Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-01-18

, Sct uSuUft, -Nr. DaVSQire.
1.-THE huge man made no reply, Rob.
ert said. The rest Kept silence and
Robert came away.
I'VE were Of the island early next
morning. When / awoke and came on
deck. l beheld a beautiful scene Of
| bright green land, most sweet and re-
freshing to the sight after long days OF
blue water. 1t lay out upon what is
called the port beam. Soon afterward
both vessels anchored. Robert from the
poop Of the Queen necessarily viewed
the land through glass, but told me he
| could see no sign Of the men.
Depend upon it.. said he, they
are iii hiding. The boat left the island
yesterday on a piratical cruise-,hat is,
with the idea, since they had lost the
bark, Of falling in with a small vessel
suitable TO their purpose, Selling her
and sending her people adrift. Look
how well they We're armed
81 suggested that if the three men
| were not on the island they might have
been killed in quarrels.
| I'VE shall soon find that out, he
| exclaimed.
| Before he went ashore he entered
the steerage to exhort the prisoners to
tell him where the gold was hidden.
He said that u confession would be Of
great use to them, while their silence
could simply signify nothing but the in
convenience of detention. for he was de
termined not 10 leave the island With
out the nuggets.
/ octyal 80 %to ,-I,,l $3.50,
in sight, and, being answered, inquired
if the commander had been ashore.
This was all he said. He grinned fierce
ly at the others, Robert told me, who
were as dumb as dogs Quite as likely
as not that wretch of giant was hop
ing and thinking that the nuggets
would not be found, that something
would befall to free him, so that he
could return to the island in due course
properly equipped, and possess himself of
the whole of the gold. Surely he or the
others would have confessed the hiding
place but for some such wild dream.
Caldwell had been taken out of the
steerage and put into the cabin into
which Trollcpe's body was conveyed.
think / told you that the remains of
that miserable man were buried in the
evening. Caldwell was now gloomiiy
and dangerously mad and needed a SEN
tlnel with a truncheon. He was safe
enough, however, with irons on his feet
and handouts on his hands, and in this
dreadful, degrading condition Robert
told me he lay in bunk, oursing his
Waterman. blabbing secrets Of horror
and blood and grimacing with the face
of satan at the upper deck.
well, very soon after the ships were
anchored the longboat-that historic
| longboat-was lowered into the water
and eight men and Robert entered her.
! The boat went ashore at IL o'clock
T, in the morning. 1t was very fine wealth
| er Indeed we were most fortunate in
this respect throughout The ships lay
with their topsails beating in pulses of
light and shade as they lightly rolled
upon the smooth undulations. Many
birds glanced like showers of broken
glass over the island and some drew
near on arched wings with coarse
shrieks. They were evidently not used
to being disturbed by visitors William
was in tie longboat Robert had refused
the services Of Harry, pronouncing him
a contemplate little murderer unfit to
oppose men i'll a fair fight
Il watched the boat through; an opera
glass as she grounded upon the beach
and two men We're left in charge of her.
ms reduced the strength OF the COM
mander's little company, but of course
1t was necessary that the boat should be
watched. Likewise there was the chance
OF her being seized by the three men
rushing down upon her. But that was
risk not to be seriously apprehended.
What use could they make of her: The
briggs boat would fetch Rober, and his
! party, who would Immediately give
chase to the robbers. l should add that
the boat was without mast or sail, TO,
these things the commander did not re
quire to so ashore with.
well. watched Robert and his 81,
men march along the white sand. Rob
ert trudged with cutlass in his grasp
The others were armed with the like
weapons as we'll as muskets and pistols
and they entered q little valley, or, as
might say, sort of hollow in the Woo
| eh"t was Wy tuISh uDUu ILLS part o.
the island, and disappeared.
, ''Then for two hours we could get NJ
news either by eye or ear. Impatienc,
became torment. longed and We
dreaded to hear the cracking of fire
arms that l might Know matters had
been brought 10 head. At abou.
O'Clock. feeling a little faint, went
into the cuddy to get some wine ant
cake. When got back to the poop,
saw a dark line on the beach, and whe,
; looked through the glass I counted ,
i procession Of ten men. My heart beat $,
hard that could scarcely see Howevel
l was not mistaken. l looked again
u They were ten iuen and l distinguished
Robert, but not the rest, as they trrdges
to the boat.
Forgetting myself I shrieked in m,
excitement to Mr.. Matthews. who wa
! busy with some shipboard work:
They have got the menl'
Then, says he, they'll have 60
the gold. striking his leg hard in ,
manner of marveling.
r when the boat drew close 1 saw
o Cavendish, johnson and Burn anon,