Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-12-16
CHAPTER III.

NGlLIS l.dl 1T LSlS u ia4t e-4tls
though not, as you win see. of his az
fairs. 1t was a bitter. cold winter, with
long, hard frosts and heavy gales; and
it was plain from the first that my poor
father was little likely TO see the
spring. He sunk daily and my mother
and l had all the inn upon our hands,
and were kept busy enough without
paying much regard TO our unpleasant
guest.
1t was one January morning, very
early-a pinching, frosty morning
the cove all gray with hoar-frost, the
ripple tapping softly on the stones, the
sun still low, and only touching the hill
tops and shining far TO seaward. The
captain had risen earlier than usual,
and set out down the beach, his cutlass
swinging under the broad skirts of
the old blue coat, his brass telescope
under his arm, his hat tilted back upon
his head. remember his breath hang
ing like smoke in his wake as he strobe
off, and the last sound / heard of him,
as he turned the big rock, was loud
snort of indignation. as though his
mind was still running upon DIR. Live
sey.
Well, mother. was upstairs with IA
ther; and was laying the breakfast
table against the captains return,
when the parlor door opened, and a
man stepped in on whom l had never
set my eyes before. He was pale, tai
lowy creature, wanting two fingers on
the left hand; and, though he wore
cutlass, he did not look much like
fighter. l had always my eyes open
for seafaring men, with one leg or two,
and l remember this one puzzled me.
He was not sailorly, and yet he had
smack of the sea about him, too.
l asked him what was for his service,
and he said he would take rum;
but as l was going out of the room to
fetch it he sat down upon table and
motioned to me to draw near. paused
where 1 was with my napkin in my
hand.
Come here, sonny" says he. Come
nearer here"
/ took n step nearer.
"Is this here table for my mate
Bill?" he asked, with a kind of leer.
l told him did not know his mate
Bill; and this was for a per:on who
stayed in our house, whom we called
the captain.
"Well," said he, my mate Bill would
be called the captain, as like as not. He
| has a cut on one cheek, and a mighty
| pleasant way with him, particularly in
drink, has my mate Bill. Wen put it,
for argument like, that your captain
has a cut on one cheek-and we'll put
| it, if you like, that that cheeks the
right one All, well! | told you.
Now, is my mate Bill in this here
house?"
l told him he was out walking.
(Which way, sonny? Which way Is
he gomez"
And when l had pointed out the rock
and told him how the captain was like
! ly to return, and how soon, and an
swered n few other questions, "Ah,"
said he, "this'll be as good as drink tc
my mate Bill"
The expression of his face as he saiG
these words was not at all pleasant
and l had my own reasons for think.
ing that the stranger was mistaken
even supposing he meant what he said
But it was no affair of mine, thought;
and, besides, it was difficult to know
what to do. The stranger kept hang
ing about just inside the inner door
peering around the corner like ca;
waiting for mouse. OnceI stepped ou'
myself into the road, but he Immediate.
ly called me back, and, as did not obey
quick enough for his fancy, a most hor
rible change came over his tallowJ
face, and he ordered me in, with al
oath that made me jump.
AS soon as l was back again he re
turned to his former manner, hal
fawning, half sneering, patted me or
the shoulder, told me was good boy
and he had taken quite fancy to me
"I have a son of my own" said he, ''as
like you as two blocks. and he's all the
pride of my art. But the great thing
for boys is discipline, sonny-disciD'
line. Now, if you had sailed along OF
Bill, you wouldn't have stood there tc
be spoke to twice-not you. That was
never BilPs way, nor the way of such as
sailed with him. And here, sure
enough, is my mate Bill, with spy
glass under his arm, bless his old art,
to be sure. You and NELL just go back
into the parlor, sonny, and get behind
the door, and we'll give Bill a little sur
prise-bless his art, say again"
So saying the stranger backed along
with me into the parlor, and put me be-
hind him in the corner, so that we were
both hidden by the open door. L was
very uneasy and alarmed, as you may
fancy, and 1t rather added to my fears
to observe that the stranger was GER
tainly frightened himself. He cleared
the hilt of his cutlass and loosened the
blade In the sheath; and all the time
we were kept waiting there he kept
swallowing as IL he felt what we used
to call lump in the throat.
At last in strode the captain, slammed
the door behind1im, without looking to
the right or left, and marched straight
across the room TO where his 1-ealfast
awaited him.
"Bill," said the stranger, in voice
that I thought he had tried 10 make
bold and big
The captain spun round on his heel
and fronted US; all the brown had gone
out of his face, and even Ids nose was
blue; he had the look of man who
sees a ghost, or the evil one, or some
thing worse, If anything can be; and,
upon my word, felt sorry to see him,
all in a moment, turn so old and sick.
"Come, Bill, you lnow me; you know
an old shipmate, Bill, surely" said the
stranger.
The captain made a sort of gasp.
"Black Dogl" said'hc.
Sand who else?" returned the other,
getting more ut his ease. BLACK Dog
as ever was, come for TO see his old
shipmate, Billy, at the Admiral Ben
bow Inn. All, Bill, Bill, we have seen
a sight of times, US two, since | lost
them two talons." holding up his mu-
tilated hand.
'cNow, look here" said the captain;
"you've run me down; here / am; well,
then, speak up; what Is it?"
That's you, Billy" returned Black
Dog, you're In the right ofit, Billy. I'll
have a eIlase OF rum from this dear child
here, az I've took such II liking to; and
we'H sit down, If you please, and talk
square, like old shipmates."
When I returned with the rum, they
were already seated on either side OF
the captains brealcfast-table - Black
Dog next TO the door, and sitting side
ways, so as TO have one eye on his old
shipmate, and one, as I thought, on his
retreat.