Show u CM OP OF THE zi BY tam dvm vt V t THE STORY THUS FAR the crew of a small sailing aln avnel tn in the ci caribbean pick up dp dick jordan drift adrift on a raft dick realizes realize that he be Is among men who are virtually pirates they come upon ft a drifting schooner hooner ic wim only two people aboard the demented caluin and hit his daughter ross rose toco the pirate captain captures capture the up ship and ties up rose and dick who has ha tried to help her then tucu bucu and his hl crew torch search the ship ihla for or treasure toco gives avei up op as ai a storm li Is brewing he takes dick back to hit his ship hip but dick ups cups away and returns return to the schooner lie he arrives lust just in time to rescue rule rot from rom two pirates they tt rig up op a sea lea anchor CHAPTER vm when morning dawned they crept on deck wan pale and exhausted but happy A quick g glance lance around the horizon revealed the presence ot of no ship the lugger had disappeared either driven away by the storm or safe in sorn some e harbor to which she had scooted at the eleventh hour with the same anxious thought in their minds mind they turned to each other 1 I hope she went down in the storm murmured rose smiling wickedly no such luck im afraid trust old tucu bucu to save his skin but if he return I 1 wont kick he will replied rose with conviction vic tion hell come back to seize the schooner then we must get away how long glancing at the top of the forward mast would it take to rig up a sail she smiled and shook her head we do it in a month lust just by ourselves then we must drift and drift until somebody picks us up she frowned and looked thoughtful if you were a sailor she began and knew 1 I can learn he interrupted tell me what to do she surveyed the wreckage aloft with aith critical eyes it if we could get up a jib she mused just enough canvas to steer by we might lay our cur course for land if we knew which way it was well lay it any way even if it takes us to europe its better than drifting rose was quiet staring across the heaving surface of the ocean what la Is it he inquired advancing to her side what do you see 1 I dont know she replied slowly it looks uke like a cloud on the horizon or or land he interrupted eagerly it might be I 1 dont know things are so deceptive at sea your sea glasses ask tucu bucu the Is last st I 1 saw of them he had them damn tucu bucu and his tribe 1 muttered dick impulsively they continued to gaze in the direction of the object faintly outlined above the horizon well believe its I 1 land and he said finally and when we get a sail rigged up well steer tor for it it if father was only in his right mind she murmured he could tell whether it was land or how is he now asked dick when she paused he slept peacefully all night I 1 wonder if he recovered and was better than ever it may be that blow on his head will will 1 I hope so he smiled following her train of thought but wed wad better not put too much trust in miracles if he recovers his bis senses it will be a miracle wont it perhaps then he added his eyes twinkling he can teu tell us where he hid that treasure treasure really exists rose tells dick she turned slowly toward him you dont believe there was any treasure she asked seriously he laughed pleasantly plea do you yes she admitted after a long pause its real and wa its aboard the betty dick was too surprised to speak for a time and stared with incredulous eyes at her he drew a deep breath finally anally and said then your fathers babbling all moonshine he knew where it was hidden but was sane enough not to show bucu tucu no slowly he know where it was I 1 hid it when he lost his mind I 1 thought it would be safer dick stared in dumb admiration and you bluffed tucu bucu made him believe no one knew where it was except your father I 1 never dreamed you knew you deceived me ine too 1 I never said I 1 know where it was she added neither to you nor to tucu bucu no a tact fact you they stood by the port rail watching the sunlight dancing on the waves dick glanced down at the head so close to his and felt once more the passion of love surging up him ile he turned away abruptly but she put out a small hand to detain him dont you want to know where it is and what it Is 13 she asked in an injured voice why it if you want to tell me he stammered but why should you its not mine I 1 have nothing to do with it yes it belongs partly to you she replied quickly you helped save it and it if we reach land you must have your share he shook his head slowly 1 I could never do that it would be like accepting payment tor for tor for doing your duty you saved my life when that ugly fought me you knew I 1 overcome him I 1 was too far spent hed have killed me in the end if you shot him and then killed me or worse she murmured shuddering I 1 protecting myself in shooting him 1 I suppose so but 2 when he stopped she looked at him with twinkling eyes full of amusement you any curiosity rio sity she asked finally dont you want to know what the treasure is and how we got it or are you afraid that will look like accepting payment he broke in with a laugh im dying with curiosity what is this treasure and you get it she did not immediately answer but kept him waiting smiling provokingly vo into his bis face its a rather long story she began finally 1 we found it on a wrecked submarine she was an outlaw rose went on and shed been robbing robbin her victims before sending them to the bottom there was enough prize money aboard to make all the crew T oz nothing but the top of the conning tower was visible when we discovered her satisfied stolen money you know they were pirates this crew were tor for there was the evidence there were rings and jewels too we searched tor for the submarines papers pe rs thinking perhaps we might find a clue to the ships from which the toot loot was taken so that it could be restored to the owners but the log be found and there was nothing to identify the ships that had been sunk father wanted to bring everything of value away