mame, nor the-latitude or longitude. He could have figured years ago. They didn’t do any great damage, but who knows _ the compass directions from the position of the sun. That what might happen from the next one?” - Would show him east and west, end by standing with his arms “There you go, I suppose if you could have your way you'd 7 oa extended, one toward the sun and the other away {from it, he leave the State?” could casily locate north and south,” said Will. “No; California is good enough for me.” _ “Great head you've got, Will. Your supposition might be! “I’m glad to hear it. I haven't heard of any real Californian _ correct. A sailor wrecked on a lone island he had never seen going back on . Coast, it has the finest climate in the world. | - before might easily be excused if he didn’t know its name, or When it gets oughly appreciated by outsiders there'll ; Bog latitude or longitude. Still he should have some general be a rush as in the days of gold to take up homes.” - i@ea of the latter. unless he was an ignorant fellow.” | Jimmy” English fiag on deck and hoisted it, union “Sailors are not very well educated. Most of them, the jack down, to the end of the spanker boom. ; ‘chaps before the mast, are not familiar with the principles of It blew out there in the morning breeze, and the boys felt. ‘Ravigation. They couldn’t sail a ship under varying condi- more comfortable. - tions to save their lives. At any rate, I have heard-so.” ; “Ifa vessel comes near enough to us to make that ‘out, we _“They’re-not hired to sail a vessel, but to follow the orders should be rescued,” said Will. “I don’t believe any captain =i get from the officers. Navigation is a science which has would pass us by without trying to find out what was the Fs to be legrnéd like anything else that requires study. You've matter.” =e SO ‘to be something of a mathematician in order to make the “He would be a pretty mean skipper who wouldn't investi- _ fRecessery calculations when. you start in to take the ship's gate,” said Jimmy. “There are captains, though, I’ve heard, =e “position by the stin with the aid of a sextant. This is done who wouldn’t go out of their way to save their brother, but every Gay at noon, if the weather permits.. When you can’t there aren’t many of them.” i: et the sun you ‘ve got to get around # in other ways, es near, After dinner Jimmy suggested that it would be a good idea fs you-can,” said Jimmy. __ ; to hoist the sailboat up to one of the davits. ah hong folded up the paper and put it ‘in his pocket, then the | “How are we going to do it?” said Will, who thought the | ee be went on Spoke | job was more than they could handle. /. “Work the boat around to the port side, where the vacent Me ; ’ davits are, hook a pair on to her, and a answered Jimmy. — ee ‘es ; ; ‘ “But can we hoist her?” said Will, who doubted it. ied E CREAR LES VE “Sure. One end at a time, little by little. Why not?” — , : ; ; “Will didn’t know why not except that he didn’t think their — ig) THE SECOND DAY ABOARD. united muscle would do the trick. Jimmy, however, said there was ho use going to pens Miles an: miles NWR against the shiny horizon the boys saw over it, sail a | “If it’s going to be done it must be done now while the brig vezsel, how exer; was net ‘coming toward Fase. but sail-’ is sailing easy in this light wind,” he said. : a contrary direction to the brig. .- | So they got to work, f ; it was quite possibie that her cfficers— “made out the brig! The sailboat was pulled around the, brig’s stern ae up pas zh the glass, but the distance was) too great for them far as the nearest davits.. to suspect that there was anything wrong aboard of her. There she was made fast, and Jimmy oh down into fact, had the two crait been much closer now that the after some trouble attached the fails fore and holding up 3 her course, she would have looked all “ Returning on board the brig, he and Will started to : sailboat up by the nose first, and then by the core eee watched the aes a sachs af grew indistinct, and They puffed and sweated over the job, ss Gay p 4 Berens her; ,; _._/ ing it, and Will ha@ to do his share. ht J Ay
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THE SECRET CHART. With her mast up she looked rather odd there, but Jimmy asked what difference did that make. After another rest Jimmy suggested that they ought vail try and shorten sail on the brig. “Do you mean that we’re to pull down those big sails?” poe Will, aghast at the idea. “If we don’t and it comes to blow hard, you know what will happen,” said Jimmy. “But we can’t pull them down.” “We'll hunt out the right ropes, let them go, and the yards will drop of their own weight.” Peg won't furl the sails. The canvas will hang and flap about.” “I know it, but the wind won't be able to get any hold on it.” “Tn that case we'll just float around on the ocean.” “We won’t make a whole lot of headway. I don't intend to take in all the sails, only the lower ones. We'll leave the higher ones spread, and the spanker aft., If a storm should come up we can lower the spanker easily enough. The upper ones can blow away if they won’t hold.” “You're not going to begin now, are you? I’m dead tired.” “No. The weather will hold for some days yet, 1 guess, from the looks of the sky, though I’m no great weather prophet. We'll start in to-morrow morning and take our time about it.” “Say, how are we heading now?” “West by south.” “Where will that take us if we keep right on?” “To Asia.” “What part of Asia?” “I couldn't tell you. We might land among the Philippines, s0 ashore on the coast of Japan, slide into China, or bang up wwainst some of the’ islands this side of the places I’ve men- doned.” / “How long would it take us to get across?” “Oh, a great many weeks.” “Have we food enough to last us that long?” “Not in the pantry.” “Is there any more aboard?” “T guess there is more in the storeroom under the cabin.” “How do you know there’s, a storeroom under the cabin?” “T’ve heard there always was.” “Let’s go and investigate.” Jimmy had no objection, and they entered the eabin, They found a trap-door near the companion stairs. ‘This led down into_the lazaretto or ship’s storeroon. It was easily opened. Then Jimmy lighted the lantern and went down. He found quite a lot of stores there, and notified his com- n. That greatly relieved Will’s mind. When they got back on deck they found that the wind had veered around a point or so, and the sails were flapping and making a great noise. Jimmy unlashed the wheel, brought the vessel on her new sourse, more to the south, and tied it up again. “You're quite a Sailor,” grinned Will. “Sure I‘am. I'll be a regular old salt by the time we get back. If there were more of us I could bring the brig: around _and head for California. You don’t know half of what I’m able to do when I have to exert myself.” Twilight was coming on, so they went to supper. CHAPTER VII. THE MAN FROM THE SEA. ¢ “Now,” said Jimmy, when they returned to the poop, under R - glorious a gr sky, the brig gliding swiftly along under a breeze, ow shall we amuse ourselves till we get " sleep?” “If we ee a checker board or a pack of cards, we could. p | white wine. It won't do for him to eat anything soli Pe, : dida't,.90 Be Wont, “Haunted!” eried Will, eres up in alarm. “Tf heard strange sounds in the cabin Jast night, like some- body was walking up and down in there.” “You didn’t,” gasped Will. “Who's telling this story, you or i" “You're trying to scare me.” “Are you scared?” said Jimmy, hiding a grin. “No, but——” “T got up and looked into the cal I saw?” “Tt don’t know,” gurgled Will.” “IT saw a rat as big as a house.” “Oh!” ejaculated Will, much relieved. “Only a rat.” “TI fired my shoe at it, and it flew out through the passage, Now, when a ship is haunted, the rats always come out of the hold.” “Who told you that?” “Old Mitchell. He sailed in a haunted bark once, and he told me the story. Want to hear it?” “Yes.” Jimmy, who had a great imagination, at once improvised a horrible ghost story from various yarns Mitchell had told him at odd times, and by the time he finished he had Will's hair standing on end. Then he started a second one about a sailor who was washed overboard, and whose spirit returned every night to upset the feelings. of the crew. “Did he really come back every night?” said Will. “He sure did. He came floating up alongside on a hencoop just about this time, and would hail the brig in grave-like tones this way.” Jimmy was about to give an illustration of the dead sailor's voice when suddenly, from over the vessel’s quarter, came a hail in sepulchal tones: “Brig ahoy! Brig ahcoy! rope!” The effect on both boys was decidedly startling. Will uttered a how] of fear and turned over on his face. Jimmy, on the contrary, sat up and listened. “Brig ahoy! Save me, for the love of heaven!” came the hail again. Jimmy rushed to the rail and looked over. He saw a small boat and a gaunt-looking man standing up in it clinging to the end of a rope hanging over the side. The man, who was looking up, saw him,and cried out again: “Save me!” Jimmy picked up a small coil of rope and thing it to the man, the other end being fastened to a ring in the dec¥. The man cavght it in a feeble way and wound it with an ie and what do you suppose For the love of heaven, throw a _|effort about his body. “Pull me aboard,” he said. “I'm too weak to climb.” F “Will, come here!” shouted Jimmy. “Come here, quick!” ipa don’t want anything to do with the ghost,” returned his companion. “It’s no ghost, you;chump! Mme pull him aboard.” Will came and looked over the side. He didn’t like the looks of the white-faced man. “Are you going to take him aboard?” he said. “What do you want me to do, leave him there? Get hold of the line and haul. Pull like a gocd fellow. Once more. Now, then, another.” a The man’s head came up to the rail, and ne grasped it like a drowning man catching at a straw. Jimmy reached down and hauled him up to the rail, and then over it on deck. He rolled over and lay there, Jimmy dashed down into the cabin, stepped on the table and took down the decanter of whisky and a glass. He hurried back-to the exhausted man. Pouring some of the liquor into the glass, he put it to the man’s lips. The fellow took a mouthful, and it nearly strangled him, but he got it down. a, He felt revived, sat up and asked for more. \*“That goes to the right spot, my hearty,” me said, in a ere low voice. “Tm nearly fagged out, but that stuff puts. new life into me.” -s “You're hungry, I suppose?” said Jimmy. “Hain’t had nothin’ to eat for a week.” “Go to the pantry and fetch up a cracker and some of the | f said Jimmy to Will. + ed Will didn’t bag ‘to B0, Lege om) sap he'd a ikfek him ithe It’s a shipwrecked man. Help ? awhile,” ~i J
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THE SECRET CHART. 9 He stopped en the way to light the cabin lamp, and then he “lit the pantry lamp. He returned with a cracker and a cup full of the wine. “Dip that cracker in the wine and eat it,” said Jimmy te the rescued man. The man obeyed in,an eager way, and the boy had to caution him to go slow. For an exhausted sea wanderer, the fellow, who appeared to be a sailor, came around pretty fast. He sat up, with his back against the rise of the cabin, and stared at the two boys after finishing the cracker and wine. “TI feel a lot better, mateys,” he said, “but if I had a reg’lar meal I'd feel better still. Where’s the skipper, or the mate on duty? I’m ready to give an account of myself.” “I’m the skipper, and this chap is my chief mate,” replied Jimmy. “The regular officers and crew went on a vacation for their health. Anyway, they’re not aboard now.” “What's that?” said the derelict, looking astonished. the skipper? Why, you're only a kid.” “I can’t help that. I’m running this brig.” “You are!” said the sailor, with the accent on the You. “Bust my toplights! What kind of a hooker have I struck?” “What do you care as long as you're safe?” : “But two boys can’t sail a full-rigged brig. Ain't there no one else abpard?” “Not another soul but yourself. we'll elect you the crew.” “Say, am I wanderin’ in my head or is this a straight yarn you're tellin’ me?” “It’s the truth, if that’s what you mean.” “How did it come about that you two’ are the only ones _aboard?” Jimmy explained in a few words. “May I be keelhauled if that hain’t.as strange as any yarn I ever listened to. This craft ran away with you the night afore last?” t _ *Yes.” “And she’s been sailin’ west ever since?” “She has.” “At about this gait?” “She went faster yesterday.” “You're pike you’ve turned up, \ SR ve been at sea about forty hours, and if she’s averaged elve miles an hour, we're about 500 miles from the coast. : ow ayes ‘ou’re goin’ to get back?” =~" "We plete 3 te be rescued by a passing vessel, but now you've turned up, and seem to be a sailor, maybe we can turn around and sail back.” Pe: “I’m too weak to do anythin’ for a spell. By the time I'm on y my pins again we're likely to- be two or three hundred miles : further to sea. How's she headin’?” _ “The last ‘time I looked at the compass card her course was west. southwest.” _ “West, sou'west, eh?” vest the derelict, reflectively. grub aboord?” “There's plenty.” _“Will it last us three a couple of months?” - “I guess so, but we don’t expect to stay aboard as long as A . ; “How’s se-32' . \ “Oh, you don’t? Not if it would pay you well to do it?” “How would it pay us?” : _ “S*pose I could p’int out how it would? S’pose I could show a you how you could fetch home a chest full of gold, would you ene willing to stand in with me?” 2 “Fe guess you're a bit light in the head yet, my friend. Sm “Me light in the head! Don’t you believe no such nonsense.” “But you're talking nonsense.” _ “About the gold, yee mean?” i *¥eg.” “Sonny, I know an island where there's more gold money goin’ to vaste than you could hws ina month. 4 t out. you’re dreaming: “All right, matey. we wort say: no more about it now, ‘cause hain’t in no shape for arguin’ the matter. Bring me a let me have three of that whisky. and then I'll turn en empty bunk and. e a real gocd snooze. In the ’ [PU feel better, and we'll talk things over.” helped the derelict ae into somes cabin and. put him a chair. ey "qThen J Jimmy ryrgs him two crackers with some potted whisky. , aie food ey whisky under his fas py 2 | Go into the cabin and set the table for three,” Tih of the, fe gerne el “Thank ye, my leds. It strikes me we'll put together yet. “ You kin call me to breakfast when you have it ready.” a He turned over, and in two minutes was snoring loudly. CHAPTER VIII. THE STORY THE SAILOR TOLD. The man from the sea was sleeping soundly when Jimmy turned out on the following morning. “T wonder how he came to be in that little boat?” the boy asked himseH. Before they turned in the night before both lads had fig- ured on the matter, and the only conclusion they could arrive at, in default of an ‘explanation from the derelict himself, was that he was a survivor from some wreck. The sailor had intimated that he had been a week without focd, and he certainly looked pretty well done up. Whether he had been longer than that in the boat was a question yet to be cleared up by the man himself. His talk about an island where there was more gold money going to waste than the boys could count in a month, they regarded as a wild delusion, or a sailor’s yarn which had no foundation, in fact. After taking a look at the sailor, Jimmy ‘went into the pantry. Among the stores there was a case of canned soup. The boys hadn’t sampled any of it yet, and Jimmy thought that a tin of it would be the most suitable article for the derelict to breakfast on. “He oughtn’t to have much solid food till dinner-time,” thought the boy, who had heard that half-starved people should be carefully handled at first with regard to their diet. “Ill start a fire in the galley, and warm the soup while I cook a pot of coffee.” Jimmy was no great cook, but he had seen his mother make coffee often enough to have an idea how it was prepared... Of course, coffee is made im various ways, but the genera] method is alike. Jimmy’s mother never boiled her coffee. She put a tablespoonful for each person in the pot, poured boiling water on it without measuring the quantity, which her experience gauged as a cupful for each spoonful of coffee, and enough over to suit her ideas. Then she allowed the pot to simmer on the back of the stove. Jimmy followed the same modus operandi and found ita /¢ success. He also fried a quantity of raw potatoes in the fat he dis- covered in the galley, and put the soup on to warm. Will turned up while he was thus engaged. “Anything for me to do?” asked his friend. “Yes. We might-as well do things shipshape this morning, replied Jimmy, “Seems funny to have a third party aboard,” said Will. “He’s a tough rooster. I'll bet he’s a big rascal.” “He isn’t a Sunday-school scholar, that’s a fact. I’m glad he turned up, for he can help us work the brig. We ought to be abie to wear her around and start back home.” “Then there won't be eny need of our reducing sail thig morning,” said Will, who didn’t fancy the job. ae “No, I guess not. The only trouble is that as long as we © hold on our present course we're getting further away every minute, There’s a strong breeze this morning, and the a is going like a racehorse.” “If we turn around the wind will be against us, and we won't make such good tine.” “Yes, we will, if we get the yards braced right. A ship will sail in any Wirection on most any win if properly handied.” — “I doubt if we can handle this brig properly. She needs her regular crew to mgke things go right.” : “Half a crew can handle a vessel in an emergency as a as cf x i more crackers, with a piece of meat to go between ’em,| a full crew, provided the weather. holds right.” £ “But will the weather hold right with us?” iv “I'm in hopes it will. It’s a fine day, without a slag mn a= sight.” “ “The weather must have been fine out here for a week | more, or the sailor could not have kept afloat in hg boat.” Pe his experien , “I guess it has.” ‘He'll tell us all about ‘and by. Go on n Ww and set the table,” sud WAT went By the tfime he had the table ready, Jimmy had
