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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1897)
? ' - 12 TUB OMAHA DAILY UEEi SATU11DAY , APRIL 24 , 1807. I HONOR AMONG THIEVES. I "SH 4'i BY MORGAN ROBERTSON. $ ( Copyright , U97. by fi. S. McClure Company. ) BJx days tholl shnlt labor , and do all that CAnd o'nUtlipr ' seventh thou -shall holystone the deck and pcrnpe the cable. Sailors' Commandments. , When you have made a more than success ful cruise , on which you have ravaged the coast from Callao to the Isthmus ; when your hold Is filled with the choicest of brandies , wines and liquors with fancy groceries and Urn finest of silks , brocades and broadcloths , and the covers of four treasure chests In the , 'twecn deck will hardly close over the con ' tents ; lastly , when your number Is reduced 'by fight * , sickness and quarter-deck correc tion from forty to twenty , and your share lu 'tho spoil Is Increased In like ratio , It Is hard , very hard , to llo In the scuppers under a hot I'aclflc sun and whlstlo for a wind , with your Jsland retreat Just below the western horizon zen , a fat and temptlnn'clilneso Junk a half inllo oft In the same direction , a curious , ' three miles 'though quiescent man-of-war cast , and I'atm Tree Island to the southward , toward whlcli the current Is netting , threat- cnlng to receive you on Its shark Infested rcof Such conditions would try the patience of gentler souls than Captain Swarth and his crew. Tholr brig was taking In water through a started butt In splto ot the thrummed topgallant sail under It at the rate of a foot an hour , whllo the ono gang that they dared show to those Inquisitive government glasses to the eastward could not pump her free. In fact , the water gained. Wind was what they wanted ; wind \\ould sctllo the whole matter. They could man all pumps , lay the Junk aboard , dls- IIDSO of her crow , transship , what was good of hi-r cargo , lead the "bulldog" a chase to the southward and dodge back to their Island to careen and runt , divide up and rest. They knew that man-of-war though she did not seem to know thorn knew her speed and gunnery , and feared her not with wind. , . . Yank Talc , the carpenter , sounded tnc pump-well and groanud a gentle ) oath. "No Bood , capped , " ho sahl as he walked aft with the sounding rod ; "must bo up < o the second tier now. " Captain Swurth swept the smoky horizon with his glasses. There was no sign of even the motionless man-of-war a a. catspaw ; gumleck sloop lay outlined against the haze with the distinct detail of a steel engraving ovcry block , rope and reet-polnt showing. Aboard the Junk a big , fat Chinaman sat at the tiller on the high poop , nodding , as though asleep , 'whllo ' the rest of her crcrw were hidden. I'alm Tree Island was nearer ho could plainly hear the surf crashing on the harrier. "Oil the boys up , Angel , " he said to his long-legged , solemn-faced mate. "Man both pumps ; and Chips , " this to the carpenter "sco what you can do with the lumber down below. Make a balln' pump If you can. " "Then we'll have that feller's boats down on U3 , " answered the mate ; "and lose the junk , too they've got sweeps aboard. Thorn rags won't fool the brass buttons after they see our crowd. " He pointed to 11 itrlng of signal Hags at the gaff end , which. In an- Bwer to a previous Inquiry ot the ship , had given the official number of the last brig they had taken that now lay on the bottom forty miles cast. "Why not hold on till dark , Hill ? The moon'll bring wind. " "Wo'll likely have her boats hero soon , anyhow ; they're only waiting till It's cooler As for the Junk , let her go ; there's not much In her. We've got to float , above all , and float high , or wo can't get away when the wind docs come. We can flght the boats cfT. " "Cue-SB ycr right , Dill. Pity wo lost ours. Wo could bo through wl' the Junk 'fore this If we had 'em. Man the after pump , " he called. The carpenter had disappeared In the 'twcen-dcck , and the cosmopolitan crew , with growls and hurrahs according to their individual appreciation of the situation , arose from the hot deck and shipped pump brakes. As they did so a tremor ran through the brig , and the water alongside was broken Into minute ripples. "What the dovtl's that , " said the captain ; "barrels adrift in the hold ? Tump away , therd bullies ; lighten her up , " ho shouted to the men. "Look at the Chinamen , 1)111 , " said the mate. The crew of the Junk had come to llfo. Not less than forty long-tailed Celestials were flying about her deck ; borne lowering the heavy mat sails ; some shipping sweeps ; otherJ working at the sharp-pronged wooden anchors evidently getting them ready. Hut the sudden showing of fourteen extra white men on the deck of their neighbor did not eeern to be the cause of their agitation , for they swung * the light craft around until the two painted eyrs In the tiows looked at the brig , and- pulled In the sweeps. "She's a pirate a Chinese pirate , " cried ' the captain ; "no trading Junk carries that crew. Hlown oft the coast likely. " The men heard and a howl of execration arose froir the brig's deck not from offended virtue ; It was. rather , the protest of union against non-union labor. Pickings were acarco am' , hard-earned In these seas , even when junkr and praua kept out of the business. The howi was silenced by a shout from the man at the wheel. "Look at the island look. Look at It , " ho cried. I'alm Tree Island had arisen from the t ec.i and receded. The low cone of the la land was a mlle farther to the southward , but It towered In the air , and around Its bavsj was a wide gray offset which descended steeply to the sea. It had been the barrlei reef. "Earthquake. Angel that's what wo felt , shouted CapUIn Swarth. "Tho hea bed has Blink and we're being sucked Into the hollow. Wo'll get the back wave soon , llatten down fore and oft , flrst thing 'foro you shorten nail. " They noticed that the man-of-war was clewing up royals and topgallant Falls , that the Chlnair.cn had disappeared behind the rail , and that the northern horizon , though hidden , by a newly-formed foghank , was un questionably elevated they seemed to bo looking up hill. None too soon was the car penter called and hatches and companlonwa > s cinrrad and secured , for , suddenly , about a mlle up the slope appeared a dark llnoacrom the water. It deepened , raised and approached preached a comber ; a liquid wall which blotted out the fogbank. It reached the half- clad ship to the eastward , and they saw her lift her bows to It ; then , whllo everything ubovo topmastheads sank In a confuned tangle , roll on her bourn ends and disappear behind the wave. "Hang on , everybody. " roared Captain Swarth , as ho slipped the bight ot a ropu over Mis shoulders. "Lash yourselves. " Tliu nloop-of-war had taken It bow on and , though dlsmafated , hid ridden through. The brig and Junk preheiitcd their broadsides the latter. Intentionally , perhaps from some canon of C.lr. ! < e seamanship and a moment later wcru bllcl to near the crest of an eighty- foot slope , where a Niagara of foaming water rounded their decks and sides and rushed them on. Hutches were ripped off , gun brcechlngs snipped , cursing and praying men were hurled around thu deck , and the salt avalanche held the brig In Its clutch for a full half-minute , then passed over her and on ; and they looked those who could up the receding hill to where the wave-head was shivering Itself over the barrier reefs , ami. In the other direction , at a second wave , higher , blacker , moro menacing than the Hut , Its crest hidden in fog. With barely time for a long breath , the gasping men felt thvlr craft thrown to the top of this ' comber , augmented In he-lght by the re flected water of the first. Again were they hammered by the liquid riot , and amid fog and foam and thundering uproar were ngalu hurled shoreward. Some caught a momentary gllmpso of the disappear ing knuckles of the reef below , and a dis masted Junk Just above ; then thu fog thick- rned , blotting out all hut the punching water and Its deafening sound ; 4lien came again the nauseating sinking , which told them the > wuvo had passed ; then a shock and a sound of smashing -wood. Tbo brig had struck on the rceij or within It. Uut the dominant volume of eoujid was transferred from landward to seaward , and , though they could sco nothing now , they know that the third wave , aa It crashed over the barrier , wai the largest of all. Up the unseen slope the half-filled brig traveled , tlio crew clinging to ropeg and deck fittings , until , above the fog , and before the pitiless cataract began to smother and beat them , they viewed the highest hilltop of the Inland , n6t a quarter mile away. Then they saw no more nor did they breathe until , after a succession of wrenchlngs , Joltings and crashlngs , they found their brig surrounded by palm trees , Jlbboom and bowsprit gone , mainmast pointing ono way and foremast the other which latter phenomena , with the open seams In the spirally curved decks , Indicated A broken backbone and looked through thinning fog and trco trunks down a moist slope to a chaotic ocean , crossed