Henry C. Rowland

“ We have got the information, and we ought to be the ones to profit by it. I calculate we can handle this thing without any help from anyone, and I claim that if we do "
"Sh-h-h—not so loud!" said Boles, in that aggravating way of his; "no need to get mad about it—no one's contradicting you."
That's always the way with Boles. If you get a good line of argument he gets sort of jealous, and tries to blanket you. ”

“ I can make myself fairly well understood in Spanish, but when they throw it at me in lumps, I cant hold it at all. Brown had studied art in Europe, and I don't know where Boles picked up his Spanish, but both of them could chin like natives.
Our boat slipped silently up to the brig, and Brown reached out and held the heel of the brig's rudder, which was out of water, as she was light. The voices pattered steadily along, and I guessed from the way Brown would listen, and then shoot a look at Emilio, that something interesting was in the wind. ”

“ Then we'll just waltz in with our little ensign at our peak, and annex it in the name of the United States of America."
"And then?" asked Boles.
"Oh, well," said I; "if we run all the risk in getting the stuff, I calculate we're the ones entitled to it, ain't we?"
"The quartermaster would probably make a different calculation," said Boles, "but we can run it right back to—no, damn it, we can't do that, either—what the devil could we do with it?" He tugged away at his moustache, and scowled at the deck. Suddenly he looked up. ”

“ While I was slowly blowing out the match, I made up my mind.
"I'm game," said I; "I'm a gol-darned fool—but I'm game."
"It's up to you, Brown," said Boles. "Before you answer I just want to say that my advice to you is not to come in. Knapp and I need the money. You've a nice little independent income, and there's no reason why you should take a long shot like this. If you——"
"Doctor Boles," said Brown, his voice so husky that he could hardly get out the words, "I've sailed with you and Knapp for about five months, now, and I've never stood shy yet, have I? ”

“ Boles answered easily: "We are Englishmen, and we've been trading around the islands. Five days ago we were lying in Manila, and old Velasquez, whom I know pretty well, came off aboard and told me that he thought he was being watched, and offered to turn this job over to me. I was to let him know the next day, but he didn't show up, so we just slipped quietly out, and here we are. We'll run your stuff if you want us to, but you'll have to bid up, as it's a dangerous job. Only yesterday a gunboat passed us close aboard, northward bound ”

“ Brown cut in; " don't you suppose a crew in charge of a cargo like that would be a pretty mean gang to handle? There are only three of us, and it's not likely our Filipino crew would give us a lot of help."
"Right O!" said Boles; "we'd need another man or two, and I know right where to get them. But see here. Do you know what that filibuster will be sure to have that's easier to handle than guns, cartridges, and canned goods? No?—well, I'll tell you. Money! ”

“ There were ten boxes of rifles, and box after box of ammunition— also a lot of American flour and a good supply of American canned beef and beans. In an hour's time we had it all stowed and the hatches down again, and a half-hour later the launch was on her way to Manila, empty and innocent.
The following morning at daybreak we picked up the land: Badoc Island according to Boles' calculations. Our passengers were down below, but awake. Only the German was on deck. Boles said to me:
"Making poor time—eh?" That was the signal.
"She's sort o' logy this morning. Brown," I called. ”

“ Now, their long suit is weapons—and darn good ones at that. Looking at it that way, I don't see that we can do anything but report it to the commanding general. As a business proposition there's nothing in it. Suppose we were to get a few beachcombers aboard, and round up the outfit—we don't know that we'1l find any money, and the other stuff is worse than useless to us—might even get us in trouble. Anyway, I'm against any proposition that we have to call in outsiders for. Remember that pirate hunt? I do, because I got a knife stuck through my arm!"
Boles nodded. ”

“ We had just got back from a little run down around Mindanao, where we had been to carry out an idea of mine of picking up a cargo of curios—knives, spears, shields, etc.—to sell to the tourists and time-expired soldiers who wanted war relics to take home to their friends. ”

“ That 'll prevent their from flagging the launch by cable, if by any chance she hasn't left Hong-Kong. They'll be only too glad to clear out. They're satisfied that the whole game is up."
"Ain't they any way leary of us?" I asked.
"No—they think that we're just sent out as bait to make extra sure. That idea of the gunboat was an inspiration."
The scheme seemed a good one, so we just acted on it. The men were tickled to death to get out of it so easy, and we gave them a drink in the cabin and sent them back aboard their brig, pleased as could be. ”

“ We will tell all that we know, especially now that all is lost,"
They went below, and in about half an hour the captain came on deck again, and the other man went down. In a few minutes he also came up, followed by Boles.
"They tell a straight enough story," he said. "It's just as I thought. They're only chartered for the job. Beyond that they've no interest in the thing. And there w some money coming aboard." ”