"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 126 - Treasure Trail" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"No one saw it. Cray wanted to sell it; but his price was too high. He wanted fifty thousand dollars for his
map. That would be a pretty steep initial investment, considering that the galleon lay in fifteen fathoms of
water."

"I see. It would cost a lot to raise the treasure."

"If there happened to be treasure. Most of those galleons carried gold. But that was something Cray
could not guarantee - gold on this particular galleon."

WESTON began to drum the table. He was picturing Cray as he had seen the fellow. Suddenly, Weston
snapped:

"A man as poor as Cray should have been ready to bargain; to accept a smaller payment, perhaps with a
promise that he would receive a share of the treasure."

Cranston's laugh was a quiet one.

"Cray's appearance deceived you, commissioner," he told Weston. "The Skipper was well off. He
believed that he had years to live; but he was out of active service. Cash on the nose was Cray's motto.
He said that some day, someone would buy his chart for the full price of fifty thousand. If not, he would
leave the treasure quest to his grandchildren, when they grew up."

The mention of Cray's relatives awakened Weston to a most important question; one that had increased
in consequence because of the treasure chart.
"Where did Cray live?"

"I don't know," replied Cranston. "He forgot to mention his address in the last letter; and when I wrote to
the old address, my letter was returned. Cray had a friend, though" - Cranston's lips showed the
semblance of a smile - "a friend named Will Tasper, who had once served as mate on the Hatteras.
Tasper, I believe, has a cigar store somewhere in town."

Weston sent Cardona hopping for a city directory. They consulted it, along with a telephone book.
Tasper's cigar store was listed in the city directory; but the place had no telephone. Weston checked the
Third Avenue address.

"Somewhere in the Nineties," he decided. "Send word to the radio patrol, Cardona."

Cardona had a report within ten minutes. A patrol car had located the cigar store; the place had closed
for the night. From inquiry at a delicatessen, the officers had learned that Will Tasper lived in a little
apartment on the second and only floor above his cigar store.

They found out something else. Tasper shared the apartment with Cray. The old sea captain was well
known in the neighborhood. Sometimes - rarely, though - he tended the cigar store while Tasper was
away.

The upstairs apartment was dark, like the store. Either Tasper had retired, or he was out somewhere.
The officers in the patrol car were waiting further instructions. Cardona asked Weston if he wanted them
to wake up Tasper, assuming that the man was at home. Weston decided against it.

"We'll go there ourselves," declared the commissioner. "Order the patrol car to cruise the block, on