San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-09
The Master Of BalIantrae.
By ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON, Au-
thor of DR.. Jskyll and Mr.. Hyde"
CHAPTER /.

many drunken bout in my time, many on
board that very Sarah" but never any
thing the least like this, which made me
early suppose the liquor had been tempered
with. 1t was a long while before these yells
and hows died out into a sort of miserable
moaning, and then to silence; and it seemed
long while after that, before Ballantrae
came down again, this time with Teach upon
his heels. The latter cursed at the sight of
lis three upon the lockers.
Tut" says Ballantrae, you might fire a
pistol at their ears You know what stuff
they have been swallowing"
There was hatch in the cabin floor, and
under that the richest part of the booty was
stored against the day of division. 1t fasten-
flor greater security being divided one to
Teach, one to Ballantrae and one to the mate,
a man called Hammond Yet was amazed
to see they were now all in the one hand, and
yet more amazed still looking through my
fingers to observe Ballantrae and Teach
bring up several packets, four of them in all,
very carefully made up and with a loop for
carriage.
And now" says Teach, "let us be going. {"
"One word, says Ballantrae, Il have dis
covered there is another man besides your
self that knows a private path across the
swamp And it seems it is shorter than
yours"
Teach cried out in that case they were un-
done.
81 do not know that" says Ballantrae
For there are several other circumstances
with which | must acquaint you. First of
all, there is no bullet in your pistols, which
Gf you rememberl | was kind enough to load
for both of us this morning. Secondly, as
there is some one else who knows passage
you must think it highly improbable should
saddle myself with lunatic like you Third
ly, these gentlemen (who need no longer pre-
tend to be asleep are those of my party, and
will now proceed to gag and bind you to the
mast; and when your men awaken Gf they
ever do awake after the drugs we have
mingled in their liquor am sure they will
be so Obliging as to deliver you, and you will
have no difficulty, dare say, to explain the
business of the keys"
Not word said Teach, but looked at us
like frightened baby as We gagged and
bound him
Now you see, you moon-caIf, says Bal
lsutrae, why we make four packets Here
tofore you have been called Capt. Teach, but
think you are now rather Capt Learn"
That was our last word on board the Sarah,
we four with our four packets lowered our
selves softly into a skiff and left that ship
behind us as silent as the grave, only for the
of some of the drunkardS There
was fog about breast high on the waters, so
that Dutton, who knew the passage, must
stand on his feet to direct our rowing; and
this, as it forced us to row gently. was the
means of our deliverance.
We were yet but little way from the ship
when it began to come gray, and the birds
TO fly abroad upon the water All of sud-
len Dutton clapped down upon his hams and
us to be silent for our lives and
1earken. Sure enough we heard a little faint
freak of oars upon one hand, and then again,
and further off, a creak of oars upon the
other. 1t was clear we had been sighted
in the morning; here were the
,ruiser's boats to cut us out; here we were
lefenseless in their very midst. Sure, never
$1re poor souls more perilously placed; and
Is ne lay there en- our oars, praying God the
mist might hold the sweat poured from my
brow, Presently we heard one of the boats,
where we might have thrown a biscuit in her
Softly, men, we heard an officer whisper;
md | marveled they could not hear the drum /
ming of my heart.
Never mind the path" says Ballantrae,
we must get shelter anyhow; let US pull
straight ahead for the sides of the basin"
This we did with the most anxious precau-
ion, rowing, as best we could, upon our
lands, and steering at a venture in the fog,
which was for all that our only safety. But
heaven guided us; we touched ground at a
hicket, scrambled ashore with our treasure
md having no other way of concealment
md the mist beginning already to tighten,
rove down the slIiff and let her sink. We
we're still but new unGor cover wheLf the sun
ose and at the same time, from the midst of
he basin, great shouting of seamen sprung
10, and we knew the Carah was being board |
d. | heard afterward the officer that took |
Ter got great honor, and it's true the APP |
roach was creditably managed, but think |
le had an easy capture when he came TO |
,oard.
| was still blessing the saints for my escape, |
When became aware we were i'll trouble of |
mother kind. We were here landed at ran
om in a vast and dangerous swamp; and how
o come at the path was concern of doubt,
atigue and peril Dutton, indeed, was of /
pinion we should wait until the ship was
one and fish up the skifP; for any delay would
e more wise than to go blindly ahead in that
norass. One went back accordingly to the
asin side and (peering through the thicket
aw the fog already quite drunk up and Eng
sh colors flying on the Sarah but no move
nent made to get her under way.
Our situation was now very doubtful. The
wamp was an unhealthful place to linger in;
ge had been so greedy to bring treasures that I
re had brought but little food; it was highly
besides, that we should get clear of
he ueighborhood and into the settlements be-