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10 fried potatoes for themselves, the boys had some fried ham, Some crackers and a pot of marmalade. This spread was laid out, and then Jimmy woke the sailor. He got up without assistance, though he was rocky on his Pins. and looked white and debilitated. “What's this, my hearties?” he asked, looking at the soup. “Soup. It’s for you. You can have some crackers and cof- fee, too,” said Jimmy. The sailor tasted the soup, and declared it was fine. . “Reg’lar cabin stuff,” he said. “I guess I'll come around a deal quicker under this here diet. Who’s the cook aboard this hooker?” “Tam,” said Jimmy. “I’m skipper, cook and half the crew.” “You're a smart kid, matey.” “Sure Iam. My mother has told me that fifty ‘times. What’s your name?” “Jim Blaine. What’s yours?” “Jimmy French. My friend’s name is Will Larkins.” “Well, Jimmy, is the hooker on the same course?” “You.” ‘ “She’s bowling along in fine style, eh?” ' “Yes. That’s the worst of it. We're getting further and further away from California every hour.” “Headin’ west sou’ west?” said the derelict. “Yes.” ; “Good!” ejaculated the sailor, in a tone of satisfaction. “Good!” cried Jimmy. “What do you say that for? I call it bad for us.” “Don’t you believe it, matey. We're goin’ to keep right on ‘west-sou'’west, or about that as near as we Kin, and we’re goin’ to sail back one of these days with gold enough to set us up . for our nat’ral lives.” The boys gasped and locked at each other. “I say, Mister Blaine, what kind of a yarn are you giving us?” said Jimmy. “Avast with the Mister, my hearties. Call me Jim. I ain't used to havin’ no handle spliced on to my name. As to a yarn about that there gold, what I’m tellin’ you is a fact.” “How do you know it is?” “Cause I had it from a party who seen the treasure.” “Tf he saw it, why didn’t he take it away?” “Cause he couldn’t. He was wrecked on the island, and he didn’t have no means of earryin’ it off. When he was took off he intended to go back and get it.” “What prevented him?” “Tt was this way: I was aboard the bark that saved him. We put in at the island for fresh water, as our supply had run short, and we found him marooned there.” — “Why didn’t he take the gold with him when he was saved?” “He was afraid to let on about it for fear the skipper would claim it and keep most of it, which he might have done. A common sailor ain’t got no rights, partic’larly when he’s took . off an island like that. He and me chummed together on the ‘way back, and he told me all about the gold, and we ens to eae at the first chance and get it.” “He’d made a chart of the island, which he showed os: It _ wasn’t finished, but he sald he could easily add what was ¢ missin’. He didn’t know the name of the island, nor the lati- tude and longitude, but he got all that from the chief mate while we was fetchin’ the water aboard. He didn't put it down oth the chart, but kept it separate on the r the rhate gave oe come he was afraid he might lose the chart which he ent ts old Duteh gin bottle corked up.” immy looked at Will, and Will looked at Jimmy. Was the chart they had picked up in San Francisco Bay the gi referred to by the derelict? ‘ The description certainly fitted it. _If it was, how came the bottle to be ae one there? _ The boys were interested in learni _ “Did he lose the bottle overboard?” asked Jimmy. _ “No, he didn’t, but it’s lost just the same, and he was lost wow?” . : o months after we ‘eft the- island, whan we expected to ‘wriseo in a couple of weeks or so, we ran into an awful several days, and when it was over the barky ee Ae no amount of pumpin’ would keep per abandoned her and put off with all t Bill was a ae tog bottle was THE SECRET CHART. but nobody did, so at last. we pulled away, with that gig I came here in last night towin’ astern loaded with grub. We expected to be seen and rescued in a week, but though we seen sev'ral sail, none seen us. So we knocked around more’n a month till the provisions was nearly gone. One misty evenin’ we pulled the gig alongside as usual to get our supper. and I was sent into her to hand out seme of the stuff. 1 seen there wasn’t enough to last all hands more’n three days, and as the chances of bein’ picked up was not good, I didn’t fancy the look of things.” 3 The sailor paused and leered at the boys. ( “Go on,” said Jimmy. “After I looked the grub over I says to myself that seif- preservation was the first law of natur’, and that J wouldn't get another chance like the present. The night bein’ foggy, if the gig broke loose the others in the long boat wouldn't be able to see where it drifted to. Such bein’ the case, I erawied for’ard, whipped out my clasp-knife, and cut the rope as slick as a whistle. The gig drifted off as I expected it would.” The boys looked at Blaine with disgust, with perhaps a stronger feeling:as the picture of the leng boat, with many men aboard, left without food, rose before their eyes, and all through the treachery of the rascal who was facing them and telling them the plain facts without the least.show of remorse. “That was a mean trick,” said go aa “Tll allow it warn’t just right, shipmate, but in a case of that kind it’s every man for himseif. If somebody else had been sent into the gig he might have done the same. Well, the skipper noticed right away that the gig was gone, and he gaye a shout. I heard him orderin’ the men to pull around and look for me and the boat. They called out to me, expectin’ I'd shout back and guide ’em where to look. But I warn’t no sich fool. Havin’ done the trick, I warn't goin’ to sp’ile it by helpin’ ’em to find me.* When I didn’t answer, I heard the bunch swearin’ terribly, I r&tkon they suspected the truth, and if the skipper looked at the end of the rope, which he probably did, the proof was there. - They rowed this way and that in the mist, but it was like huntin’ for a needle in a hay- stack to find the gig in the fog and darkness, and so I get clear off. I was three weeks in that gig, up to last night, and had finished up every scrap of food, and had about given up hove, when I run foul of this here hooker just in time to save my bacon. So here I am, livin’ on the fat of the land with you chaps, on a vessel that’s goin’ to take us to that there island and (fill pur pockets with gold money. Thenve'll sail hack. and you kids kin open a, bank, and live like kings for the rest of your nat’ral lives,” said the sailor, with.a wicked grin. Jimmy and Will had by this time lost all the satisfaction they had begun to feel in having a real sailor aboard to help them run the brig. They realized that the man was a conscienceless rascal and could not be trusted. Jimmy, however, was curious to learn how the sailor ex- pected to reach the island where he claimed the gold was, since both the chart, with the name of the island, and its lati- tude and longitude, had apparently gone down with the men who made the alleged discovery, so he put the question to the derelict. “Nothin’ easier, shipmate,” grinned the saflor. the paper the mate handed Bill.” “How did you get it when you say the man went down in the second boat?” “I hocked it from Bill some days afore. He never missed ft. I_was afraid he might give me the slip when we reached ’Friseo, so I thought I'd get the jump on him. It wes lucky I got it from him, seein’ how things turned out. If I hadn't, that would have been the end of the treasure as far as I was concerned.” The sailor leaned back and chuckled, while he looked more wicked than ever. “I've got CHAPTER IX. — j ™~ 7 STANDING WATCH. Jimmy and win regarded the rescued man with fear and : repulsion. ’ The same thought struck Shem both that ina day or two he would have recovered his strength, and then he would co sere 7M to boss the brig. = He looked well able to master both of them. 3 If they didn’t fall in with his bd od my would lose no eae. _ in making them. a. The ogre wa not look K encouraging. ee .
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THE SECRET CHART. 11 Jimmy felt that he and his companion must have a talk on the subject at once. “Pick up the dishes, Will, and help carry them to the gal- ley,” he said. “Hold on, shipmate,” interposed the sailor, “is there a pipe and backy around?” “There’s a pipe and a bag of tobacco in the pantry on a shelf. I'll bring it to you,” replied Jimmy. “That's right, and don’t forget a match,” said Blaine. “I’m goin’ on the poop to have a smoke. Ain’t had one since the barky went down. You kin join me there when you've cleaned up. Jimmy brought him what = wanted, and he staggered up the companion stairs, “Well, it’s too bad that old ‘villain came aboard here,” said Jimmy, on reaching the galley where his companion was heat- ing water to wash the dishes with. “It is my opinion he'll upset all our calculations.” “He'll make us’ sail the brig to the island where he says the gold is,” replied Will, “and heaven knows where that is; prohably in the South Seas, where most of the islands are.” “There’s no doubt of that. He’s dead set that way.” “Do you believe there is any. gold on that island?” “T didn’t till he spoke about the chart in the Dutch gin bot- tle. We've got that, and it wasn’t drawn for nothing.” | “But what ¢g is it? It doesn’t tell the name of the island, nor the latitud longitude.” “I know, but sailor said he has the paper containing that information.” “Suppose he has, how is he going to take the brig to the island unless he understands tavigation, and he doesn’t look as if he did?” “I give it up; but he talks as'f he expected to find the island without much trouble,” “Talk is cheap. I don’t believe anybody that’s not a navi- __ gator could find it. Anyway, I don’t want to go there with - him. Suppese we were so lucky as to reach the island, and ~that we found the gold and took it aboard, I’il bet he’d chase us ashore and leave us marooned there like the other sailor was.” ‘ “He couldn’t work the brig alone, so I guess he wouldn’t leave us behind.” “He might do us later when he thought it was safe. A man *’who will work such a scurvy rick on his companions ag he _ did with the gig isn’t to be trusted at any siage of the game.” “Trusted! I should say not. While he’s aboard we'll have to ve sleen with one eye open.” / “You've got that revolver. Better net let him see it.” te ; “Ye knows I’ve got it, for I told him jast night about shoot- s the snake, which, by the way, we must get rid of, for it’s Jove rg to smell. "There's only one Per icge in it. I must -. hunt for some more.” ; The boys finished washing te dishes, and carried them to _.the, pantry. oe ; “They went to look at the Sat snake, \ To lift the reptile over the bulwark they. ‘needed a sling and hoist. for it was heavy, otherwise they would have to cut a hole through the bulwark large enough to shove it through. Jimmy decided that by crawling out on the main yard he -eould pees the end of a rope over the yard between the pieces of ime holding the bottom of the matntopsail, and in this way ee could get rid of the snake. ‘He easily found a rope long enough for the purpose, climbed | the ra’ with it, reached the yard and made his way out by the aid of the foctropes He did the trick end Retittnel to the deck. Be tied one end of the rope around the middle of the snake, bod then he and Will hoisted it over the bulwark, where it head and tail down. © _ Lowering it far enough, Jimmy climbed cn. the bulwark ea and severed the rope close to where it was tied. The dead snake dropped to the water and sank out of sight. : en the boys went on the poop and joined the sailor who been watching. th work. t was a Na Z. sna Bee said the derelict; “and you killed it . s ? 7 ee Oe) ee ae ay ie x first rate together.” t don’ t mean ei help, iarterk it bape Tit o EE Ar a BAAN aerate | Ss Rac ei en et ae eae Marea ee WE LU bae te MERLE “Allowin’ we're 600 miles, or thereabouts, from the coast of North America, I should say it was about 3,500 miles % the sou’ west.” “That's a long distance.” 4 “If things go right we ought to get there in a month.” “Do you understand navigation?” The sailor admitted that he did not. “How do you think you will find the island, then?” “I’ve got the name, and the latitude and longitude, and when we get near the island we'll signal some vessel and get the right course.” “Suppose we don’t meet with any vessel?” “We'll put in at the first island we come to and get our course there.” ; bart thought that a very uncertain way of fetching the slan “What's the name of thé island?” he asked. The sailor shut one eye and looked at the boy.” “Tll tell you when we get down where it is.” Clearly he was cautious about giving out information. “Ts it. inhabited?” “Not that I know of. Bill said he didn’t see anyboly while he was there.” “How long was he there?” “Three months or so.” “You know where the gold is hidden?” “Nat’rally I have an idea, or it wouldn’t pay to go there.” “Is it hidden in a cove?” “Na: “On top of a bluff, then?” “What gave you the idea there was a bluff on that island?” said the sailor, looking hard at the boy. “TI just asked you.” “Well, it hain't on the top of no bluff.” “T suppose there is no use of me asking you where it is hidden, if you know?” “Not the slightest. got a clew.” “Three thousand five hundred miles is a long distance to go. Suppose we run into a storm, how are you going to manage the brig?” “Leave that to me, sonny. We'll get enough sail off this hooker in an hour to make things safe in anythin’ but the worst kind of a gale. She looks tight, and ought to ride the water like a duck.” “How long ought this weather to last?” “No one kin tell. It might last all the way to the island.” After awhile Jimmy went down into the cabin and made a hunt for revolver cartridges. He found two boxes full in the captain’s room. He reloaded the Colt, — hid it with the cartridges in what” he regarded as a safe spo ‘ He didn’t want the tl to get it into his hands. When noon came the derelict was able to eat a regular meal, which showed that he was coming around fast. ‘ The boys had given up hope of persuading him to turn the bark. They knew he wouldn't do it, and the sailor knew he was boss of the ranch. During the afternoon the wind changed. He went to the wheel, and under his directions the boys worked the yards around one at a time to meet the wind so. that the brig could still hold her course west by southwest. — Had the yards not been touched, and only the wheel move¢ to accommodate her to the wind, the brig would have run almost due south. The wind dropped some about wicteoe: but picked up later. It wasn’t necessary to start a rope to keep her on her course. The sailor said that they would have to stand watch, since the wind was liable fo veer around at any time. He picked Jimmy to watch grom eight till twelve, Will from. midnight till four, and that he'd come on himself at the latter — hour. If there was any change in the weather he was to be aroused _ and told of it, The binnacle lamp was lighted, and the boys were each given” ; instructions how to hold the wheel during the watch. ; As the steersman alone would be on duty, and he would have to leave his post to arouse his successor when the little — from the panty announced the time his watch was out, the Saitek Salen tee ropen Be co cad sa whet tr de e I don’t know exactly myself, but I've. ghey left = t the wheel ‘that v no Jimmy was_le one at the w Bi the sensation was new and queer.
