rican republic, and sheepfarmer in the Australian
bush. At present he was conducting a more or less regular trade in
precious stones among the lesser Indian potentates. He loved gain much,
but he loved adventure more.

When he received the cable from his good friend Jan Laurvik, he knew
that both were beckoning to him. With light-hearted zest he betook
himself to the steamship offices, found a P. & O. boat sailing on the
morrow, and booked his passage. Throughout the journey he amused himself
with trying to guess what Jan Laurvik was after; and, as it happened,
almost the only thing he failed to think of was pearls.

When Captain Jerry reached Singapore Jan Laurvik told him the story of
the dead pirate's map.

"Let's see the map!" said he, chewing hard on the butt of his unlighted
Manila.

Jan passed his copy over. The New Englander inspected it carefully, in
silence, for several minutes.

"'Tain't much of a map!" said he at length disparagingly. "You think the
varmint was straight?"

"In his way, yes," answered Jan with conviction. "He had it in him to be
straight in his way to a friend, which wouldn't hinder him cuttin' the
throats of a thousand chaps he didn't take an interest in."

"When shall we start?" asked Captain Jerry. Now that his mind was quite
made up he took out his match-box and carefully lighted his cheroot.

The big Norseman's face lighted up with pleasure, and he reached out his
hand. The grip was all, in the way of a bargain, that was needed between
them.

"Why, to-morrow night!" he answered.

"Well," said the New Englander, "I'll draw some cash in the morning."

The boat which Jan had hired was a fast and sturdy seagoing tug,
serviceable, but not designed for comfort. Jan had retained her
engineer, a shrewd and close-mouthed Scotchman. Her sailing-master would
be Captain Jerry. For crew he had chosen a wiry little Welshman and two
lank leather-skinned Yankees. To these four, for whose honesty and
loyalty he trusted to his own insight as a reader of men, he explained,
partially, the nature of the undertaking, and agreed to give them, over
and above their wages, a substantial percentage of whatever treasure he
might succeed in recovering. He had made his selection wisely, and
every man of the four laid hold of the opportunity with ardour.

The tug was swift enough to elude any of the junks infesting those
waters, but the danger was that she might be taken by surprise at her
anchorage whi