o some of the ships. Believe me or not,
most of them were empty; not even a watchman aboard! I found some of the
captains, however, and talked with each of them. They all told the same
story."

"Crews skipped to the mines, I suppose?" said Yank.

"Exactly. And they _couldn't_ get any more. So I offered to hire a
few of them."

"The captains?" I inquired.

"No; the ships."

"The _what?_" we yelled in chorus.

"The ships."

"But if the captains can't get crews----"

"Oh, I don't want to sail them," went on Talbot impatiently. "It was
hard work getting them to agree; they all cherished notions they could
get crews and go sailing some more--good old salts! But I hired four, at
last. Had to take them for only a month, however; and had to pay them in
advance five hundred apiece."

"I beg pardon," said Johnny softly, "for interrupting your pleasing
tale; but the last item interested me. I do not know whether I quite
heard it right."

"Oh, shut up, Johnny," said Yank; "let the man tell his story. Of course
he didn't have the money in his pocket. How did you get it, Tal?"

Ward shot him a grateful glance.

"I told them I'd pay them at four o'clock which gave me plenty of time."

"Two thousand dollars--oh, of course!" murmured Johnny.

"So then," continued Talbot, "I hustled ashore; and went to see some of
my merchant friends. In two hours I had contracts with twelve of them
that totalled six thousand dollars."

"Why didn't some of them go out and hire ships on their own account?"
asked Yank shrewdly.

"Because I didn't mention the word 'ship' until I had their business,"
said Talbot. "I just guaranteed them storage, waterproof, practically
fireproof, dustproof, and within twenty-four hours. I guess most of them
thought I was crazy. But as it didn't cost them anything, they were
willing to take a chance."

"Then you didn't raise your ten thousand dollars from them in advance
payments!" I marvelled.

"Certainly not. That would have scared off the whole lot of them. But I
got their agreements; I told you it took me two hours. Then I walked up
the street figuring where I'd get the money. Of course I saw I'd have to
divide the profits. I didn't know anybody; but after a while I decided
that the best chance was to get some advice from honest and
disinterested man. So I asked the first man I met who ran the biggest
gambling place in town. He told me Jim Recket."

"Jim Recket?" I echoed. "He's the man I was to