and recrosscJ by advancing and reflected tidal waves. Mr Todd , with the captain and carpenter , dropped over the eldo to hold a survey of the twisted hull. They walked around It In the mud In which It lay , probing gaping scams with their knlycs , and peering Into fore-aml-ntt fissures and thwnrtlilp crev ices , through sonio of which they could .Bee the barrels-of their cargo. The brig lay , bows down , half way up the hill , with the beach a quarter mile away. The water was still draining out. "She'll never float again , Chips , will she ? " said the captain. Yank Tate ruefully shook his head. "Sho's n llxtur' cappon , " said he. "A dock-head caps'an couldn't budge her. The keel's In two pieces , three feet opart ; rud der's gone , an' etcrnpost's ripped out , an' there ain't a sound frame that side. She wan a beauty , too a beauty , I never saw her like among workln' boats. " A man hailed who had climbed to the main royal yard. "There's the Junk up the hill , " he cried , "right-sldo up , an' the yallcr back's eatlrg supper. " "Supper , " growled the mate ; "supper an' our grub must be spoiled. We were half way to the bottom , Dill , In the last sea. " "If they have grub , we'll have some , too , " said Captain Swarth , quietly. It's a question with mo If the Junk wasn't right to take It broadside. Hoyal yard , there , " he hailed" ' "d'yo see the bull dog ? " The man alolt stood up. looked to the eastward and called down : "Headln1 south under tops'ls ; everything gone aloft an' low down In the water. Port holes amidships awash. " "Well , she's afloat , anyhow , whllo wo and the Chinamen arc high and dry. nut If they can't pump out they're done for , too ; there'll be wind on top o' this. " Captain Swarth was right. Such a cata clysm , as had with three waves washed a 500-ton brig over a reef and almost to the center of an Island , could not but be fol lowed by atmospheric disturbance. Wind came a. vicious hurricane which kept them beneath their leaky decks , listening to wall- Ings and KCI cam Ings In the rigging , and to the crashing of palm trunks and branches over their heads , feeling the sway and the heave of the brig on her muddy bed with each heavier puff of the tempest , and parsing the day and following night thus , to the accompanlir cnts of hunger and thirst. Pro visions were spoiled except salt meats , which these free lances would not eat and their appetites were only Increased by the tot of good grog served out by Captain Swarth at nightfall , whllo their tempers were ruf fled by his Injunction to stay below or get shot. shot.The The hurricane ended at daylight , and the sun rose In a clear blue sky. Hungry enough now , and savage as uncaged wolves , they ate of the salt meat hash prepared by the cook , after another allowance of grog. Then Captain Swarth , who had taken a little ex cursion , imparted the Information that the Junk lay above them In a clearing , and , though dismasted , was doubtless sound and tight , as her rudder was Intact and no holes could be seen In her. In her was food of some kind rice , sago , curry , fish , etc. Did they want her ? An Inarticulate yell an swered. Cutlasses and boarding nlkes were handed out , and twenty-two men 'clambered down , the sides and started to exterminate a Junkful of Chinamen. Over fallen trunks and soggy banks , through moist and tangled undergrowth , they picked their way up the hill , and when they opened the clearing , iwllh the Junk resting straight on her flat bottom , they charged for her sides with curses and yells. But they came back , scalded by hot water , bruised by stones flung from primitive cata- pulta , and choking from the fumes of gas bombs thrown at them , and looked , when their streaming eyes cleared , at an array of sharp spear heads along each rail , In each ot which Avas more of promise than in the best of their pikes and abort cutlasses , and behind each of them was a Chinaman. The fat man they had seen nodding at the tiller stood on the high poop and seemed to bo In command. "Mellcan man no hab come top side , " he called ; "Mellcan man no b'long ; Chinaman b'long fore side. " "Y1 do , hey , you yellow-skinned vlpera , " cried Captain Swarth. "At 'em again , bojs. Don't brcathci till you get aboard. " The second charge was half-hearted and futile ; they did not breathe the demoralizing fumes , but those heathen were , unquestion ably , fighters , and with several of their num ber prodded by the spears they withdrew. "Why didn't yo give us pistols , cappen ? " asked ono as ho rubbed the blood from an ugly scratch In his cheek. "Powder's wet , > ou blasted fool , " roared the Infuriated captain ) "all there Is that's dry Is right here" ho tapped his plttol "and I'll use this , not on Chinamen , but on whlto men who'ro afraid of them. " Theu the captain and mate , both nursing bloody knuckles , drew asldo and conferred , to which conference they called the car penter. They studied the Junk and the ground under foot , peered down the slope through the trees to the shelving beach , and dlficusse-d the shortcomings of the men , "It's on'y eoz they're ashore , cappen , " said the carpenter , " a sailor ashore Isn't himself. " "Well , If they can't fight they can work. And work they shall If the Chinamen agree. " With a dingy handkerchief on the end of a stick. Captain Swarth approached the Junk. The Chinamen evidently understood a flag of truce , for they threw nothing at him , and ho called to the captain : "Chinaman no flght no bobbery ; Mellcan no bobbery ; savvayT" "Chinaman b'long , " answered the big man , "Yes , that's right ; Chinaman belong. Hut we can't get away ; neither can you , Now s'poso Mellcau belong all same China- man BavvayJ" The big captain nodded and Captain Swarth went on : "Mellcan ship all smash ono plecee wreck all gone no belong. Bavvoy ? " more nods "Chinaman got Junk ; no got mast no got call. Mellcan got mast got sail- no got Junk , Mellcan takeo junk down fore Hide mukco Junk top side ono plecee good Junk. Mellcan makce matt makeo Ball , chop-chop Cbliiamau go way ( ore takcc Mellcan fifty mile one plecee Island all sumo this. " "Mellcan man no flghtec no kick up bob- bice. " "No , no , no bobbery no trouble at all , " replied the wrathful and humiliated Captain Snartlk "We'll slldo your old tube down to the beach , fit her out , launch her and navi gate her ; all we want Is to get away over yonder. " He waved his hand to the west ward. The Junk captain Bald something to his fol lowers , and while n babel of Chinese disputa tion troubled the air , Captain Swarth cat down and smoked ( It was a fine cigar , from the private stock ot a teacllpper's captain ) mentally computing the weight ot the Junk , and the horse power of his crew. The out cry on the Junk was silenced by the big captain's laying about him with a bamboo pole , and Captain Swarth , grinning from a fellow-feeling , approached. The under standing arrived at was that the Chinamen were to remain aboard their craft and do no work ; that the white men could do what they pleased except Intcrcferc with the peace and comfort of the Chinamen ; and If they succeeded In launching her they could only tide In her as far as their Island , when they were to depart , and allow the Junk to go on with the masts and sails as her own. To which compact Captain Swarth anil Captain Lee Kin shook hands over the rail. Then Captain.Swarth climbed aboard , ex amlncd the crazy windlass with which the Chinamen got their anchors , shook his head , looked at the strong partners ( strengthening pieces ) In the deck , which had received the They loosened all thu canvas and the day was spent In sending It down as fast as It dried. Nightfall saw the last sail , snugly rolled , deposited on gratings alongside and covered. Then they ate their salt supper and turned in. In the morning mutiny was rampant. Nineteen bad-tempered men faced Captain Swarth at the mainmast and Informed him that ho was deposed from the captaincy that future work and movements would to governed by election , and that an Immediate ovcrha il of the cargo and division of the treasure had been decided on. Two fell dead and the rest went to work ( burying thulr fallen shipmates first ) while Captain Swarth. remarking that there were four bul lets left , handed the pistol to Mr , Todd and went to lila breakfast and his bunk. Sixteen able seamen , olllcered by such men as Captain Swarth and Angel Todd , can do a great deal with ropes and blocks. Hoyal , topgallant , topsail and lower yards came down that day , and were blocked alongside , with the gear celled up and tagged. Next day followed the topgallant masts and topmasts - masts , with the spanker boom and gaff , "Growl , ye may , but work yo must , " said Mr. Todd to them as they showed him their eorea and cursed Mm for a slave-driver , The cook had found wild yams and bread fruit , which took the edge off the salt meat , and the grog was faithfully rcrved three times a day , Uut the next day was Sunday , aud they appealed to the religious and phni- ologlcal law of the world for a day's rest which was denied them , and In the ensuing argument lost another of their number Shorty It was and they dragged the car penter's toot-chest up the htH tv.