but I 1 do it I 1 would ni let him touch the bloodstained blood stained ones we left them there with the skeletons of the robbers maybe others will find them some day I 1 dont want them I 1 never want to see the island again disasters followed finding of treasure did the crew know about the submarine and the treasure dick asked approaching her side no father and I 1 kept it to ourselves we brought the money and gold and other things aboard i in n a basket and hid them in the cabin cab i no one suspected wed found anything thin g but fresh gulls eggs we made five trips and always brought eggs back with us when we sailed away we had enough treasure aboard to make us rich rich enough to buy another schooner and a home ashore she smiled at him as if to indicate that her idea ol of riches was moderate and not of the inordinate greedy variety we could have bad more she added if wed taken the diamonds and rings that that but I 1 touch therril them she broke off passionately they were stained with blood or at least I 1 thought so father laughed at me and said it was the salt that had tarnished them but it made no difference I 1 touch themi them she drew a deep sigh and remained silent to regain her composure why I 1 told you she said then laughing gently that it was tainted money blood money and I 1 sure I 1 dared touch any of it would you blood money put to proper use Is no crime he replied simply youre entitled to it youre not superstitious noo no o but ever since we had the money aboard disaster has followed us first there was the storm that wrecked the schooner then fathers accident and then the desertion of the crew next tucu bucu and his pirates came and P I 1 followed next Ili ats the only pleasant thing happened since we found the treasure she replied frankly looking him in the eyes without you aboard I 1 think think id have thrown that treasure overboard long before this or given it to tucu bucu im not sure but that would have been the best way out of it it noo no it would have been put to base uses it if old tucu bucu got it replied dick he lay hands on it im glad you deceived him well get the treasure ashore and your father can buy a new schooner with it hell need one after this the bettys pretty well battered up ashes insured rose interrupted so well not need the money tor for that your father will need it dick replied hes made his last trip if it if he recover his mind an expression of pain swept across her face then a little fiercely with hands clenched she said but he will recover I 1 feel eel III it I 1 shant lose hope not it if we can reach land with money to pay a good doctor hell recover dick replied smiling encouragingly where your treasure will prove a blessing it cant hoodoo you any more are you sure of 0 that she interrupted pointing to the speck on the horizon that the lugger again dick gave a violent start an and d followed her hand the object in the distance was still too vague of outline to determine its character but either through imagination or distorted optical illusion they thought it to be the san miguel returning to finish the work captain tucu bucu had planned it rose repeated after a long pause 1 I dont know dick murmured it looks so but we may be mistaken it if it is well take a raft and leave the schooner she finished tor for him ill never stay aboard it if tucu bucu comes what good will that do hell overtake us on the raft we escape the truth of this borne bome in upon her mind made her silent and thoughtful after a while her face ace brightened we may buy tucu bucu off she said eagerly hell let us go if 11 we give him that treasure all he wants that and the mythical jewels from the steamer smiled dick she watched him anxiously and then sighed 1 I see she murmured one be sufficient hed want both bucus greedy and you find the jewels they never existed then well keep the treasure never find it ill die before I 1 teu tell him dick frowned perhaps better buy your freedom with it hell do that much for or the treasure and hold you a prisoner until 2 never mind that I 1 can outwit tucu bucu I 1 did it once and ill do it again you make him promise hell put you ashore and dick she interrupted dont talk nonsense if it enough to buy life tor for both of us it enough tor for one we go ashore together or we stay here until the end the blur in the distance they had taken rightly or wrongly tor for the lugger remained stationary or at least so fixed a point on the horizon that it neither grew larger nor faded entirely away at times a mist swept between it and the schooner and temporarily blotted it out but it returned later and always it appeared a little closer but not much clearer in outline something appears on the horizon they watched it with puzzled eyes thankful that it did not approach but disappointed that it di did not vanish entirely if its the lugger dick remarked once ashes been crippled by the storm and Is drifting before the wind then we have an equal chance to get away rep replied ed rose eagerly if 11 ashes no better olt oft then we are captain tucu bucu has a crew to help him patch up his sails and rigging he interrupted smiling we beat him at that 1 I dont believe its the lugger after all she said irrelevantly shading her eyes it looks to me more like like land he asked yes but not the mainland an island not your island where the submarine was wrecked no shuddering at least I 1 hope not if its an island we ought to try to get to it well start rigging up that jib the winds freshening and its blowing in the right direction yes were drifting toward it it why we see it more distinctly it if it was the lugger it would drift as fast as we do right it is nearer and it must be land they glanced into each others eyes hope dawning in them for or the first time since the storm giving a radiant expression to their fea ea tures lures that was contagious dick spoke first its land rose and well reach it before tucu bucu can come back and find us I 1 told you that treasure was no longer a hoodoo its going to bring us good luck TO BE CONTINUED |