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12 THE SECRET CHART. It was the first time he had been on deck alone for any se of time, and the first time he attempted to steer the e It was rather a weird feeling to have the vessel rushing for- ward under his inexperienced guidance. The wheel pulled this way and that, and the compass card danced to the right and left in sympathy. He couidn’t keep fhe craft exactly on her course to save his life, but he did much better than might be expected of him. especially as time passed and the novelty of the job wore off, The night was beautiful overhead, and as the wind held in one quarter, he got along without any great trouble. When midnight drew near he attached the looped ropes, and found they steadied his grip. As he had no great confidence in Will’s ability to stand his “trick,” he told that lad when he aroused him that he had bet- ter leave the wheel as it was, and hold it as steadyias he could. As Will wasn’t any too wide awake at first, this advice was good, and Jimmy left him in charge of the brig. Even at that Will found the job a difficult one, and he didn’t feel happy to be the solitary watcher of the night. As he was continually watching the clock forfour to come around, time went unusually slow with him, for “a watched pot never boils.” But as there is an end to everything, four came at last, and with a sigh of relief Will rushed down into the cabin and awoke the sailor. CHAPTER X. PRESTO, CHANGE—NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON’T, Next day the boys steered the brig, in half-hour spells, under the sailor’s eyes and instruction. By the time sundown came around again they had become quite expert for new beginners, and could keep the brig on ther course all right in the smart breeze that was forcing her on her way. For a week ecuiiteans continued favorable, by which time the sailor roughly calculated they had covered 2,500 miles to the southwest. Then the barometer, hanging in the passage, showed signs of a change in the weather. The derelict called the attention of the boys to the dropping of the mercury. “The weather looks all right,” said Jimmy. “There are meg more clouds, and the wind feels stronger, that’s all I no- ice.” “The glass never lies,” replied the sailor. “Things will be different inside of a few hours. There’s a haze along the horizon. and it’s likely from the smell of moisture in the air that we'll have rain soon, and with it is likely to come half a gale. You'll have the chance to find your sea legs at last. I reckon I'll have to do most of the steerin’ while the blow lasts, for we can't afford to take no chances.” -An heur later the clouds began to obscure the sky. ‘They appeared to gather right out of the firmament, and the brig ere long was enveloped in an impenetrable vapor. _ The wind was now blowing hard, and the brig dashing along like a racehorse. _ Jimmy was steering, with the sailor close by, watching the | sails where they showed in and out of the mist. The derelict’s experienced eye ‘could tell the moment the vessel fell away at all, and then he would call Jimmy's atten- tion to the fact. _ The water dashed against the brig with that peculiar sullen _ sighing which betokens a storm. The brig no longer sailed freely, but tossed and dipped to the surges. _ The sailor watched the glass frequently.’ He judged that only an ordinary gale was to be apprehended, \ and that only a part of the sails need be reduced. To take them in under the circumstances was no easy work, “She, for he could only depend on Will’s help, and he was only a oo a Ls y: The foretopsail yard was lowered far enough to enable the| W sailor to run aloft and clew up a single reef, which he accom- plished in short order. ao maintopsail yard followed, and he took in a Single reef bach in iarn was lowered further, and another reef taken in| ag “ aE Then the sailor reefed the heavy mainsail and foresail. Only a man with iron muscles could have handled the can- yas in that wind. He returned to the deck considerably done up and_drank half a glassful of whisky, It was now growing dark, and Jimmy, relieved from the wheel, ccoked a pot of coffee, and they had supper standing. We will not dwell on the next two days, during which the brig was at the mercy of a stiff gale. She sawn tse handsomely, and made good progress on her way. Then fine weather came again, much to the relief of the boys. “We're getting to be regular sailors, Will,” said Jimmy when they stcod in the gallery on the morning a the gale blew out. “I should say so. Look at my hands. They're nied and biis- tered. We've got our sea legs now, as the sailor calls it. Just ae we weren't sick at all.” t at's because we've been on the wat*r so much in ‘Frisco Bay. and often when it was mighty rough. I was sick once.” Will admitted that he was, too. “It’s fine to see the sun again,” ain’t more than an ordinary one.” “Breakfast is ready. Get busy now and help carry it into the cabin.” The temperature had grown considerably warmer, showing that they were well to the south, just as theygknew they were a long distance to the west of the point whence they had started. Inquiry’ of the sailor developed the opinion on his part that they were about fifteen degrees above the equator. which, if true, would place their position to the south of the Sandwich Islands, and about on a line with the southern part of M>xico. It grew hotter day by day as they proceeded, and as the boys remembered from their geography that there was 2 group of islands directly south of Hawaii, though how far they did not know, they wondered if they would sight one of them. Jimmy mentioned the fact to the sailor. and he said they would put in at the first land they raised on the horizon. The derelict said he guessed they ought to sight an island in 3 a week as, in his opinion, they were getting down close to the + island they wanted to land at. That was only guesswork on his part, for he had no more idea of the position of the brig, save that she was approaching the tropical line, than the boys. For the next teh days the wind was light and baffling, and - they made slow progress. It was, so hot that all hands went about in their under gar- ments, with bare feet, and passed most of the time under a canvas awning the sailor rigged up to shield them from the direct rays of the sun. The pantry provisions had given watt with the exception of the ham and a few other things. some time since, and they were living on stores procured from the lazaretta, of which there was quite a supply. Three torrid weeks elapsed, and still they hadn't cauzht sight cf lahd. One afternoon, while the sailor was asleep in a corner, Jimmy drew out the uncompleted chart of the nameless island, and he and Will looked it over again, and figured if it was the island where the gold was supposed .to be. he said. “And this wind thy oe 0 Finally they grew sleepy under the heat, and the poiee slipped out of Jimmy's fingers. A current of air cr@ated by the motion of the brig played with it, and wafted it, little by little, across the poop deci until it dropped down into the space where the wheel was, where there was no breeze, and it lay face upward in the hot sunshine. As he got up he remembered the chart, and looked for i Tt wasn't in his pockets, so he looked around on the Then the suspicion that the sailor had got up while he and — Will were snoozing. seen the chart and taken possession of it, red to be dead to the world. met don’t believe he’s got it,” Jimmy said. It soon began to curl up into a roll. * ee but coulén’t see it. struck him. Then he felt the hot breeze sweeping his bare overboard. Jimmy woke up from his cat-nap and felt thirsty. Ne deck “Where in thunder did it go?” he asked himself. cme looked over at the sleeping derelict, but that individual feet. ‘Thats too na Bes rie I guess it’s blown
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THE SECRET CHART. He looked down on the after deck and saw the roll in the sun. \ “There itis.” he ejaculated. He sprang down and grabbed it. It was almost too hot to handle. Jimmy carried it under the shade and unrolled it, intending to fold it as it was before, as it would lay better in his ae While doing so he looked at the sketch, A curious change had come over it. Writing and marks in a reddish hued ink appeared where before had been blank space. “What's all this?” cried the astonished boy, looking hard at the chart. Across the middle of the island was written the word “Pal- myra,” evidently the name of the island. Opposite the word longitude appeared 177 deg., 42 min. W. Opposite the word latitude was 5 deg., 16 min. N. @#Not far from the word “bluffs” was a circle marked “crater.” On bluff was a roughly drawn palm tree. An index finger pointed to some writing, as follows: “Stand under palm on bluff, face west in line with sinkirg sun, as lower edge touches far edge of crater; walk 36 paces straight, find four stakes, diamond shape, turn and face three cocoanuts on hill to north; walk 16 paces, find four more stakes, face sun, walk straight into crater, find four stakes, diamond shape, 1 yard apart; dig in center space; treasure chest 4 feet deep.” “Gee!” ejaculated Jimmy, “how did this writing get on this chart with the other marks? I'll swear théy were not there before. Nobody could have made the change since we were looking at it a few minutes ago. Some people would say that the chart was bewitched, but of course it isn’t. I must show it to Will. Hey, Will, Will, wake up and look here,” he called out. His companion was not. so easily aroused. é Somebody else was, and that was the sailor. sie sat up and said, “What's the matter, matey?” “Nothing,” replied Jimmy, dropping the paper, for he didn’t want the derelict to see it. -“I was just calling to my friend.” The sailor stretched out his arms lazily and got up. eee stooped, recovered the chart and shoved it into his pocket Then he went down into the cabin and got a drink of boiled water. An hour later he went to the galley to prepare supper, and there Will joined him. He took the opportunity to tell his friend.about the mysteri- ous writing which had come out somehow on the chart.. “The name of the island is Palmyra, and the latitude and longitude is written in in the proper place where it was miss- ing. The treasure is somewhere in a crater, and full directions are given for finding it.” “Let's see,” said Will, excitedly. ‘ - _ “Look out and see where the sailor is.” Will looked and said he was on the poop, standing at “ wheel looking off toward the horizon, Jimmy then drew out the chart and handed it to his com- panion. Will opened it eagerly and looked at it. “Why; what are you talking about? There’s no writing on it. It’s just as it always was,” he said. “What!” cried Jimmy, snatching it and looking himself. Will had spoken nothing more than the facts. 13 “Look at the back of it.” “There’s nothing on the back.” “Hold it up against the sun.” SEY walked to the bulwark and did so, but that did no good. “I'll give it up,” he said, putting it back in his pocket. “Something brought that writing out, but it isn’t there now.” The approach of the sailor put an end to their talk on the subject. An hour afterward, while they were seated at the cabin over the remains of the evening meal, Jimmy, who had been think- ing, suddenly said: “I had a funny dream this afternoon, Jim,” looking at the sailor. “What was it, my hearty?” said the derelict, taking out his pipe and charging it with tobacco. “I dreamed we had reached the island where the treasure ig.* “What did it look like?” said the sailor, with a grin. , “Just like any-island. It was surrounded by water.” “Tt wouldn’t be an island if it wasn’t, sonny.” “It had a couple of coves, a beach, a bluff “Eh?” ejaculated the .mariner, looking at Jimmy. “A grove of bananas, some cocoanut trees, and the name was written on a big board stuck in the sand like an advertising sign.” “What was the name?” said the sailor, striking a match and» raising it to the bowl of his pipe. “Palmyra Island.” Blaine dropped the match and ripped out an oath. “You've stolen that paper of mine,” he cried, fiercely, feel- ing in his pocket. “No, I haven't,” replied the boy. The sailor found the paper and looked it over suspiciously. “You took it out of my pocket and looked at it.” “No, I didn't.” “How did you learn the name of the island, then?” “Ts that really the name?” “Yes, it's the mame. You couldn't have dreamed it.” - “But I did, Jim. I saw the name and the island as plain as I see you now.” As the other things that the boy mentioned were not down on the paper, and the derelict knew they applied to the island, he was finally convinced that Jimmy had actually dreamed about the island. . “T once dreamed that I was aboard a brig with two boys about your size, and we was bound after a treasure,” said the sailor, grimly. “The boys knew the name of the island, and when we put in at another island I warned them to say nothin’ about it. One of them forgot the warnin’ and told about the business. I found it out, and when we sdiled ag’in the boy accidentally fell overboard and was lost. I hope that dream doesn’t come out true.” He looked hard at Jimmy, got up and went on the poop. The boys looked at each other rather solemnly. “Why did you tell him that yarn?” asked Will. “Now you've got to look out.” “I wanted to test the name of the island I saw on the chart.” “You hit it all right. Gee, but he was mad.” “That proves I saw the writing, doesn’t it?” “Looks like it. Come, let’s get the dishes out of the galley.* While they were washing the dishes and pans, Jimmy told bebe how the chart got away from him and rolled out in the The name of the island, the latitude and longitude, the tree | su on the bluffs, the crater circle an completely. ang rn be jiggered!” cried Jimmy, staring at it with open nou ; ny all the writing had vanished . CHAPTER XI. EAND "wo! “What kind of game are you giving me?” grinned Will, “Game! Why, I saw the writing here as plain as I see you,” Jimmy. ou mean you dreamed you did.” “No. I didn’t dream it. I haven’t been asleep since I saw it.” Jimmy was thoroughly in earnest, and Will saw he was. “If you saw it, it ought to be there now,” said Will. Boke oe gets pe It isn’t here now. I couldn't. came to ato and I'm just as er: ae “When I picked it up it was curled up and hot as the dickens. When I smoothed it out I saw the writing in a reddish kind of ink.” Will suddenly gave a shout. 4 “TI know! I know!” he cried, excitedly. “What do you know?” asked Jimmy, looking at h “What brought out the writing.” “The dickens you do.” “The heat of the sun. The writing that doesn’t ule now is written in with invisible ink that only shows under a strong — heat. That’s a secret chart. What you see gives no clew to anything. What you don’t see until it's brought out by heat is Feoee the secret part, showing where the treasure is and how to get it. Don’t lose that chart for your life. I'll bet the sailor can’t find the treasure to save his neck; but we'll be able to do it a if we reach the island.” 3 “Will, I take my hat off to you. You've got ‘more brains than I gave you credit for. You have solved the mystery of ay the writing. Shake, old man.” y “lm nears | en oe **' | iss stumbling bieck im ear weg.”