-rvlng Shorty on used up the day , and.ne they tied up their wounds with rope yarns and tar that night they talked with the 'Cook ' about poisoning the afterguard. The cook refused. It was unprofessional and he had no poison ; but , as a result of the dltcusMon , which was not whispered , Yank T te moved his goods and bedding Into the cabin. "For they're kinder displeased , Cappen , " ho said , "and very un reasonable , and they might get Into my shop when I'm asleep and do somethln' they'd bo sorry for ortcrwards. " In the morning they rigged shears over the bow of the Junk { which , like the brig , pointed down hill ) , of the fore and main yards , lashing thc > upper ends and sinking the lower In Eockctiholcs In a couple of fend ers. At the shear-head they lashed two three-fold blocks , each as large as a small trunk , and to a stump near the heel , a roust about , or heavy snatch block to take the hauling part of the eight-Inch hawser they would use as a lifting-tackle. The lower blocks of this tackle they were to secure to a shot of anchor chain which they were to pirns under the bow. And this was a Job at which their souls revolted , for they were forced to burrow under the Junk with knives , as there were no spades In the brig. If the Chinamen possessed them they made no sign , but hung o\cr the rail and guyed them In derisive pantomime. They took turns at the muddy task , and the mud dried on them , layer over layer ; for no tltno wa allowed them to clean up. And as only four could moik at a time at this the rest , after reeving off the big tackle , busied thcmsohcs In cutting down palm "POWDER IS WET , YOU BLASTHD FOOL ! ' shroudless meats , amllcd , and then asked about her cargo. There was very little of It all clear of the maststcps. Ho returned lo his men and told them what they were to do. Another uproar followed. They would see him It the lower regions first. The cruise waa ended and with It ended Captain Swarth' * authority. They would do what was possible to repair their own craft and launch her ; they would fight the Chinamen till the last man dropped , but they wouldn't work that Junk down the hill for any nest of rat-eating heathen. To which Captain Swarth replied that he had six 'bul ' lets , each equal to a man , and a cutlass good for another. Did any OLf care to make one ot the seven ? Captain Swarth was a good shot and a good swordsman , and their indignation subsided to muttering sulks. Then , after admonishing them to bo respectful and obedient , he laid , out their work. They would first dlsmantlo the brig , leaving nothing standing but loner masts ; then they would execute such sugges tions of civil and mechanical engineering as came to the minds of tlio captain , mate or carpenter In regard to the floating of tui. Junk. When that was accomplished , other things would follow. The carpenter" was to bo their Immediate boss or foreman , under whom they would work by day. At night they would sleep In their forecastle , and they would stay out of the hold and let the liquor alone. The captain and mate would stand "watch and watch" with the pistol , to keep them civil by day and sober by night. The first man who refused duty or entered the hold of the brig would bo shot. They would bo served a tot ot grog three times a day and eat the salt meat and such vegetables as the cook , who was to boexcuscd _ from other labor , could find on the Island. Sullenly they arose at his order anil marched back to the brig , -where they handed In their sldearms and pikes. TUB LIEUTENANT IN CHARGE ! IlKI'ORTED THIS. trees and flattening the trunks for ways ( or rails ) , and In ripping up deck planks and dragging them up the hill for cradles. ThU work was not done in a day ; It took several. And they labored In the hot sun , policed con- tlnuall ) by the captain or mate , teased by their sores and on a. short allowance of water ; for several tanks had been demolished in the tvrcckv But at last the holes were dug and the chain passed under the bow , through the rings of the lower blocks , and secured. Then they hauled the twelve-part tackle hand- taut to a palm tree and clapped a tackle to the hauling part close to the shears , another on tho- hauling part of this , and thus , luff upon lu/T / , they quxdruplcd their power , until , with five tackles rigged to five trees. Captain Swarth decided that his men could lift the bow of a hundred-foot junk. And they did. Under his slinging objurga tions , backedi by the flourished 'pistol , they bwung on the fall of thu last tackle , shifting up when blocks