The Irish standard., 1897-11-13

solid In his whole accoutrement.
"Three years!" I cried. "Were you
shipwrecked?"
may, mate" said he-"marooned."
had heard the word, and l knew It
stood for horrible kind of punish
ment common enough among the buc-
cancers, in which the offender is put
ashore with little powder and shot,
and left behind on some desolate and
distant island.
"Marooned three years agone," he
continued. land lived on goats since
then, and berries, and oysters. Wher-
ever man is, says l. a man can do for
himself. But, mate. my heart is sore
for Christian diet. You mightn't hap
pen to have piece Of cheese about you,
now? No? Well, many's the long
night I've dreamed of cheese-toasted,
were"
"If ever can get aboard again." said
]. "you shall have cheese by the stone."
All this time he had been feeling the
stuff ofmy jacket, smoothing my hands,
looking at my boots, and generally, in
the intervals Of his speech, showing a
childish pleasure in the presence of a
fellow creature. But at my last words
he perked up into kind of startled SLY.
ness.
IF you ever get aboard again. says
you?" he repeated. "Why. now, who's
to hinder you?"
"Not you, know" was my reply.
sand right you was" he cried. "Now
you-what do you call yourself, mate?"
"Jim," told him.
'Jin,, JIM" says he, quite pleased, up
pareptly. well, now. Jim. I've lived
that rough as you'd be ashamed to
hear of. Now, for instance, you
wouldn't think had pious mother
TO look at me?" lie asked.
"Why, no, not in particular" an.
swercd.
"Ah. WE'LL" said he, but had-re.
markably pious. Aud l was civil,
pious boy. and could rattle off my cate.
chism thnt fast, rs you couldn't tell
one word from another. And here's
what it come to, Jim. and it begun with
chuck-farthen on the blessed grave
stones! That's what it begun with,
but it went further'n that; and 80 my
mother told me, and predicked the
whole, she did. the pious woman. But
1t were Providence that put me here.
I've thought it all out in this here lone
ly island. and I'm back on picty. You
can't catch me tasting rum SO much;
but just a thimbleful for luck, If
course, the first chance have. I'm
bound III be good, and see the way to.
And, Jim" looking all around him,
and lowering his voice to whisper
I'm rich"
/ now felt sure that the poor fellow
had gone crazy in his solitude, and
suppose 1 must have shown the feeling
in my face, for he repeated the
statement, hotly:
erich! rich! says. And I'll tell
you what; I'll make a man of you, Jim.
All. Jim, you'll bless your stars, you
will, you was the first thut found
met"
And at this there came suddenly low
ering shadow over his face. and he
frightened his grasp upon my hand. and
raised n forefinger threateningly be.
fore my eyes.
"Now, Jim, you tell Inc true; that
nin't Flint's ship?" he asked.
AT this lud n happy inspiration. ]
began to believe that had found an
ally. and answered him at once.
Its not Flint's ship, and Flint is
dead; but I'll tell you true, as you ask
me-thcrc are some of Fnnts hands
aboard; worse luck for the rest of
U.S."
Not a man-with one-leg?" he
gasped.
"Silver?" asked.
"Ah, Silver!" says he; that were his
name"
lies the cook; and the ringleader,
too"
He was still holding me by the wrist,
and Mt that he gave it n quiet wiring.
"If you was sent by Long john" he
said, I'm as good as pork, and l know
it. But where was you, do you sup
pose"
l had made my mind up in moment,
and by way of answer told him the
whole story of our voyage, and the pre-
dicament in which we found ourselves.
lie heard me with the keenest interest,
ind when had done he patted me on
the head.
you're a good lad. Jim," he said;
"nnd you're all in n Glove hitch, amt
you? Well, you just put your trust in
Ben Gunn--Ben Gums the man to do
It. Would you think 1t likely, now,
that your squire would prove liberal
minded one In case Of help-him being
in Glove hitch, as you remark?"
told him the squire was the most lib
eral OF men.
"Ah, but you sec," returned Ben
Gum, II didn't mean giving me q gate
to keep, aud suit Of livery clothes,
and such; that's not my mark. Jim.
What mean Is, would he be likely to
como down to the toon of. say $1,000
out Of money that's as good as mans
own already?"
II am sure he would" said I. "As 1t
was, all hands were to share"
"And a passage home?" he added,
with look Of great shrewdness.
why" I cried, "the squirrels q gen.
tleman. And. besides. If we got rid Of
the others, We should want you to help