Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 23, 1924 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

168 ‘““No—what’s the use? I'll just claim her, and make the outfit from the States give me a third.” ‘““ And nobody else has a claim on her?” “Nobody. She’s an abandoned wreck. The German’s can’t claim her—the under- writers have abandoned her—why man, it’s like picking up a half million in the road!”’ “[. should say so; congratulations!” drawled Watson. “ When are your folks ex- pected down?” “ Cable said it would be a month or more before they could start a wrecking ship from Newport News.” “Well, I may be around to bdtrow some of that half million when you cash in,”’ said Clay rising. “ Breck, if we are going to get any sleep we better be moving?” ‘See you later!” advised Watson. “Use your brains, boys, use your brains —and maybe sometime you will be in the millionaire class too!” exulted Morrill. “Thank you kindly, sir, for that good advice—so long!” Clay gayly called back. “Come in here a minute!” Watson pulled Ted Clay into the writ- ing room where a large map of Central America hung on the wall. La Paz, they found, was a hamlet on the coast of the Republic of Amititlan; no rail- road closer than three hundred miles; no port of call closer than a hundred. Back of it was the range of Cordilleras that form the backbone of the Isthmus. port was the little one of San Jose. “Gosh; it’s ‘an out-of-the-way place!” commented Clay. “Wonder where we can get a Lloyd’s Register?’’ said Watson as they went down the steps. ‘““ At the Consulate, surely?” “All right, we’ll head for there soon as we knock off to-morrow. I wonder if this Morrill has his facts right?” “ Talks like it. And hasn’t he a nerve, claiming that ship when he’s never been nearer to La Paz than Panama?” Clay laughed. “ He’s just figuring on getting there first —and he didn’t even discover her.” “Thinks he’s a smart boy, doesn’t he?” “Recommends himself very highly,” ad- mitted Watson. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY The nearest WEEKLY. They walked down the hill for a while in silence. ‘“How much money have you got saved up, Breck?” ‘Two hundred and eighty dollars.” ‘““Tve three hundred.” In the rush of business next day nothing more was said until noon, when Ted Clay hustled over from his warehouse section, bubbling with excitement. ‘Say, Breck, there’s a lot of freight be- ing unloaded from that Panama Canal steamer for reshipment to San Jose, and a dozen truckloads have come already from jobbers down in Panama City, to go up on the Pacific Mail boat day after to-mor- row. First time I’ve seen a pound of freight for San Jose?” ‘“ All right, wait for me at five and have a hack ready, if you can get word to one.” They hustled down to the Consulate be- fore it closed up, and were soon deep in study of the marine register. Sure enough there was the record of the Loreli, just as | Morrill had said, with notation as to her loss. The consulate clerk was sticking around, waiting to close up for the day. ‘““ Say, how do you change a vessel from one flag to another?”’ inquired Clay. “Easy enough; we’ve the blanks, and all that here.” “All right, we want to enter the Loreli, formerly German, under American regis- try,” asserted Watson. “ Oh, quit your kidding!” ‘“ Fact; it’s our vessel just as much as anybody’s!” “All right, V’ll make out the papers if you pay the fees.” The consul was over at Taboga Island for a few days’ rest, and the clerk was vice consul, and acting. He signed, sealed and delivered the papers which put the Loreli under the American flag, with her home port as New Orleans. Then he hunt- ed around and found a perfectly good Am- erican flag discarded for a newer one as. the consulate emblem and solemnly pre- sented it to the new owners. They sallied forth with the flag carefully wrapped up in a neat package. A visit to the consul of Amititlan for passports re- sulted in the documents being issued. A Gomichooks (E@)