The Boy Chums in the Gulf of Mexico / or, On a Dangerous Cruise with the Greek Spongers

up the man of whom he had spoken, and, introducing him

with an intelligent face, determined manner, and a short, crisp way of speaking. He sized u

s, dirt, discomfort, and danger, you want

at it pays us to stand,"

business. It's a game for real men, but if the men are the right kind, they get their reward for what they endure, all right, all right. I landed here with an empty pocket and emptier stomach, and now,-well, I am not a John D. Rockefeller yet, but I've got enough laid by t

s close kin to his own traits. "We left off our short pants last summer," he observed, gravel

for you would be company for each other, but for the American captains who go out alone with a crew of Greeks, it's awful. I've known some to go crazy for sheer loneliness, and few ever make a second trip,-I'll never forget my first experience. Second, sponging is a dirty business, the stench from dying sponges will upset any but the stro

in Westfield. "The question is what can one make off a trip. I

the money point is the main thing. That's the only thing that has kept me in the business. Well, I had c

ressive faces while Mr. Williams' keen

s a pretty looking little craft and her name just seemed to fit her-'The Beauty'. If sh

et for three seasons. Many have tried to buy her but couldn't. You are in luck, however. Her owner died last week and I have just received a lette

o'clock to-night?" asked the captain, "

ter thanking him gratefully for his informa

'Beauty'. If she is anyway near as good as she looks from a distance she's worth at least twenty-five hundred d

where for a quarter they hired a young

eased as they were with her on deck, they were even more pleased with her below. There, they found a large main cabin with swinging lamps, hanging sideboard, easy chairs, and comfortable furnishings. Opening into the main cabin were fou

d kettles. Everything was exquisitely neat and clean. But Captain Westfield was not content with a mere survey of cabin and furnishings. He unfurled several of the sails and examined the canvas closely. He t

ars old an' her sails an' rigging are all new. She's worth twenty-five hundred dollars of any man's money if she's worth a cent. All w

not make a couple of trips sponging in her. I am anxious to have a try for some of that big money they all talk about. We will never have a better chanc

, delightedly. "That's just what I've been studying over, but

nothing about it ourselves, and would have to depend entirely upon hired help-which is a bad thing to have to do in any business. Second, I don't like the Gr

ut with them, there are four of us and they wouldn't dare start trouble with so many. As for making them un

e'd be foolish to let such a chance slip by. That

went into it on his own hook," Charley objected. "However, I

ck and settle the deal with Williams. We'll make mo

d dollars was paid over and they received a bill of sale for the

half as bad as they are painted. Half of the trouble captains have with them comes from their not understanding each other. Get a reliable man to translate your orders, and you will get along all right although you will find it a hard l

g young man good-bye and repaired to the sm

Weston. He noted its calibre and sauntering down to the hardware store purchased several boxes of cartrid

paration for our tri

ng to be the smooth sailing his companions believed. For one thing, he doubted if rough, blunt, quick-