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14 “Tl tell you what we'll do. The sailor is going to put in at the first island with a port we strike to get the bearings of Palmyra Island. We'll give him the slip, hunt up some reliable skipper, show him the chart and make a deal with him. In this way we'll outwit Blaine.” “Oh, you will, will you, you infernal young swab!” roared the sailor, suddenly appearing in the door, near which he had been listening to the conversation of the boys, after creep- ing upon them unawares, for he had been suspicious of them ever since Jimmy handed him the dream story. “You'll outwit me, will you? You'll go overboard right now.” He sprang on Jimmy, and by main force yanked him out of, the galley and began to drag him over to the side of the vessel. The boy hadn’t the ghost of a show to save himself, and he shouted for help. Then for the first time in his life Will acted Ifke a man. He knew that unless he interfered his companion was » doomed. ‘ He seized a heavy frying-pan, rushed after the struggling ' pair, and brought the article down on Blaine’s head with all his might. The sailor dropped like a shot, stunned, on the deck. “You're a brick, Will,” cried Jimmy. “Yow saved my life.” “What are we going to do with him now? ‘He'll come to Presently and he’ll murder both of us.” “Tl fix him,” said Jimmy. He got a rope and tied the sailor with it. “Run into the pantry, light the lantern and fetch‘ it here.” “What are you going to do?” said Will. ; “You'll see. Hurry up.” : In.a few minutes Will fetched the lantern. “Now help me drag him to the forecastle.” % Maan carried the sailor forward, and dumped him down the : er, Jimmy went down with the lantern, and Will followed. . They tied the sailor securely to a post, leaving his left arm ‘free, but Jimmy saw to it that the knots were out of his reach. then ‘they left their prisoner and closed the scuttle door on “That settles him while Jimmy. powder near a bonfire.” The brig was sailing easily.along over a rippling sea lighted up by a2 brilliant galaxy of stars that studded the heavens in all directions. There was just enough wind to keep the sails drawing. _ The wheel was tied so that she held her course as well as if & man was at the heim. The boys stretched themselves out and toiked about the “changed situation. ‘ we're aboard this vessel,” said ‘It was like the first two days they were afloat by themselves. “It's a good thing that you took Blainc’s knife away from him,” said Will; “otherwise he could have reached around and _ got it with his left hand, and then it weuldn’'t take the rascal _ long to get free.” PN ay of that; but in any case he couldn't shave got out forecastle. We’ ve got the door caught on him.” we ‘when we take him his food in the morning “When | we do I shall have the revolver with me . je ee We can’t take any chances with the fellow.” é with Blaine under hatches and bound, the boys felt % a fear of him, so they arranged to d watches of two hours _* alternately during the night, and the one on duty was to carry >. the revolver and stand inside the galley where he could watch the forecastie hatch. . Jt was along toward morning that ‘Jimmy, who was on ‘watch, suddenly noticed a peculiar sound in the air. _ It came from the direction the brig was heading. © After Ustening to it awhile, during which time it grew louder, he rushed on the forecastle deck to see ff he could find out what caused it. ct Right t ahead he saw a dark blot against the brilliant horizon. __ He thought it was a ship, but saw no lights, and as far as Spgs ce Boy a it was not moving. ot: rectly. at it that it was an island, and the at it. ; and aroused will. he said. 3 off th apd pulled it over. ‘the vessel only “He’s as dangerous at liberty as a barrel of gun- ee running straight on it. We meek B _ Fesponded | THE SECRET CHART. , The sails flapped and she moved broadside on toward the dark object. . That wouldn’t do, and Jimmy brought her back and turned her the other way, with a like result. The boys soon realized tht unless the yards could be braced around, the brig would not clear the island. ‘ By this time the noise, which was the roll-call of a light surf on the beach and rocks, had grown very loud to them. Then an idea struck Jimmy. “(ll tell you what we'll do,” he said. “We'll try and get the main yards dround, and that might bring the vessel to.” The boys tried to carry this out, but being unfamiliar with the ropes in the dark, ihey could not pick out the right oncs to let go and the others to haul on. The result was the brig sailed on into a big cover and bumped her nose on the beach. Then she swung around and came to rest as easy as though under the influence of guiding hands. Without knowing it the boys had actually reached the treas- ure island. * z ? CHAPTER XII. TREASURE ISLAND. “We're up against land at last,” said Jimmy. “It’s an island, of course, and it is probably inhabited. When niorning comes we. may. look to see the natives flocking to the shore, and there isn’t any doubt that they wil! pay us a visit. I hope they will prove friendly, and that there is a white settlement here, otherwise things are likely to go rough with us.” “Tt wouldn’t be nice for us if the natives proved to be can- nibals. We'd be killed and eaten,” said Will, nervousiy. “There are not so many cannibals now as there used to be before the English got hold of so many islands in these seas. Anyway, I think we’re too far north to meet any of those people.” “Why, we must be close to the equator.” “We are, but the cannibals are south of the line, so I have ad.” “The Fiji islanders used to be all cannibals, I've heard.” “TI guess they were many years ago. The Hnglish have con- verted the larger part of them by the aid of missionaries and force of arms.” As it was close to morning, the boys did not sleep any more. Daylight finally came with tropical suddenness, Gisclosing ‘a small island to their view. It was a perfect mass of tropical verdure—-an emerald set in the ocean. Thore was very little if any surf inside the broad cove where. the brig floated, and not a whole lot outside along th» shore, for the sea was almost smooth and there was hard!y any wind. f The tide was low, exposing a goodly stretch of white beach. When it began to flow it would carry the vessel right azainst the sand. At present she was in about the.middle of the cove. With the next flood tide the brig; unless anchored or se- cured to the shore by a rope, was likely to float out of the cove... - | The boys didn’t know this. Without help they did not expect to get away from the island. “This is a fine little island,” said Jimmy, and he and Will gazed upon the green mass with much pleasure. “I don’t see any signs of inhabitants.” : “Maybe there aren’t any,” replied Will. “T hope there aren’t any natives, but it would be much to our interest to find white people.” _ After awhile they went to breakfast, which they prepared d ate in the galley to save time. t “How about Blaine?” said Will, when they had finished. “I’m not worrying about him. Let him go hungry for — awhile. He can stand it. He’s a big scoundrel, and would do us up if he got the chance. If the boat’s crew he abandoned without food perished, as they had a good chance of doing owing to his treachery, he’s guilty of wholesale murder. He } ought to be punished for it.” - “T wish we coyld get rid of him.” “Tm Lee favor of carrying him ashore and leaving him on and.” that would be-all right if we were sure we could get away = ourselves; but I don’t see. ‘how ee ene ee ee . cove.” ae BS
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THE» SECRET CHART. =r EP AT SETS TE IE ET OT EE EE ERS EEE = ARES ED TS oie boys washed up the Ccishes and then returned to the wane s¢ him prisoner. That gives us the chance to hunt for the : gold without being bossed around by him. Doesn’t-it look as = : a - gide, which poThe brig lay broadside on to the shore. if what teacher calls Fate started us.on this adventure, and “Say, let’s lower the sailboat and have 3 look at the island,” | that we are going to find the treasure?” suggested Will. “Gocd scheme,” replied Jimmy. “I guess there’s enough wind for us to sail around the island, and we'll be able to find out if there is a setilement on it.” Lowering the boat was a picnic beside hoisting it, and they unlashed it and soon had it in the waiter. “Who'd ever think that this little craft, built in ’Frisco, would get all the way over\here, several thousand miles from Meiggs Wharf? I guess old Mitchell will never see it again.” “In which case our fathers will have to pay for it, I sup- Dose.” “Tt isn’t worth a great deal, but it’s some loss to the old man who carned a part of his bread and butter from it. I’ve no doubt that long before this we have been given up for dead, end I feél sorry for our folks. We'll get the fatted calf when we turn up one of these days, the heroes of a string of ad- ventures.” “If we do get back,” said Will. “Oh, we'll get back, don’t you worry. After going through what we have in safety, the chances are all in our favor.” “Don’t shout before you're out of the woods.” “All right. All we need to make a great success of our ocean voyage is to find the gold of the crater. I wish this was the island.” “Suppose-it was, ‘we’re stuck here unless we put to sea in} sider.” sailboat, whieh would be too much of a fool trick to con- sider.” While talking, the boys had left the floating brig and were sailing slowly out of the cove. Then Jimmy, who was steering, turned to the left, which Will admitted that things looked that way. When they got back tc the ccve where the brig was they found her aground and hucging the edge of the beach. They saw by certain marks which had disappeared that the tide had risen several feet. “When the tide goes out she'll be left high and dry, and over on her side,” said Wiil. “Tf she’s fast aground she will,” returned Jimmy, she’ll float away from the beach.” “Do you think she’H float out of the cove in that case?” “She might.” “If we're ashore looking for the treasure she'll get away from us.” “There’s a chance of it. To prevent her from getting away we had better gct her cable out, if we can, and tie it to one of those trees yonder. If it’s too heavy for us to handle, we'll hunt up two. long ropes and tie her to two trees.” As there was no rush from the present outlook, they went aboard and got their dinner, then they went to see how the sailor was getting on. He was ccnscious and still tied. He grected them with a string of oaths and throats. They paid no attention to his remarks, but offered him his . dinner to eat with his free left-hand. — Z He ate like a savage, hungry animal, and abused them be- ; tween mouthfuls. Finally he wanted to know if they were caught in a dead calm, for he had felt scarcely any motion for several hours. “No. we've run foul of a small island which appears to be un- inhabited, and as*there’s hardly any wind, we're at a stand- “otherwise happened to be toward the north, and they started to circum- | S*ill.” Ravigate the island. ' They saw trees in abundance, palms, cocoanuts and others. At the word island the sailor changed his tune. ‘ He promised if they would release him to let bygones be In about fifteen minutes they sighted a bluff with a single | bygones, and not harm either of them. wee on top of it. ay, there's a bluff with what looks like a palm tree on it,” - Jimmy. “That answers to the bluff in the chart.” “Get out your chart and let the sun bring cut the; secret writing,” said Will. “Hand it to me.” Jimmy passed the’ paper over, and Will unfolded it and laid it down on the half detk, which was already hot enough to blister one’s hands. In a few moments the writing and other marks began to appear, and. Will looked at them with great interest. “The writing is coming out,” he said to Jimmy. Tt did not take tong to bring the secret part of the chart ‘into full view, and the boys looked it over. -By this time they had passed the bluffs. Suddenly Jimmy gave a shout. “There’s three trees in a line yonder,” he said, “They’re on a hill to the north. Gee! Maybe this is the treasure island.” “Heavens! if it is we'll surely find the treasure, and then we'll be rich.” _ “We'll go around the island and see if there’s anybody on it, then after dinner we'll go ashore a see if we can find the crater.” “No hurry about that, for the chart says the marks, that is, the stakes, must be looked for about sundown.” AG ean look for the crater right away. If we see it we can - around until sundown, and then follow the directions on » the chart.” ~ “All right,” nodded Will, handing back the chart. Tt took them two hours to go around the island in the light wind that was blowing, and they found a second cove on the sponded with ‘the marking on the chart. “If we have really hit the treasure island, it’s the only case =f ~ ever heard of finding a needle in a haystack,” said Jimmy. “Bad it a case of pig luck,” replied Will. | “The whole. of our cruise is a curious combination of luck Be when — size it up. We start off for a short sail on a sunny yer 3 ‘ sa It A bottle comes fioating toward us which we pick ns the treasure chart, part of it written in a < way. We run into a dense fog, float around till we run the brig. We board her and she carries us off, Two erate a we save a big rascal who we find is interested. in the eer we were afraid of him, we might have found return. When we're near to the island, if this island ‘one, which I feel sure it is, we discover the Then. we Bo cites 5 seca with the sailor and “You won't be able to clear the tsland without my help, he said. “If it should come on to blow the hooker would go _ ashore and that would be the end of her, and we'd be left ma- rooned on the island, probably to starve.” ; “We can’t trust you, Blaine,” said Jimmy. “If Will hadn’t come to my aid last evening you’d have thrown me overboard.” The sailor swore he only meant to frighten Jimmy, and had not intended to throw him overboard. Jimmy wasn’t to be hoodwinked. He told-the derelict he would have to remain where he was until they considered the question of releasing him. Then they left him and started to look up one or two = strong enough to hold the brig to the shore. They rigged the ropes to the anchor winch on the forecagtie deck and carried the other ends ashore, where they made them fast to the bottom of a couple of stout trees, leaving plenty of slack so the vessel could ride at low water if the ebb tide’ car- ried her clear of the beach. It was hot work, and the boys were covered with perspira- tion when they had finished the job. “Now we'll start for the bluff and see if the crater is up - there acccrding to the chart,” said Jimmy, after they had taken a good rest in the shade. They ‘pushed their way through the dense verdure, and in fif- teen minutes came to a banana grove. The ripening fruit attracted their attention, and they were soon filling up on it. “This must be the banana grove mentioned in the chart,” said Jimmy, pulling it out and looking at it. , The secret writing had disappeared as soon as the paper got cold again. The words “banana grove” were written in ordinary ink, and remain Looking toward the bluff where they could see the top of the 4 palm, the grove seemed to be in the position indicated on ae, chart. “This is the treasure island, all right,” said Jimmy. We've’ found about everything except the crater, and I’d be to bet my shirt now that we’ll see that when we peach ve bluff.” — They proceeded on their way over rising ground of a Tocky — ES character. : * They had to go slow and rest frequently in the shade, : An othe Da the net they left the beach they reached reached : near the palm =. *y ooking ween: soeae ‘sun, they distinctly 2
