The Stone Dog
by Robert Mitchell
20th September 1917 – Wakaya, Fiji.The Count Felix von Luckner, Master of the German raider Seeadler, lowers a sealed iron chest into the waters of a small unnamed bay under cover of darkness.17th December 1971 – Cairns, Australia.The chance mention of von Luckner's name revives memories of boyhood tales of the secrets of that far-off night, and of the iron chest watched over by the stone dog. But were the tales, told by Uncle Max, bosun on the Seeadler those fifty-four years ago, true, or were they merely that, yarns, nothing more? And, if true – would the chest still be there? And if true – will it be worth the bloodshed?