came home , sweating , curs ing and complaining , while the painted eyes In the how glared at them and two score Cliinamcti grinned down on them and added their weight. Up came the bow a quarter Inch at a heave until high enougli for Yank Tate to block up the forefoot ( she had no keel ) with fenders. Then they slacked hei down on the blocks , shifted the shears and thfe gear to the stern and repeated the operation. With the Junk resting on blocks , the next stop was to build two cradles to fit the bottom. Themen rigged the ways under Yank Tale's supervision , while he himself fashioned the cradles of the deck planks and the halves ot anchor stocks , which , flat sides down and cleated , were to rest on the ways. With a slack stern line out to a tree , they pullc < ! { on a. tackle load ing ahead , and the craft , amid the squealing of her crew , slid forward until brought up by the hawser astern. This was encourag ing , and for a moment the underlying sailor instinct dominated , and the men gave a rousing cheer. Hut when the next step was given out chopping down trees and clear ing away stumps the sailor died out of them , and Mr. Todd remained up In his watch below to assist the captain In club bing them Into obedience. Captain Swarth was loth to shoot them ; recognizing that there was moro of death- potential In three bullets against fifteen men ( the cook had assumed an armed neutrality ) than In ono against thirteen , of two against fourteen. So the tbreo bullets were hold In reserve , and. Mr. Todd's assertion that "one handspike was worth a dozen of 'cm" was acted upon. And Yank Tate flourished his broadax , and they went to work , with ach ing headH and blue spots on their several skins , and In three days had cleared a track half way to the beach , where a deep gully and a stretch of swampy ground beyond sent them back for Instructions. They received thom. They would trim oft and sharpen the trunks of the trees they had felled and as many inoro as were needed ; then , after the carpenter had constructed a pllcdrlvcr , they would sink two parallel lines of plies to support the ways to the solid ground beyond. The pllo driver was constructed with a carronado for a hammer , which they pulled to the top by hand and then let go. The Iron rings of the anchor stocks served to Blip over th heads of the piles , and when the ends were sawed off to a chalk line mark , fhcbo.rings were spilt away to be used again. It was very weary work ( and soul madden ing torture under the scorching EUII on a. diet of salt meatand * scant vegetables , and It Is small wonder that responsibility left them. Ono morning they passed the cook's body up the hatch and announced that they had pun ished him for neglige-nee In procuring yams. Ill answer to this , the captain announced that they would procure vegetables In their own tlmo now , or go without , and that the day's work would continue , as before , from siinrlBo to sunset. Any further trouble would result In the stoppage of the grog , They charged on him , a yelling , cursing mob of toll-crazed animals , who could not under- Htund that they were conquered , and when the smoke of battle cleared away , four lay dead on the deck , two from bullets- , two from broken skulls , for Mr. Todd was an artist with a handspike and oven preferred It at clobo quartern to flremrms or cutlasses , With ono bullet left , Captain Swarth did not hcsl- tate to stop their grog as ho had promised , The work went on and for two weeks there was no trouble. They hauled the Junk over the trestle In thin time , and , getting her the rest of the way was comparatively easy , though they never erased to curse and com plain and the Chinamen never cejecd to Jcor. IJut at last she lay on the beach , Just above high-water mark , and when the spars O.A-IST O3EIX.A. . nml shear * were drugged down to her , they stopped calling themselves horsrs , and talked anil acted like/ sailors , -for they were close to their clement , and could too the end ot their labors. Captain Swnrtli rejoiced se cretly at the. change , but did not dnro com mend It openly they might take It for weakness , and he had hut one shot left. So the Iron-willed man maintained his Iron rule , marshaling them hack and forth night and morning like convicts which the m to averred they were horn to become. Tlio spirit of resistance was nearly extinguished now , but the appetite for liquor was strong as ever. It Is questionable ulsdom to stop sailors' grog almost KB dangerous an experi ment as stopping tobacco. They worked through the forecastle bulkhead ono night , secured a