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* a 16 THE SECRET CHART. saw a circular rim of rock, uneven in character, rising a short distance away. “The crater!” shouted Will, in great glee. Neither doubted now that they were on the treasure island. — CHAPTER XIII. AFTER THE GOLD, “Talk about luck,” said Jimmy, “we're right in it.” “Bet your life we are. Al! we’ve got to do is to follow the directions, dig at the proper spot, and the chest of gold will be ours,” said Will. “Then will come the difficult part of the business—getting it to ’Frisco.” “That’s right,” said Will, his face falling. “We -can’t sail ao brig back without help, and we certainly can’t trust ne. “Well, we won't worry over that ie We have got to find the gold first.” “The sun is setting fast. As soon ai its lier rim touches the edge of the crater we must walk forward straight paces to where we should find four stakes driven into the und in diamond shape. Then we.are to face the three cocoanut trees and walk 16 paces in that direction. After that all we have to do is to walk forward into the crater, and there we will find four stakes a yard apart. In the center of them we are to dig four feet. Looks easy.” “Everything is easy when you know how to get around it.” The boys waited till the right moment came, then Jimmy to measure off the 36 paces in the sun's face, Wil! fol- started lowing behind him. “Thirty-one, two, three, four, five, six,” cried Jimmy, stop- tf ‘Bing. _ Hife.” ie “Me alone. The four stakes were not there. “Maybe I didn’t take long enough steps,” “took around and see if you can find them.” Will went slowly forward on his hands and Enées, with his #723 ou the ground, which, owing to its character, was bereft of vegetation. said Jimmy. “Long way. No able count. Volo much stupid. Him wish knew more—make medicine man then. Live fat. No work.” “What are you doing here in crater?” “Come here cook bread fruit. Much hot like fire. Save strike light.” “I don’t see any fire,” said Jimmy, stepping forward and looking down into the abyss. ; Tt wasn’t fire, but hot gas which came up through the open- ng. The fumes of the gas ascended from the crater and was breathed by Jimmy. ‘He uttered a cry as he felt his senses leaving him, stag- gered back, and would have fallen had not Will and the native seized his arms. They dragged him back from the edge of the pit, and he fell forward on his face unconscious. Will was greatly alarmed, but the native reassured him. “Heat. much bad when go too near. Me smell once. Fall down like him. By and by come to. No kill.” Will was glad to hear it. The native explained that he brought bread fruit there every few days, stuck it on the end of a stick and held it over the hot gas, which he called invisible fire, until it was cooked, rng. carried it away to a small | cave where he slept, and ate it. In a short time Jimmy recovered his senses, and was con- scious of no bad effects from the poisonous gas. With some caution he looked around for the four stakes, buried a yard apart, in the form of a diamond, and found them. “It will be dark in a few minutes,” he said to Will. “The only thing we can do is to take note of this spot so we will know it again.” ~ As there were other broken plxces in the rim of the crater, they piled up a heap of stuff that resembled pumice stone, and were ready to return to the brig. They invited the native to accompany them. On the way to the shore they tol! the me*?re that they were the only persons on the vessel, except « sailor who was a very bad man and wanted -to kili them. They had tied him up in the hold. They asked the native if he would help them sail t.ze vessel to the nearest inhabited island where there were white people. Pons, fi going a little over three feet, he called out: “Here| «me do anything to get away from island,” he answered. They took him aboard the brig and t Jimmy rushed forward and saw the tops of four pieces of odipes: e f a pigs ho good ‘wood, driven at angles corresponding to a diamond, even with the ground. “Hurrah!” he cried. “Now for the next stage of the game.” He took longer strides this time and landed close to another set of stakes. “Then he walked straight for the crater. ‘a It was broken away at that point. affording easy entrance. As Jimmy stepped in, a native, naked, with the exception of a breech-cloth, sprang up and faced the two boys. The encounter was a surprise to both. The native commenced to jabber in an unknown tongue. His attitude, however, appeared to be friendly, judging from the expression on his dark brown countenance. “Who are you?” cried Jimmy. “Me, Volo,” replied the native, in a guttural tone. “You English, eh?” “No, we’re American.” “American? Same like English. Me ae your lan- He P “You live on this island,” said Jimmy, in a tone that indi- eated he took the fact for granted. _ “No, no, no!” cried the native; energetically. “No live here. Come ashore in heap big wind. Canoe upset, Me only save “That so? How long you been on the island?” “How long? No remember. Moon come two times.” } “I guess he means about two months,” said Will. “Anybody else on this island?” The native shook his head. When you come?” “This morning—sunrise.” _“Where you ship?” ‘Jimmy pointed toward the cove. = “Maybe take Volo way to place where he get back to him : a eWhere is your island?” i FBow tar om rom here = southwest. He appeared to be hugely delighted with the food. He said he had lived on shell fish, bananas, bread fruit and cocoanuts. From his looks he had not suffered any. He sat with the boys for two hours om the poop, and they got to understand his disjointed English pretty well. He was told to sleep in one of the bunks, and he acted as though he was not accustomed to such a princely luxury, but he didn’t object to making use of the bunk, and in a short time was sound asleep. Then the boys carried Blaine’s supper to him,.and they found the sailor in a villainous humor. He wanted to be released at once, and as Jimmy declined to accede to his request, he swore he'd get free and then there would be something doing. At breakfast next morning Jimmy told Volo that there. was Pang oma buried in the crater that he and Will were going to ‘or. The native was curious to know what it was. As they knew they couldn’t prevent him from tibet the truth if the chest of gold was really in the crater, they tald him what they believed the contents of the box consisted of. He promised to help them dig for it, and transfer it to the brig. The boys found a shovel and a sharp piece of iron with © which to loosen the top covering of pumice stone; and*also provided themselves with three bags. . Before leaving the brig they gave the sailor his breakfast. This time he was sullen and silent, but there was a wicked glint in his eyes bibs d did not speak well for what was pass- ing in his mind. There was a strong had that ‘morning blowing off shore, and as most of the brig’s sails were set, she strained hard at her mooring ropes, and the boys looked anxiously at the two trees, wondering if they would hold hor. “We ought to get out another rope,” said Jimmy. _ ~ “There isn’t any rope long enough to reach to another < 63 tree,” ‘ee . ee a ee 4 net a) ~ wh
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“Those are the only trees near enough to be of “I wish we could zet the anchor down.” “We couldn’t handle it to seve our lives.” Then we must try and get some of the sail off her. I don’t think those trees are coing to stand 'the strain.” “T’'ve got a better idea.” j 2 “Whatiis it?” 4 ote is blowing from fore to aft. along the brig.” _« “It will be quicker for us, with the Indian’s help, to slew _ the yards around so that they point toward the wind. That _ will take the force of it out of the canvas. See the idea?” “Yes. We'll do that.” It took the three some time to work the yards on the two masts around, as they were far from being expert at such busi- _ fess, but they succeeded at last, and the strain on the two trees was greatly lessened. A “The boys believed the brig would hold now, and after put- _ ting what they wanted into the sailboat, together with a good _ lunch, for they hardly expected to get back by midday, they _ Pushed the boat to the beach with an oar, and driving the oar _ into the sand, tied the painter to it. The two treasure hunters and their copper-skinned com- Bbanion then started for the bluff. __ Arriving at the palm, Jimmy proceeded to measure off the , Tequisite number of paces in the direction he judged he had followed the previous afternoon, but he did not strike the He and Will thén started to hunt for them, but after closely examining quite a bit of the ground, they could not find them. “Qh, what’s the use wasting any more time. Let’s go over _ Jimmy. _ They went, but were baffled again—they could not find the akes. _ “One would think those stakes had the power of disappear- _ing like the writing on the chart,” said Jimmy, impatiently. “I’m afraid we'll haye to give up till sundown. We can’t r= find even the pile of stone we fixed up.” _ Jimmy tried to explain the trouble to Volo. ; —_ “Do you remember where we met you yesterday?” he asked. _ The native pointed. : “Good. Take us there.” _. Volo guided them directly to the spot, and the first thing _ they saw was the pile of pumice stone. en they entered the crater and, after a short hunt, located _the four stakes. __ Jimmy handed the pointed iron to the native, and told him to loosen up the stuff wit the stakes. __ He set to work, while the boys sat in the shade and watched ee soon know whether the treastire is there,” said - immy. be . es > + ; bet a dollar,” said Will, and Jimmy shared “It's there, I'll t the same idea. _ CHAPTER XIV. CONCLUSION, i ving his life to a hot sun, di e as hard as the boys would. f away for an hour and had made good progress when ook a hand at it. rked till he was tired, and handed the-shovel to Will. Will gave up, the native started in again. ss time the hole was about three feet deep, and only a remained to test the truth of the secret chart. s close to noon when Volo met with an’ obstruction. sothing in hole,” he sald. = = = » - hn!” shouted Jimmy. oe the F ng a : is of the loose pumice sr 4 the gold originally might it away. They wouldn't THE SECRET CHART. —_— a mee t- Jimmy had to admit that there was a possibility of such a thing having taken place, in which event their hunt would end in keen disappointment. “We'll soon find out whether it’s been removed or not,” he said. “I'll have a fit if it has,” said Will. After clearing the top of the chest, and some inches around the sides, they saw that the cover was secured by a stout pad lock. “The gold is still there,” said Jimmy. n away the chest wouldn’t have been locked again. to eat, and then finish the job.” They sat down under the shade cast by a grove of low trees and proceeded to eat dinner. “Gee! It's blowing harder than when we left the brig,” said Jimmy. “Maybe not. Will. Looking over the island, they could see the trees bending over under the force of the wind, which was blowing a small gale, At the same time the sky was clear and the sun almost as hot as ever. They finished their dinner, and soon afterward the native resumed digging around the chest. Finally about half of it was exposed and, taking the pointed iron, Jimmy inserted it under the heavy hasp, and the three using their united strength, broke it off. The lid of the chest was then raised, and a piece of bunting was found covering its contents. Jimmy pulled it off and shook it out it belonged to. It nroved to be of solid black cloth, ornamented with a rude skul] and cross bones—a regular pirate ensign. “Gee! It’s a pirate flag!”.cried the boy. “ That shows this is a pirate’s treasure.” Underneath the flag lay a suit of clothes, with a red sash. Removing these, a cutlass, a fancy dagger, a pair of silver mounted pistols of out-of-date design, and a number of other articles lay on top of a folded piece of eanvas. Eager to reach the expected gold, the boys paid little atten- tion to these curiosities, which were speedily thrown out. The canvas formed the lining of what was below, and it was folded back. c Anéther piece®of canvas lay underneath. “We'll get to the treasure after awhile,” said Jimmy. Throwing the canvas aside, they saw numerous small, fat bags, tied at the mouth and showing a dab of sealing wax, stamped with a Spanish emblem, This was evidently the gold, and the boys shouted with joy on finding it. Jimmy yanked a bag out with some trouble, for they were closely packed, and held it up. ’ The impress of coins could be seen through the stout cloth. “Cut it open,” said Will. : “No,” said Jimmy, “not till we get the stuff aboard. It’s sure money. Anybody can see that.” Will took the bag and weighed it. ; “Tt’s heavy, isn’t it? We won't be able to carry more than four of these apiece. It will take several trips to get it to the shore.” “We'll carry it all over to the palm tree first and pile it up there.” “Twelve bags were taken out, and each taking four, the pro- cession started for the tree. Leaving them under the tree, they went back and carried the remaining twelve in sight. When they returned to the chest, Jimmy tossed out another piece of canvas, expecting to find more bags underneath, but was disappointed. - There was nothing but a lot of clothes. The twenty bags constituted the whole of the treasure, “I wonder how much it amounts to?” said Will. “When we get aboard we'll count it. Pick up those pistols and the cutlass. I'll take this dagger, the sewing-kit, and the red cap. You, Volo, fetch the clothes with the sash,” said Jimmy. : i: This stuff was carried to the foot of the palm. _ “Now we'll carry a load of the gold to the cove, and then come back for the rest,” said Jimmy. At that moment Will uttered a cry of consternation. “Look! Look! There goes the brig out to sea! She broke “Tf it had been taken We'll stop _We're higher up here and feel it more,” said to see what nationality away. Now what are we going to do? This wind will carry — and we'll never see her again,” cried her clean out of Will, ,
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? 18 THE SECRET. CHART. —————__ “Gee! that’s torgh!” cried Jimmy. “Helo! there’s the | —— The arnt had run short of fresh water, and she had put in sailor at the wheel trying to work her araund. He made his | at the island to renew her supply. escape from the forecastle. The brig might as well go after that, If Blaine ever saw this gold he'd want most of it.” “Mayte our sailboat is gone, too,” said Will. “Wed better go and see. I hope it’s safe, though we can hardly venture io sea in such a small craft,” said Jimmy. The gold was abandoned for the time, and the party started for the cove, They found the sailboat safe enough, for she presented little surface for the wind to play on, pnd though the tide was tugging at her, the oars to which she was tied were well imbeéded in the send. Bcth trees to whieh the brig was atiached had becn torn up by the roots, and they were gone, two holes alone showing where they had been. By this time the vessel was nearly a mile from the island, and rapidly widening the distance, She would probably be out of sight before dark. The boys felt that they were marooned on the treasure island, and would have to live on the same dist the native had subsisted on since he was wrecked there. They stood watching the receding brig for some time, and then they returned to the bluff. They brought the gold and other things to the coye, and wound up by getting the empty chest out‘ and fetching that, too, as Jimmy said they needed it to keep the gold in. On their last trip they could no lenger see the brig from the top of the bluff, and they wondered how the sailor would get along all by himself. They didn’t worry abcut him, for eins fate was a matter of indifference to them. They sincerely hoped they neyer would see him again, It blew hard all night. The boys took refuge with Volo in the little cave in the center of the island, and their supper consisted of sooked bread fruit, not very palatable to them, cocoanut niilk and bananas. There was a weather breeze next morning, but this calmed down, till at sunset a dead calm prevailed, i Two weeks passed without incident, and then at suaset one day a smart looking steam yacht, fiying the American flag, was discovered by Jimmy from the bluff coming toward the island from the west, ‘ He rushed back to the cave and notified Will and Volo. They accompanied him back to the bluff. ' The yacht evidently intended stopping at the island for some reason, and the boys judged she would run into the second cove on the western side of the island. They and Volo hurried over in that direction. _ They reached the beach just as the yacht swung to her anchor in the cove. _ Darkness fell and she blazed up with light. The party waited for a boat te eome ashore, but none came. Growing impatient, Jimmy suggested that they go to the |, - other cove, where their boat was, and sail around to the yacht. © “They'll take us aboard sure, and treat us to a first-class | Meal,” he sald. é _ WHIl’s mouth watered. “They must take the chest with the gold, too,” he said. _— *They'l do that when I tell the skipper what’s in it.” _ Half an hour later the sailboat ran alongside the yacht, to the surprise of the people on deck, - Jimmy and Will stepped aboard, leaving Volo in the boat. _ ‘Whey were received by the owner and his safling-master. As soon as the boys stated that they were natives of Sen Francisco, and had been carried off from their State against their will, they were warmly welcomed, and assured of a safe return. Dinner being ready, they were invited to partake of it, and Volo was sent forward to eat with the crew. . It was a wonderful story that Jimmy told at the dinner- table after he had satisfied his hunger with the good things served up. He omitted the facts about the treasure till later, teok the owner privately into his confidence. That gentleman was very much astonished to learn that the boys had unearthed a pirate’s treasure of considerable value. He promised to take it aboard after the yacht had got in the water. > The boys and Volo passed the night aboard the yacht. The necessary water was brought aboard during the next — ferencon, and then the yacht changed her anchorage to the other cove, where the chest was taken on and stowed in a safe place, Jimmy asked the owner if it would be too much trouble for him to carry Volo to his island, as he didn’t want to be taken — to California se On interrogating the native, the name of his island was a3- eertained by the sailing-masier. . The chart showed that it was something over 100 miles to the southwest. The owner agreed to run there and land him. ‘This was done to the native’s great satisfaction. On parting with him, Jimmy gave him one of the bags of gold, estimated to contain $10,000, as a reward for his services, — and this made him rich for the rest of his life. The yacht was then headed for San Francisco, and passed the Golden Gate a week later, after a fast and pleasant trip. The boys and the chest of gold were landed. When they turned up at their homes they were welcomed as from the grave, for they had long since been given up for dead, Naturally, there was high jinks at both houses, and all the : neighbors came to see the boys whe had been carried off thou- sands of miles in an abandoned brig. ee The pirate treasure excited we most intense fnterest. It proved to foot up nearly $250,000. Of course, the newspapers cc wind of everything, inter- viewed the boys, and printed a graphic story of their adven- tures. ae Jimmy and Will learned thet the boat’s complement of of- ficers and men deserted by Jim Blaine in so heartless a wey, had been saved on the day following his dastardly act, and had been brought to San Francisco. Blaine and the brig were never heard of again, and the ia- ference was both had gone to the bottom—a fitting fate for the rascal himself. The golden treasure of the crater was deposited in a big bank and invested afterward for the benefit of the lads by — their fathers. 4 “ s when he To-day both of them are capitalists in San Francisco and sport the gray hairs of fifty-six or seven years. , Hanging in Jimmy’s handsome home on Pacific avenue isa framed design that he values as his choicest pi tire c= is the secret chart. week’s issue will contain “TEE BOY BEHIND HE” | pals, OR THE LUCK OF A WALL STREET oe 4 = Fe to be a wi ra returning | SED POSTAL FOR OUR FREE ‘CATALOGUE, 4
