The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-11-23

| US IL IL no use thlkluR WIFI lTTeSpO0Sl-
BILE fellows, and then doubt IL he has
control enough over them to set matters
right, If he were even go honest himself
If he's knowing to 1t, he is certainly the
meanest pirate that I've ever met
with" And he reached for his monkey
jacket preparatory to starting Off for the
English shanty on his errand of expla-
nation.
AS boatsteerer, or petty officer of the
VdnddI, 1 was Preston's right-hand
man and confidential friend, and L
ventured another suggestion.
81 don't think It would be very
| good time to talk this matter with
Warwick tonight" said. why not
see him in the cool of the morning?"
" You think, L suppose, that he may
be half drunk now," answered Preston.
"Well, shouldn't wonder If he is, and
perhaps it isn't wise to beard the lion in
| his den, though don't fear him, and
all his crew of lime .juicers, if get my
blood up. Still, L would rather, on
second thoughts, not have any row with
blackguard, such as 1 take him to be.
1 have another idea which will avoid
row, and also show whether he is really
thief or an honest man. We can alter
our mark, seeing that the letters P.'
and b. are too near alike"
"That's happy thought" said 1,
"and wonder it had not occurred to us
before"
1t has occurred to me that the letters
were nearly alike, but then 1 never
thought that there was any man mean
enough to steal another ones elephant.
Let me see, our Sag Harbor friends
mark is an H for Hydra; but there is
no fear of them, for Ben Comstock is
the soul of honesty, and would be very
severe on any act of theft done by one of
his men. We can mark with w for
Vdndol, and maybe that will prevent
row, or at least postpone it. Pass the
word that from tomorrow morning
hereafter our mark is w. and let
every one understand it thoroughly
before they go on the beach If 1 am not
here to see them all myself"
So the new mark went into effect at
once, though Comstock took the liberty
to scold Preston for what he called de-
serting his colors.
GA mark" " said he, in his most logical
manner, sis something sacred, some
thing to fight for, and to live and die by.
Tim xynntxra oil anuhnIxy
much less lime ejuicer, to make you
back down. Now, stick to your new
mark, and fight for it if need be, and I'll
back you up, even as far as breaking
heads"
Thus matters went on quietly for a
few days, but before another Saturday
came round we heard that the BeUond's
men had been heard to give up the ''B. !"
and ornament their elephants with a
broad wv" as the initial of Warwick,
their beach-header. He had an un-
doubted right of course to order this
change of mark, but there could be no
reason but rascally one for doing it at
that particular time. Preston was full
of the subject when he returned from
his daily work, but did not say much
about it in the hearing of his men. We
had small room at one corner of the
house partitioned off from the rest, and
in this he and / lived and lodged.
"Now," said he to me, as we retired
to this little cabin, "there is no longer
any doubt that the fellow is thief. OF
course two little cuts will turn a 'V.'
into w. and there can be no honest
reason for this dropping the B. now,
to take up new mark. But If any
evidence of theft comes to us now 1t
shall be war to the knife, for swear L
won't change my mark again. Perhaps
was wrong or fool to do so in the
first place. At any rate Comstock
thinks / was"
While we were at our supper the
boatsteerer from the Hydra, who was a
favorite with all of us, looked in at the
door, on his way from the Point.
"How are you, Green?" sung out
Preston, in his most CHEEKY manner.
"Won't you come in and take a bite
with us 2"
"No, / won't stay for that" was the
answer, shut 1 will come in for min
ute, because I've something to tell you
that / think you ought to know at once
You heard, IL suppose, that the lime juicei
has changed his mark"
eyes"