ro, on the east coast.

"How about to Rio?"

"Hell of a hole--Rio," observed the stranger, with a sad shake of his
head. "But fer that matter so's everywhere. Never found a place what
wasn't. This is," he affirmed, sweeping his pipe in a semicircle.

"You're right there," agreed Wilson, the blue sky above clouding
before his eyes.

"I've heern there's goneter be an earthquake here some day. Swaller
up the whole darned place. Guess it's so."

Wilson studied the man once more; he began to think the fellow was a
trifle light-headed. But he decided not; he was probably only one of
those with so strong an individuality as to be thought queer. The
stranger was staring out to sea again as though, in the trend of fresh
speculations, he had lost all interest in the conversation. However,
in a minute he withdrew his pipe from his mouth, and, without turning
his head, asked,

"Was you reckoning as a passenger or was yer lookin' for a chance to
ship?"

That was a proposition Wilson had not considered. It had no more
occurred to him that a man untrained could secure work on a ship than
on a railroad.

"Think it is possible for me to get a job?" he asked. "I've not had
any experience."

"There's some things yer don't need experience fer."

"I'm willing to do anything--from peeling potatoes to scrubbing
decks."

"There's better nor that fer a man."

"I'd like to find it."

The stranger studied the younger man from the corner of his eyes,
pressing down the live coals in his pipe with a calloused forefinger.

"If you was only goin' to the West Coast, now."

"What? Where?"

"Say pretty far up--Say to Carlina?"

Wilson could scarcely believe his ears. He steadied himself. This must
be more than mere coincidence, he thought. For all he knew, this man
might be some agent of the priest. Perhaps the latter had some inkling
of what had been found. But if that were so, there was little doubt
but what the priest would have taken up the search for it himself. At
any rate, Wilson felt well able to care for himself. The parchment was
safe in an inside pocket which he had fastened at the top with safety
pins. The advantage in having it there was that he could feel it with
a slight pressure of his arm. If an opportunity offered to get to
Carlina, he would accept it at whatever risk. Wilson answered slowly
after the manner of one willing to consider an offer but eager to make
a good bargain.

"I don't know but what Carlina wo