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& FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. CURRENT NEWS 19 _ After years of experimenting, a young Florentine Chemist named Guido Fei claims to have discovered a “Hameless powder which causes no erosion of the tubes of ‘€ven the largest cannon. He says it is superior in car- a ae -Pewes to any other powder. In an experiment in tie presence of scientists and representatives of the army “% a room which had been completely darkened Fei fired "a revblver loaded with his powder and there was not the a flash. - Be tstensian of the parcel post rates. to seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots and all kinds of plants became effective re- Ce ntly as the result of an order issued by Postmaster- “General Burleson. Under the law just enacted parcels Weighing four ounces or less are subject to postage at the Hat rate of one cent for each ounce or fraction thereof, Tegardless of distance. On parcels exceeding four ounces in weight the pounds rates applicable to the respective zone apply. q Blue Ridge Springs, Va., has been thrown into excite- “Ment as the result of the unearthing of what is said to the skeleton of a huge mastodon. Thé discovery was ‘made near Blue Ridge Springs by S. D. Taliaferro, of ‘Salem, Va., superintendent ofa crushing plant, afid the ‘Skeleton will be offered to the Smithsonian Institution at Waslnngton. The skeleton measures thirty feet in length, ‘with jaws four feet in width, ribs six inches wide, teeth five inches in width, and tusks five feet in length. The a was twenty feet below the surface. Ee Baitare to pass the February examinations has caused € dismissal of forty-six students from Princeton Uni- ty. This is the smallest number, save in 1910, in years, The average is sixty-three. Eleven students dropped from the freshman class, twenty-five from sophomore, three from the junior and three from the 7. This term the faculty has set in operation a plan reby the first-year men get a series of three uniform during the term. Students failing in eight hours’ as the result of the tests are placed on probation and ed from further participation in extra-curriculum ac- ity until a subsequent reportgshows their record in rent work to he clean. Persistent neglect of study is foliowed by dismissal. wandering thirty-six hours in big sewer mains the streets of ‘Steubenville, Ohio, tecently, unable ake his cries for help heard, Steve Hobolo, 23 years employee at the Carnegie steel plant, was rescued It is believed Hobolo crawled into @ sewer en- ‘at the river bank, and was unable to find his way peoceny finally heard faint noises under a man- out, pee: starved and raving. From ) man’s ravings it. is be- ‘mouth has vegan * inti a Spirit of adventure, with an idea of exploring it a short distance and then returning. . The first intimation that some one was in the sewer came at noon, when per- sons passing on Front street heard faint cries. At first they were unable to locate the source of the noise, but finally they were found to center at the manhole in the street. The cover was lifted off, and down in the murky depths was seen the form of a man. He was unable to help himself, and a fireman was lowéfed with a rope, by which Hobolo was hauled to the surface. The new 27,000-ton battleship Texas, which has beeti preparing for commission at Newport News, Va., was turned over to the Navy Department at Norfolk March 12. Bhe is a sister to the New York, now neating com- pletion at the navy yard, New York. The Texas at this time will be the most poweffiil vessel of the United States Navy in commission. She will join thé North Atlantic Fleet and will first go to the navy yard, New York, for her finishing tonches before joining the fleet. Captain A. W. Grant is the commanding officer and Commodote Stanford S. Moses is her exéctitive officer. These officers have been at Newport News several weeks superintending the completing of the vessel. The Texas is the first to carry 14-inch rifles, ten of them being mounted in five electrically controlled turrets, on the mai deck on the eenter line. Two of the turrets are located forward, the second being so elevated that the guns fire over the first, and three are located aft, with the center one so elevated that it can shoot over the top of the extreme after turret. That will’ give the Texas a fire of four big guns dead ahead and four dead astern. All ten can be fired on either broadside. Besides these guns there are twenty- five 5-inch rapid fire rifles to protect the vessel from &t- tacks by torpedo-boats. She carries the heaviest arnior of any battleship of the active list in the Navy to date, her hull being protected by a waterline belt twelve inches thick amidships and tapering to six inches fore and aft. . Above that, amidships, is a belt of armor ten inches thick, while a belt eight inches in thickness mounts that, éx- tending to the main deck, From the main deck to the protective deck, fore and aft and running entirely actos the vessel and enclosing all the vital parts, are two armor bulkheads fourteen inches in thickness, These bulkheads join the heavy armor on the outside of the hull above the protective. deck and are designed to prevent shells from sweeping jnto the dynamo and boiler and engine spaces. The Texas has twin screws and a speed of twenty-one knots. Her high speed trial was in excess of twenty-two knots. Her length is 578 feet over all. She has a breadth of ninety-five feet and a draught of twenty-nine feet. Her foal babes. ort) RavESL SOOT Cats Sr, OE a cruising radius of 5,000 miles without replenishing her fee bunkers. Her arand oil bass e bottom. Her
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\ FAME AND 5 Sahat aioe WEEKLY. CHEEK AND CHANCE — pe oe ON HIS WITS By ED. KING (A SERIAL STORY) CHAPTER XVII (Continued). After the show Andy took the public thoroughfare back| Prime! It is you! But Smith did not trouble him. As he got | alive, thank heavens, and I’m a free man!” to the hotel. to the hotel door, however, a man in a dark coat and slouch hat made him a signal with his hand. Tt was Jason. A few moments later Andy was in his room, and Jason was with him. “You saw Smith?” asked Jason. “T did,” replied Andy. “He kept his distance. I am about.” “You are a good protector,” said Andy, of you to take such an interest in me.” “T owe you more than that, my boy. Somehow I feel quite safe here in Portland. It is very close in this room. Let us walk down into the lobby. I am not afraid of being spotted.” “All right,” agreed Andy, with alacrity. So they left thé room and strolled along the corridor of the hotel to the stairs. The lobby could be seen below, filled with men smoking and talking. Down-the stairs they went. “It is kind “I want to tell you, Andy,” said the ex-convict, “of a . ~ queer dream ‘T had last night.” =) “Ah?” exclaimed Andy. _ “Have you faith in the verification of dreams ?” _*T have often recognized presentiment in them.” “Well, it was very odd. You know the man whom I killed in self-defense went by the name of Jim Prime?” “Yes. » _ “He was a tall, man, with dark whiskers and peculiar Diack eyes, heavily underlined—#ell, I dreamed that he es -eame to my bedside and ae to me.” _ Andy gave a start. ‘Jason Test, you are not my woz Soy You have suffered long enough. You shall go free.’ ” _ Andy was impressed with Bent’s SETS He was mt to speak, ‘when: gio oy before eae I was right behind you all the} way from the theater. He won’t try any gum game while | tale it ee “Oh, heavens! Is it a ghost ?” he half whispered. “Jim You know me and you are alive— The last words rang through the place and caught the ears of everyone. Then Andy threw an arm about Jason, who sank to the floor unconscious. CHAPTER XVIII. NELLIE’S FUTURE PLANNED. In an instant a crowd surrounded Andy and the un- conscious man. A physician who chanced to be present bent down and felt Jason’s pulse. “Just an overtax of the nerves,” he said. “Bring me some water. He will be himself again ina moment.” Andy was in a whirl of. doubt and terror. He remem- bered the fatal words of his friend and trembled lest a one in the throng might have understood them. But he saw in the solicitous faces about him no evident ; of recognition. He embraced the first opportunity to say: “He is my friend. Let him be carried to my room. 4 will care for him.” The stout arms of the porter and his mate carried Jason upstairs. He was placed on Andy’s bed. Then only did” the latter feel safe. He wiped the cold perspiration from his brow, and mut tered : ) “Whew! What came over Jason then? Did he really see Jim zene) or was it the result of overtaxed i imagina- tion ?” Jason was soon read@ to answer this question. He | opened his eyes and glared about him. Then he started oP asking huskily: ; “Where is he?” . “Who?” asked Andy. “Jim. Prime?” ate ; ie A Fhe ib are the vietim of an bn eee * “Wait: till 3 you are: cieak ’ said andy, os ee On Sa ee, eee », Pa
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With a ‘deep breath Jason lay mark and Ac Brspes into | slumber. When he awoke he was calmer. FAME AND FORTUNE WEDKLY. sae ae — Sp “No, indeed !” : chimed { in Nellie. “Nehachee, you young rogues. You are just as much _ “Andy,” he said, “I have another mission now. I amin love as two young le can be. Now, Andy, I want peop nota murderer: T shall track Jim Prime-down and force | ' him to clear me. Then, you and I can be friends and part- | _ ners for life.” “For life!” said Andy, earnestly. _ I will fool them all,” went on Jason. _ “Well, keep quiet until morning,” said Andy. _ Your room until then. me seep.” This Andy proceeded to do. » to Jason’s rocm to éall him, but it was empty. | dressing case was a note: I will go to my room now ane to | On the ; a “Deer ANDY: ' . “Gone to find Jim Prime. a aoe “Y ours, Jason.” ay. Nellie all about the incidents of the night ksfore: “T hope he finds that man,” declared Nellie. Mean wretch to play such a trick upon him.” The company left Portland the next day. From town to town they went through Maine. Then they jumped into: Canada, ‘and. Manager Potts even thought of a Western “He is a : An this. while nothing ‘bad Bena seen or heard of J ason | Darins Smith. Two months had passed. spring had begun to loom up as a near possibility. tt the first of March. Already Andy was considering best plan for digging up the buried treasure in the ine woods. ‘salary. Andy was a few hundred to the good. Sabet Potts, the manager’s wife and matron of the com- _ pany, was a woman of rare gifts. She had taken a great ‘ fi nev to Nellie. — eee ou shall take the place. of my dear dead daughter, ” she warmly, “Little Nellie, you shall call me your good ther, TI will take vou abroad and make a lady of you.’ At first Nellie shyly kept her distance from her would-be roness. But by degrees Mrs. , Potts won the young girl’s it and confidence. Nellie grew to love the manager's wife, and the latter anny only when Nellie was in her presence. rned by careful questioning the little romance be- e and rat It interested her hanes and at hies. naged to Andy and Nellie iogther to her | e evening. Then with rare tact and ‘Serretion she ap ;Sum.of money. “This is {to adorn good society. The next morning he went | Couaates could be afforded Nellie. ,should have a chance to see the world. You shall hear from me later. may see others 2g - This was all Jason did not put in an appearance that | The company played toa matine, and Andy told abroad in two weeks to look for new plays. “With great thrift Nellie had saved up the better part of | easy to think of going ex assistant, with possibly the exception of Jason. You to let me take charge of Nellie until she is old enough ito marry. She will not make you the right sort of wife | vet. She has much to learn and much to develop. Her ' schooling must be perfected. “1 don’t fear the law now. I don’t. fear the detectives. | “T understand that you have fallen heir to quite a large Very good. You will want your wife fit Leave her with me. I will be a mother and adviser to her.. She shal] have a good home and |never more be compelled to wander about the world.” Andy and Nellie exchanged glances. Both knew that , Mrs. Potts was to be trusted. Andy saw that no brighter He took her hand. *T consent, Mrs. Potts,” he said. “I can see that Nellie It is possible she “Andy!” protested Nellie. Mrs. Potts laughed merrily. F “Don’t you fear that, young man. Mr. Potts is going He will return next autumn, but I shall stay abread two years. At the , expiration of two years I will bring Nellie back to you safe jand. sound.” So the compact was made. Of course, parting was pain- ful, but Andy and Nellie looked into the future and saw that it was for the best. -sA European steamer sailing from Portland took the . party away, Nellie with them. Andy watched the vessel out of sight. Then he turned away. Once more he was . dependent upon cheek and chance for his fortune. * CHAPTER XIX. ANDY STRIKES A NEW ‘Jon. For some while after Nellie’s departure Andy was ex- ceedingly lonely. He kept up a brave heart, but he could not help feeling that the great ocean lay between them. : However, exciting incidents soon developed, which soab- ’\sorbed him that the keen edge of lonesomencss was ina measure dulled. a The theatrical season was over. He had feard nothing a from Jason, nor from Darius Smith. The spring had opened with a rush, and warm weather seemed near at hand. Andy was decided’to at once gues to the woods and recover the buried But somehow he could not seem to settle ypon any plan : for so doing. To be sure he knew the location of ite Gaapurs, bor Seb St. Bip tena bal ols yan al going there alone and unaided. Re But Andy could think ee Neg eae so far as he acd trusty fellow was i Sorhewe w % jcall. . a Ut