barrel of whisky and were Immova bly drunk when thu mate called them In the morning. As there was no way to punish them for this hut to kill them , Captain Swnrth allowed them to sleep It off , and then turned them out with bursting heads to strike out of the hold every barrel on top of the cargo. As fast as the barrets came up , Yank Tate knocked 111 the bungs and al- loucd the contents to tun to wmto. In the Judgment of all well-regulated pirates , ( his was as Illogical a proceeding HR suicide , and they began to doubt the sanity of their rap- tain. tain.Hut Hut they went to work again. The sheers were rigged and the double tackle singled to ono , whllo the carpenter dressed down and tenoned the heels of the topmasts and enlarged the holes In the deck. Then , with luffs on the sheer tackle they hoisted the brig's main topmast and fitted It where the mainmast of the Junk had been In the center , The fore topmast followed , shipping near the how , and raking forwnid. "She'll never bo nnythltT but a Junk , " said Yank , as he c > cd the hybrid , "no matter how we fix her ; so what's the odds. " They rigged no bowsprit , but the fore topmast staysail , cut down and bent to the forcstay , made a handy sail to box her around with ; and for a spanker they rigged their own boom , gaff and all with a reef In It to make It fit. Finally she lay , complete , with four square , and two fore and aft sails , ready to launch at the next high tide. As this would not bo until 2 o'clock next morning they used up the day hunting for any pnislblo leaks or weak spots In the hull , and as the tide went out In the evening they followed It down the bench with the ways , pinning and greasing them. Whllo this was going on Captain Swaith and tfupthlil Lee/ Kin who had become very good friends held a little confab over the quarterrall. The outcome was that when the ways wore laid the men , tired as they were , would take tackles up the hill nnd hoist outof the 'twecmleck the four treas ure chests , drag them down and lift them aboard the Junk. They did It , and mid night coming as the last chest was trans shipped , they throw themselves down like dead men on the sand to await the time of launching. Then It was that Captain Swarth gave way to the first weakness the first feeling of pity. Ho had nearly killed them with work , but the work was done. There was not a breath ot wind , and It might bo dangerous to tiy to pass the reef at night. So he spoke kindly to them told them to turn In nnd sleep until lilgh tldo the next afternoon If they wished ; then they could bring their clothes and his Instruments , wtlch would be their last work on the Island until they returned In r. new ship for the barrels under the cargo. Ho would serve out a nightcap to each and would hope that there was to be no more trouble or misunderstanding. Some cheered faintly ; others , too weak to cheer , shed tears ; all voted him a fairly good fel low at hcari ; and they thankfully drank the proi ; and turned in to dreamless sleep , while Captain Swarth went to Ills room and Angel Todd paced the deck on watch. An hour or so later Captain Leo Kin emerged from his cabin and looked around on the moon-lit ocean and shadowy palm groves. It was full high-tide and the water was lapping against the bow of his Junk , lid whistled softly down a hatch and his crew * came up. Picking up Yank Tate's top maul. Captain Lee reached over the bow and with ono blow ho was a largo man and a strong man sent the starboard dog-shore fly- Ing. The rattling on the beach was answered by a shout from up the hill. "Mellcan wakeo up , " he muttered. Ho stepped around and released the other shore and the Junk , with a quiver running through her , slid down the wa > * , raised her bow , floated and drifted toward the reef. The crew -was evidently Instructed ahead and not for nothing , perhaps , had they watched for months the reconstruction of their Junk ; for they mounted aloft , loosed the square palls , came down and set them. Then fol lowed the staysail and bpankcr. while Cap tain Leo Kin steered her , under the faint breath ot off-shore wind , for a break In the reet , and looked back occasionally at a crowd of yelling , cursing , raving men on the beach. "Mellcan dam fool , " he grunted. A shot rang out only one ; and Captain Leo observed that the crowd had split up intd three groups each a whirling , heaving bunch of arms and legs. Then , for a while , his attention was required In steering through the Inlet ; but as ho looked back from without the reef he saw three men , bound hand and foot , hanging from the sheer- head , where they writhed and twisted In the moonlight. "Cappen , matco man , calpeneo man , " ho said. The spectacle Impressed him , how ever , and ho treated his own crow kindly as ho sailed westward. Six months later a gun-deck sloop with new royals and topgallant sails hove to off the reef and sent in a boat. The lieutenant In charge reported on his return as follows : "Wo found the wreck of the brig up In the woods , dismantled and half burned , but no sign of the Junk. There's a line of plica up the hill , nnd ways on the beach , which go to show that they launched her. We burled over a dozen grisly skeletons three of them were cut down from the sheer-bead and by the looks of things they had a bat tle , for every skeleton gripped a kftlfe or a cutlass. It's Swarth's crowd , no doubt , and I suppose they killed the poor Chinamen , fitted out the Junk , then fought among them- Eclvcs , and the sldo that won got away. " Hut a corpulent , opulent Chinese gentle man , who , about this time , opened a princely establishment In Shanghai , could have given a better explanation. Not everyone can go South for March , but almost every body can spend a dollar or two for Scott's Emulsion of Cod-liver Oil. If you have got a lingering cough or are run down ; are weak and ex hausted by reason of the Grippe , ask your doctor if Scott's Emulsion isn't just what you need in the emer gency. The combined vir tues of the Cod-liver Oil , the Hypophosphites and Glycer ine as prepared in Scott's Emulsion will give you flesh and strength rapidly and help you back to health. flit IIAI.VKV UOLItK.N M'M'IFK' - . DRUNKENNESS ,1 c.m Ixi rl rn nllliiiul llio kiionlrilcr ' Ilict imflrnt In mmr , tin iirnrlUlnof fuiiil ; will filed a iHrinnni'iit uml fpt'f'ly ' nil * , wlii-llier Ike p.illciil U it niiHlrritlPilrliikiT or ou alcoholic wreck , Hook of pMiillciiIlK free. In Ix'liiul of Kuliii A. Co. . I5lh .1 lloURlllM M"Omuliu. . Mil GOLDEN SPECIFIC CO. , Prop's , Cincinnati , 0. Cit- Till * ' -t ll'tlt " Ciwk on Uori.Ui , . ilil.ll. " ir.iUrd ( rt _ DR. McGREW II THE ONLY SPECIALIST WHO T AT < ALL PRIVATE DISEASES Wokneu & Diiorderol MEN ONLY CO Vein Kipcricuce. 0 V r In Onahm. Rook Viet. Coniulutiei nd Kiaminalioo frrcc. 14th tnd Firnam Stl. , UU , Some Leading Special Features THE r OMAHA SUNDAY BEE MINE OF INTERESTING READ ING FOR NEXT SUNDAY'S PATRONS. Bret Harte's Great California Story , "Three Partners5 A story of early mining days In California. In it llrot llartc returns lo Ills old slylo the virile , sympathetic style wlilch made his fiuniv Ills diameters are miners , and , although the tides of varying fortunes lloat thom out into the wider world , they come back to California in the end as managers of 1ar ; e enterprises. Mi.xed tip In the Jnjcnions xvoh of the story are a number of western studies. Our old friend , Jack Hamlln , the gambler makes a brief , but plcturesiine appearance. Then there are "Whisky Dick" Hall ; the vlll linens prospector , Stcptoo , and the cun ning Helglan , Paul Van Loo. The love element of the story is fnrnl.shed by the beautiful Mrs. llorncastle , and the fair but heartless , Kitty . , Haker. i i ( "The Tanner of Galena" A title applied to Grant shown to be a pretty fiction Ills career In the Illinois town * Recollections of the only survivor of the few men asso ciated with him In ( lie old Galena leather Ktore Interesting In connec tion with the forthcoming unveiling of the Grant monument. i Marching Through Missouri. Stirring scenes and Incidents of ono of Grant's advances Conversion of n notorious rebel Personal remlniseonees of one who lode with him on the march from llunnewell to Salt river bridge. , ' Temperature of the Earth. Digging a well to determine the degree of heat In the earth's Interior- Hole lu the ground ri.rOU feet eloep Putting to ( he lest the theory of Jii- tcrnal llres Interesting investigation undertaken by the government , X Rays Discusses Macaulay. Critical analysis of the works of thelOngllKh historian written In the same lucid style that has characterized the letters of this contributor An arti cle that will set readers a-thlnklng on home of the points raised. / gpecialgtitiday Jepartmetits In Woman's Domain. For the Little Folks. Music and Drama. With the Secret Societies. The Realm of Sport. Gossip About the Bicycle Social Happenings of the Week. Unexcelled Service. < New York World's Cable Letters. Associated Press Telegraphic News. Special Correspondents Everywhere. All the Local News , THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE If not a regular subscriber , buy it of your newsdealer.