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22 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. FACTS WORTH. READING SHE SAVED THE PIa. A fire drove four families from a frame tenement on Summit avenue, Garfield, N. J., the other afternoon. Among those who fied to the street was Mrs. Alexander Toth. As she stood in the street watching the flames lick the paint off the clapboards, the squeals of her pet pig reminded her that she had left him behind. Mrs. Toth bowled several firemen out of her way and dashed back into the house and up the stairs. She emerged a few minutes later, with her eyelashes and eyebrows abbre- viated and a badly frightened and slightly scorched porker in her arms. It was several minutes before she could soothe the pig. The fire burned the tenenient to the ground, with a loss estimated. at $5,000. ~ WIRELESS 6,000 MILES. Communication was held between the wireless station at Nauen, Germany, and one at Windhoek, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. _~ The messages that passed were clear and distinct. The distance Between Nauen and Windheek is approximately 6,000 miles. At various times there have been reports of micssages traveling 6,000 miles or more, but very few, if any, of these have been direct communications. Marcel seems to be a favorable month for the making of long dis- tance records. In March of last year the Naval Radio Station at Newport heard two wireless stations in the Ar- _ gentine Republic exchanging messages, and these stations were said to have been from 7,000 to 8,000 miles distant. Direct messages from Germany to this country have _ been sent frequently, and on February 11 the first through test of wireless communication between New York Yand 2 peg was made. PLEADS FOR SUNDAY BALL. * - Judge Woolsey Hopkins, of Auburn, was one of the _ chief advocates of the Quick bill, giving local option on ~ Sunday baseball in cities of the eetond and third classes, on which a hearing was held by the Assembly Judiciary tg Preece Judge Hopkins is the holder of a pew in the ape. Church at Auburn. He is a son of the Dean “Auburn Theological Seminary and a brother of two clergymen. Also he is chairman of the committee in| { Tee on ne “while many Oued golf.at the Auburn Club. ‘One Sunday last summer,” he said, is and I-were on the golf links hitting x small ball long stick there were other men in a field a short away hitting a larger ball with a larger stick— basebali. We were not molested, but thé bet on - grounds: Wéze arrested in blocks of fifteen. I was cked at the in eve of it all and stopped Sunday Rot lab until th ts were stopped.” dent of the State Civic . | Sister ship ef equal _ gate ae and beam is under con- sho struetici at the Biohi & 43 ica is now ae her sepbe is touches. 990-FOOT ATLANTIC LINERS. That the 900-foot transatlantic liner is a profitable in- vestment is proved by the fact that this summer there will be three ships in service between Europe and Amer- ica which will be over 900 feet in length. These will be the “Imperator,” which, during the winter months, has been undergoing considerable modifications, the new “Aquitania” of the Cunard Line, which is due here next June, and the “Vaterland,” of the Hamburg-American Line, which will make her maiden voyage to New York , in the early summer. The “Aguitania” is 901 feet long, the “Imperator,” 909 fect, and the “Vaterland,” 940 feet, these being the lengihs over all. In the same class should be mentioned the White Star liners “Olympic,” now in service, and the “Britannic,” which was recently® launched and is being rapidly pushed to completion. The “Aquitania” will be an enlarged “Mauretania,” with a displacement about 50 per cent. greater. She will be driven by quadruple turbines working’on four shafts, ‘ind ler horse-power will be about the same as that of the “Mauretania;” although the speed, due to the great increase in displacement and the somewhat fuller lines of the hull, will be less. The “Mauretania” has crossed the Atlantic at an average speed of 26.01 knots, and it is expected that the “Aquitania” will be capable of a sus- tained sea speed of something over 23 knots. With her full equipment on board, the new ship will have a dis- placement of about 55,000 tons. With a length on deck — of 901 feet, she has 97 feet of beam and a plated depth of 64 feet. The safety elements in the “Aquitania” are ‘broadly * similar to those embodied in the “Lusitania” and “Manro-_ tania.” For five hundred feet of her length she consists ~ of a shell within a shell, the coal bunkers being carried Fal at the sides of the.ship in the wake of the boiler rooms. — The inner wall of the bunkers is about 15 fect from the — outer shell, and the whole of the boiler and engine spaces is subdivided by six bulkheads extending from side to side. These bulkheads have been specially stiffened : ‘and with them is associated a watertight deck in the neighbor- hood of the water line, An interesting fact is that the » ship will carry two 40-foot and two 30-foot motor life- boats, which, in case of emergency, will swffige to tow ail the other boats, indnding twenty-five large rowing beats and a large number of the collapsible type. The “Vaterland, ” an enlarged “Imperator,” is 940 feet log With 100 fect of beam and a plated depth of 7314 feet. She will differ from the “Imperator” in bogs se a water form, being constructed with a cruiser stern and will carry a- balanced rudder operated by steering gear which’ will be entirely below the water line. She will, probably be a knot or more faster than the “Imperator,” and of four or five thousand tons greater displacement, ghis at ‘full load being something over 60,000 tons. ° et > Voss yards, where beats,
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\ FAME AND FORTUNE WEBRKLY. 23 TEN-DAY ISLAND THE SECRET OF OLD 33 By GASTON GARNE : (A SERIAL is CHAPTER VII (Continued). The storm was passing. The rain had ceased, and the _ wind was going down. , Down on the shore were fn stout boats turned bottom -upward. As his eyes rested upon them, John Jacks made up his mind to begin his work then and there. \ Susie came out and stood beside him; Joe was stirring up the fire inside. + “You had better not stand here,” said Susie, “There may be some one watching the house. It would be a bad _ job for all of us if you are seen.” “I don’t think there is anybody here,” said John Jacks. “Anyhow, Pm taking chonces. Susie, I’m going to ask you to lend me one of your boats?” es “To-morrow you shall have one, and welcome.. 9 you propose to go?” -“That’s just what Pm onal to tell you. Tm going t Ten Day Island. Do you know where that is?” “Why, of course. It lies right over there; but what in a the world do you want to go to Ten Day Island for? Is ~~ a wretched place. There’s no+water on it, and the sea washes ‘right over the island when there is a storm.” -. “You have been there, Susie?” “Many a time. I go there right along. eae don’t re “unde rstand my business, I guess.” “Oh, yes, I do. I see, They leave the cigars and the brandy on Ten Dax Tsland and a go out and get Where " “That's it. ough.” - ‘Td die sooner than open my lips to any one. “You “mustn't talk about those. things, Susie, eeaiice we Paula: It is going down every minute. have have rowed out there many a worse night than this. But | do you want to go flags? Do you eapett: some, ship take you.off?” oF that’s my secret, pay I'm not ita to tell % yet; you will go to the. island | with us you shall know if what I believe is true, it willbe the most trip you ever, made.” f aet tres in the world can you: mean?” cried Bae. “Pa first. ry ee he i ) tell y na that there was money buried | + cout we go. ie ‘Ten Day Island. with the bea as it 8 " as s0om go out to the island with:you as not, but Tj — STORY) “Captain Kidd’s treasure,” laughed Susie. “Is that your secret ?” “No,” replied John Jacks; “it isn’t my secret. It’s the iseeret of Old 33.” CHAPTER VIII. THE SECRET OF OLD 33. “Are we all ready? There is water enough in the keg to last us three days, if we are careful, and plenty of provisions for the same length of time in the basket. We have got the spades and the pickaxe, and I’m sure I don’t know what more we want, John Jacks.” Susie Tyson was wild with enthusiasm. John/Jacks had not told her all, but he had told enough to make the plucky girl most anxious to go to Ten Day ~ Island, and that was where they were bound now. . ‘The boat had been dragged down to a little inlet, and Susie and Joe were already seated in it. John Jacks pushed it off, and, jumping in, seized the oars and pulled cut on the ocean. The hunt for the buried treasure had begun, but as yet Joe had not the faintest idea where he was going, or why. “What’s it all about, Johnny?” he asked, as soon as < they were well under way. Now, there was no reason why John Jacks should pk y have told Joe all about it, except that it was just his: way to keep things to himself. But the time had come for talking, if he ever meant to, so John Jacks began by telling of his es kes that he was the grandson of Old 33. “Well, it beats all!” cried Joe. “And you never knew * it before? a “Never dreamed of such a thing,” replied John jehe “Tt came to me as a complete surprise. Now, listen, for — V’m going to tell you the old man’s secret. He wrote it pis ea eae Hr esd aka yom at cas "Shah emt was: a young gman btn cll yres;? began Jobn Jacks, “and he g a
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24 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. York by the way of Cadiz,-in the ship Seven Brothers, a| father was taken to the home of one of the fishermen over : revolution broke. out in the city of Buenos Ayres, and for|on the mainland, where he lay very sick for many days. , several days and nights there was fierce fighting in the| “At last he was able to go about again, and the first streets, and many buildings were set on fire and destroyed.| thing he did was to go to Wareton, and there he ran into _ “Among others the bank of Buenos Ayres was burned,} the drunken sailor first thing. and the revolutionary leader carried off a large amount of} It was the worst thing that could possibly have hap- money from its vaults in silver and gold. This he was} pened to him, for my grandfather killed the sailor—drew supposed to use for the benefit of the new revolutionary|a pistol and shot him. He was arrested, tried and sen- government, but when he once found himself with so much} tenced to Wareton jail for life, and there he had been ever money in his hands the president, as he called himself,|since until we managed to escape to-night. ‘That’s the aided by five others, carried the money on board a small| story. That’s the secret which Old 33 kept to himself for brig in the harbor and started for France. fifty long years.” “The day they sailed was the day before the Seven Brothers made her start, and both ships ran into a fear- ful storm, which lasted several days. On the third day of CHAPTER IX. the storm the Seven Brothers ran into the brig, which was ; ‘ a complete wreck, and making signals of distress. JOHN JACKS MAKES A FIND: ; _. “Of course at the time the captain of the Seven Broth-|* ers had no idea that the brig carried the runaway presi-| «y, that Ten Day Island?” ; _ dent and his stolen cash, but when he went to the rescue John Jacks put the question after the longest and hard _ there the man was alone on the brig fearfully wounded esterdw he: had: ever tudertilisk. © ? _. and dying, with the other five who were ath him all lying Morning had come long ago, and John Jacks was not 4 _ dead on the deck. rowing now, leaving the work to Joe, while he did the 4 “My grandfather savs that when he went on cava thel lookout act. ship the deck looked like a slaughter-house, and that the) Par in the distance he could just see a few stunted trees president lived just long enough to tell them that he and] against the horizon. 8 _ his companions had quarreled about the treasure; a fierce] — At first he thought that it was ‘merely his imagination, F fight followed, which had ended now in the death of all. | but as they came nearer he saw that it must be land. j _ “Phe treasure was now taken on board the Seven Broth-) — “{hat’ « Ten Day Tsland,” replied \Susie. “I wish you” 4 ers and the brig abandoned. It brought bad luck with it would let me row. I one make ever so much better time — _. to the ship, it would seem, for to cut the story short, the|than Joe is making now.’ re - Seyen Brothers was wrecked on Ten Day Island, and all] “] don’t like to see rat doing that kind of work When’ y hands perished except my grandfather and one sailor, who}}"m around,” grunted Joe. “As for my rowing, I guess 3 _ succeeded in reaching the shore, it’s all ight: We are making bully good time.” a “Here they remained for more than two weeks sub-| «je shall soon be there now,” said John Jacks,.“and sisting on the ship’s provisions, a2 the hulk came ashore} 1m yeady to take my turn any iime. How did the island ia the storm. come to get its singular name, Susie, do you know?” -. ©Phey had no idea where they were, nor how long they} “I’ve heard my father say that in old times they used — =. mnglit have to remain on the island, so they brought the |to send the ten-day prisoners there. The island was big-— _ kegs of gold and Spanish dollars ashore and buried them | ger then, and there were buildings on it, and a good spring a certain spot, which my aca mins has very care-jof water. Father told me once that more than half the ly described in the paper. island was washed away in a great storm which Swept” — “This was hardly accomplished when a fishing boat hove | over this part of the coast long before he was born.” “im sight, and they saw their chance to escape at last, and} “It’s very low, isn’t it? Doesn't seem to be a foot above uj ' ~ then the sailor, whose name my grandfather does not men-|ihe level of the water.” ! , 4 4 tion, suddenly turned on him, stabbed him near the heart,| “It’s mdre than that,” replied Susie, nt not vines 5 You want to land on the upper side, Joe; there’s a little cove there which is somewhat sheltered ; on the lower nace the waves roll in so that we could: never get the ore up > on theSbeach.’ “Is there a big pite tree rowing at the: head: of at cove?” asked John Jacks. _ “Yes,” replied Susie. “There are wien we trees the island, as you ean sce for yourself: but the biggest on is at the head of the cove. Does the paper mention that 4 “Tt does. © ‘That’s to be my haba of erie “Whieh way?” asked Shakin ‘engbrly’: jet feet is the first. and buried him, still alive, ie the: sand.” “What a fearful crime!’ cried Susie. “I suppose he did. c that he could have all the treasure for himself.” was it, of course,” replied John Jacks. “He hore iv = camera Se boat with as much of the treas- ; _ His ‘idea was to buy a
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. ‘ 25 WE WANT YOU TO READ “Noving Picture Stories” A Weekly Magazine devoted to Photoplays and Players 3 Absolutely the finest little publication on the news-stands GF PRICE 5 CES A COPY @ ISSUED EVERY FRIDAY - BEAUTIFUL COLORED COVER DESIGNS New portraits of actors and actresses every week - - THIRTY-TWO PAGES : FINE HALF-TONE FRONTISPIECES Get a copy of this weekly magazine and see what itis 5 EVERY NUMBER CONTAINS Six Gripping Stories, based on the latest and best films, each profusely illustrated with fine half-tones of scenes in the plays. Photographs and Biographies of the most celebrated Photoplay actors and actresses. Special Articles relating to Moving Pictures, written by the greatest authorities in the film business. News Notes from the studios about the doings of everybody of prominence connected with the Photoplays. Scenario Hints and the names of all the companies who may buy the plays you write. Poems, Jingles, Jests and every bright feature calculated to interest both young and old. GET A COPY NOW from your newsdealer, or send us 5 cents in money or postage stamps, and we will mail you the latest number issued FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher 168 West 23d Street i <5 . o _ Profane parrots are kept in stock by a ‘dealer in birds - in New York city. He also advertises “a large variety _-6f semi-religious | parrots.” The most profane bird in his collection he is willing to sell for two hundred dollars. He enthusiastically extols this bird’s popularity by the _ declaration that “she’s a corker !” : Recent soundings in the great African lake by Cap- tain Jacobs, of the German Navy, showed a maximum depth of 4,190 feet. Still greater depths are reported to _ have been found by a Belgian official. Accordingly Tanganyika is, with the exception of ‘Lake Baikal, the — Po q estigations may prove it to be even deeper than Baikal. a the deepest places thus far found, its bottom is at Teast 1,600 feet below sea-level. Pili nuts, which grow abundantly in the Philippines, ve recently been shipped on a considerable scale to the nited States. They are produced by trees of the genus anarium, to which belongs the Java almond, are nearly gular in cross-section; and contain a small oily ker- of almond-like flavor. Besides being very palatable in eir natural state, they yield a valuable oil, resembling = “of almonds. According to an official report, the pro- ion of pili-oil is one of the coming industries of ‘the . New York Charles Tenney Jackson, writer of fiction, and Fred- erick W. McKenzie, editor of La Follette’s Magazine, have started for the Louisiana wild swamps to search for the treasure fabled to have been buried by the pirate Jean Lafitte. They are equipped with a “rude map,” which, according to a’story accredited to Jackson, he got in the wilds from an old moss picker to whom he had become greatly attached. Just before he died, the story goes, the old man gave the map to Jackson, assyring him that if. he would follow the directions it contained he would surely find the Lafitte buried gold. deepest body of fresh water in the world, and further in-| A company is about to be formed for the establish- ment of a fish-curing and sardine factory on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It appears, says the Jerusalem journal, the Truth, that for the last year or two great shoals of sardines have appeared in these waters, and it is thought that a remunerative industry could be formed if only a concession could be obtained for a long term of years at a uniform rate. Representations on the subject have already been made to the authorities. The inhabi- tants of Tiberias, who are extremely poor, would cer- tainly be greatly benefited, adds the. Truth, as the products _ would certainly be patronized by Jews and Christians alike, for besides possessing a superior flavor, the fact of their coming from the Sea of Galilee would facilitate = sa of es even in western countries.
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~ one chance for us. a ar ee a Jack and Bob were taken into the boat, and very els they were safe on the deck of the English gunboat. The course of that craft was then ‘again changed, and she steamed swiftly away after the black pirate. The shadows of the night fell swiftly. _ FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. ar : cried the “And so you shall! You are a little hero!” captain of the gunboat. ee So Jack threw off his hat and coat, and removed his : shoes, to gain the greatest freedom of movement and, But on and on, | barefooted and hatless, he began to bring up cannisters of like a Nemesis, on the trail of the ocean cenres held | powder from the magazine as they were needed by the the gunboat. The night was not so dark but that the pirate craft could be seen at a considerable distance. Gradually the gunboat crept ypon her. Meanwhile, it was now the pirate’s turn to feel anxious. -|gunner, to whose assistance he was assigned. Jack had made his third trip to the magazine in the hold, and he was there alone getting out some powder, when all at once he heard a sound bebit 4 him. He was in the deep shadows, and <3 he turned aoe Visions of the gibbet, which they so richly deserved, hearing the noise, he saw a man in the-act sf vat? must have arisen before their eyes, as they saw the gun-| through an open port window from the sea. boat was slowly but steadily lessening the distance between them and herself. Captain Flint finally called his officers around him on the quarter-deck. “Men,” said he, “we have got to come toa fight, after all. The night will not darken, as I hoped. There’s. only We must try the, ruse that succeeded so well, whet we were chased: by the French cruiser a month ago.” “What! Do you mean 1 to secretly board the gunboat, under cover of the smoke of the battle, as you did the French cruiser, and fix a train to-the magazine and. blow b her up, as you did the Frenchman, while. you make your own escape?” demanded the first mate “Yes. li my time has come, I’ve got to die, anyhow, and any fate is better than the gallows,” rephed the ‘pirate, like a fatalist. “Don’t try it, cap. These Englishmen are shrewd fel | lows. They may have a close watch set on the magazine,” urged the mate. “My mind is made up. I will try it!” Waar the pirate chief, decisively. The gunboat came on steadily. Soon she was within range, and then she opened fire on the pirate schooner. The latter had been cleared for ac- tion, : And the pirate’s guns, in a ‘Cecaduad, answered the fire BS Roop herbs - ‘The latter drew nearer, and the roar of the great guns ~ on both vessels soon became almost incessant. Se The battle smoke hung thick in the night air, and the 1s - clouds drifted over the face of the moon. aie Silently Captain Flint put off, in a small boat, from the io of the i away from ‘the gunboat. t the teres carried a fuse and a can- 2 4 " cho Lf tao to employ ee! in those dase. on war serve the gunners with powder. ‘boys’ on eee heagl ‘gunboat to at-| | e ‘Tet hi him help: the dreaded pirates of modern times. . Jack’s heart gave a great leap, a she light of a shix’s lantern, swinging at some distance'@ : ma “beara: enabled him to see the face of the intruder. At one glance Jack recognized hin as Captain Flint, the terrible black pirate. The sea-woli reached the floor under the window and Jack watched him breathlessly, not daring to stir. ~He saw that the wretch carried a fuse and 2 cannister — of powder. Instantly the lad suspected the terrible pun.ese the — pirate had in mind. imself, Then his blood seemed to run cold in his veins, as we saw the pirate moving toward him. Jack was at the door of the magazine. ee moment the mind of the brave boy worked like ligat- P= g. Pace a step had the wretch advanced whe gleaming eyes fell upon Jack. Dropping his fuse and powder cannister, he drew a murderous-looking dagger, and he was in the very act of leaping at Littie “Jack, when the report of a pistol rang out. Uttering a frightful yell, the pirate epun around and fell heavily on his back. Jack still had Bob’s pistol in his belt ‘when Captain © Flint saw him. Like a flash the boy had drawn the Weapon — and fired. As the pirate fell, Jack cast aside his weapon and- with a canuister of powder in each hand he bounded over the fajlen wretch and dashed for the companionway. , Jack gained the deck in a moment and breathlessly told 2 the captain all. The latter and Jack with several of the crew went is _thad fallag+-stqne Sead. }the English ¢ craft pty sh riddled the pirate’ 3 selu and she surrendered. The pirates who survived _the jtle were captured and afterwards tried and hanged. ~~: For many years the seamen told the story of how I Jack’s death shot served to rid the seas oe one ha th | In-due time Jack pon read é. und in after Mab ae “He means to blow up the gunboat!” the lad sad to.- At that ter-— * 3 Aes * Sahat ee into the hold. ‘There ihey found Be san do) as =
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. GOOD READING A bumper crop of peaches is predicted in Georgia, ac- cording to advices received here from the peach belt. The orchards, it is reported, have not been affected by _the severe cold and snow. The Kaiser, who recently suppressed the tango, has sealed the doom of another modern fad by causing it to be known he strongly disapproves of women riding astride. Officer$ of crack regiments had been quietly notified that their wives aré expected to use side saddles. Riding man- = aa mn hag * n growing among stylish women, who take ata‘ 1 Tiergarten. Presumably the practice will now stop. Two days each week a i on paper published at Ebers- walde, a Prussian town near Berlin, is printed on only one side of the shicet, and on these days the paper is made _—__ twice ag large as usual so that the public loses nothing in the gvay of reading matter. The object of this curious arrangement is to make the paper useful as well as in- struclive, as it can then be used for wrapping up pro- visions without any touch of printer’s ink. t William Meyers of River Road, New Provi- . J., $500 to be poetic a few days ago, when a ed little miss living in his neighborhood came to he was about te cut down a large elm in his yard and pleaded with him to let it stand. The words of “Woodman, Spare That Tree,” flashed through Meyers’s min@, and he threw his ax aside and assured his visitor that the trec henceforth would be regarded as a sacred - thing. The other night Mr. Meyers was aroused by a e report like that of a 12-inch gun, and then something __ struck the house that shook it from end to end. Going ~ out to investigate, he found that the tree he had spared had fallen against the house, ripping out a ‘bay window on the first floor. It will cost mee to repair the damage. { The. second largest plant in the world for the manu- facture of coke. and coal by-products is to be constructed T the Lehigh Coke Company at Bethlehem, Pa., at a Ke ses and foundries of the Bethlehem Steel Company, of hich Charles M. Schwab is president. The plant will consist of 424 ovens, with a capacity for carbonizing 5,000 ons of bituminous coa! daily. The evens, built in two All extend a quarter 6f a mile. The first two bat- off 212 ovens will be finished during the next 300 days, and the completion off fre others will follow similar A808 ; ‘ priments ae bn I ows of Osage tiny: Kan., that Kafir corn in this country has deterio- : ‘ eost of $4,000,000, Tt will supply fuel for the blast fur-| in 1885. A local merchant sul at Capetown last winter, and in the spring distributed it among 126 farmers in the vicinity of Osage City, Kan, At a display recently it was demonstrated that the im- ported seed produced matured grain in from eighty-four to ninety-five days, while the old seed took from one hun- dred and fifteen to one hundred and thirty days. The new seed produced crops averaging a yield of thirty bushels to the acre, while the-home-grown seed failed to produce a crop. The latter was unable to stand the drought. It is shown that the American Kafir has a ten- dency to'take the entire season for growing, while the African grain matures speedily. The Lundin non-capsizable lifeboat has. been giving demonstrations of her worth recently off Sandy’ Hook lightship under the eyes of General George Uhler and eight members of the Board of Supervising Inspectors of Steam Vessels. ‘The lifeboat proved that all the men who could be packed in it could not tip it over. The boat is equipped with wireless, carries a 24 horse-power Standard motor, which prope!s ‘it at the rate of six knots an hour, and is fitted with a metal cover which is watertight. It was built by the Welin Marine Equipment Company of Long Island City. Captain A. P. Lundin, the inventor of the craft, had three models for the demonstration, 24, 28 and 30 feet long, of which only the largest size carries a motor. The 30°foot boat carried fifty men in its metal cabin, and with these men crowded on one side and sey- enteen more men hanging on the same side the boat only listed two inches. The 24 foot size carried forty persons comfortably and was easily rowed against the tide. The boats were dropped upside down into the water. They im- mediately righted themselves and the metal cover proved that it was watertight. Many scientists have told us how clouds are made; most of the text-books on physical geography tell all about them; but it is all guesswork. Clouds are a mys- tery. It is true they are composed of moisture floating in the air; but how did the moisture get there? It is held that particles of moisture are evaporated: from the earth’s surface by the heat of the sun. \This moisture does not form into clouds immediately. Indeed, the passage of the moisture from the earth to the upper air is quite in- visible. It was formerly supposed that this moisture was condensed by the cold of the upper air into rain droplets which formed the clouds. But scientists hold that the tiny particles must have something. to condense them. They used ‘to tell us that the moisture collected upon dust particles ,to form into rain drops. Now they are practically agreed that it is something else, but they don’t know what. Anyway. when these drops get large enough they accumulate into vapor, forming clouds. , When the ‘droplets get» too large and heavy to float in the air they full to earth in the form ofsyaip, and this is ebout all we ime know about clouds. ©
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— getion without causing an accident. : Wh ling oven, St. Petersburg re-| this way signals were received from. Paris at a yore ak be froaes and means The #70 mies: 3} twtr. 30 TOWED TO SEA BY A BIG FISH. After waiting twelve years for a bite, Joseph Garlock caught a fish that towed him out to sea and cured him of wanting to fish. Garlock is a newsdealer of Bloomfield, N. J., and he fishes but one day a year. For twelve years he didn’t get a nibble. The other day was his thirteenth try and the 13th day of the month. He hired a small boat and went out alone. He got a bite and hooked his fish. When he tried to haul it out, however, the fish be- gan towing him to sea. Garlock tried to pull for the shore with the oars, but the fish was the stronger*and kept going toward the ogean. Finally, Garlock became alarmed and cut the line ip order to save himself and the boat. “It’s my last fishing trip,” he said when he landed; “but I’d sure like to know what that darned thing was.” MINER CARRIES $80,000: With $80,000 in gold dust and bills concealed on his person, Leo Lindsey, gone’ for seven years, returned from Nome seeking Andy Anderson who had befriended him years ago. “I want to take him back North with me,” he said to the hotel clerk. “When I was in trouble he helped me out and now J am going to try and return his kind- ness.” Anderson, who formerly conducted a restaurant, now is employed at N218 Howard street, and a bellboy was sent to pilot Lindsey to the place. “Hello, Andy,” he said, when he caught sight of An- derson, “I have come to take you and your family back to Alaska with me.” In the morning Lindsey was fake by Anderson to a store to purchase clothing more in keeping with his cir- cumstances than the garb he wore on his arrival, and later he was escorted to a local bank, where he deposited his wealth. He had left the larger part of his currency in the strong box at the Coeur d’Alene, and inclined to be angry when the clerk who served him at the haberdashery refused to take gold dust in payment for his purchases. “Tt passes current in Alaska, and I don’t see si you can’t take it here,” he complained. ee eS GIANT AEROPLANE. _ The London Times’s St, Petershurg correspondent says that ae giant biplane, Ilya Mouromets, makes daily over the metropolis and environs. a wn for one and a half hours, carrying sixteen persons, for two hours with the ordinary crew of eight. Seen m below it seems to ride the air without any of the roll or that is.moticeable in smaller machines. The Ilya Mom is propelled by four Argus mo- tors of 100 horse each, placed on xe side of the fuselage, two in front and two hehind. It is asserted by 1858, the inventor that two of these motors gould be pnt qut of the aeroplane was ‘FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. ARTICLES OF ALL KINDS “Tt has. speed of the aeroplane was diminished, but it conti on its course, and presently one of the crew was able thaw out the motor and start it again. : Sikorsky intends to fit on a fifth 100 horse power me . tor and thus increase the speed. The Ilya Mouromets has a wing area five times that of . the ordinary Farnam biplane. The mental fuselage is 65 feet long and the forward part of the fuselage con- tains a number of cabins extending over a length of 28 — feet. The cabins have large windows on both*sides and .. also windows in the floor for observation am photographie i purposes. At night the cabins are lighted by slentaoel } On the roof of the cabins there is a platform. : | The total weight of the aeroplane is thrée ee one- — half tons, With a total development of 400 -horse power the Ilya Mouromets can raise a total useful weight of a little over one ton, besides nearly eight hundredweight of — fuei oil. i atk The mechanics can move about freely to. attend to the “ motors and other parts.of the machine without disturbing the equilibrium of the aeroplane while in wi A | . : . VEST POCKET WIRELESS RECEIVER. The value of the new French “ondophone” detector, for — receiving wireless signals, lies in its very small compact make-up, so that the whole affair can in the vest pocket. It is designed to meet the demand among the public for a device which wi anyone to hear wireless time signals from the Hiffel Tower — station. When it is once appreciated that the time sig _ nals can be taken without the use of a complicated de~ vice, and with little knowledge of electricity, there is- no 4 doubt that a much more general use will be made of the — wireless time signal system. To show what can be done — with the little detector, we may mention that at 20 miles from Paris, all that is feeded is an open umbrella held ~ as high as the arm can reach, while a smal! metal contact piece attached to a cord lies upon the ground and makes the earth connection. At 60 miles, one’ plants a knife in — a tree, preferably a pine tree, or a gimlet will answer as | well. One of the cords with its metal clip is joined to — this “antenna,” while the other clip is placed on the — : ground, The entire receiver weighs but 13 ounces, and yet, in spite of its small size, it = carefully made and 5 an apparatus of great precision. For long. distances, to _ the extreme borders of France for instance, and even bs farther, one clip is joincd to a telephone line which serves " as an antenna, and the other goes to gas or water pines. ¥ for the ground. Bunt within 120 miles, all that is needed — | for the antenna is a kitchen stove or range, baledny bed and the like, and even a bicycle on the road good antenna. or an automobile. The operator his body for the ground by attaching the metal c finger, while the other clip goes to the telephone