The Irish standard., 1897-11-27
CHAPTER XIX.

NARRATIVE RESUMED by JIM 11Aw-
KINs - THE GARRISON AT THE
STOCKADE.
AS soon as Ben Gum saw the colors
he came to a halt, stopped me by the
arm, and sat down.
'Now," suid he. there's your friends,
sure enough"
Ear more likely it's the mutinecrs,"
I answered.
"That!" he cried. "Why, in place
like this, where nobody puts in but
gentlemen of fortune, Silver would
fly the Jolly Roger, you don't make 10
doubt Of that. No; that's your friends.
There's been blows, too, and 1 reckon
your friends has had the best of i'll:
and here they ure ashore In the old
stockade, as WAS made years and years
ago by Flint. All, he was tho man to
have hcadpiecc, was Flint! Barring
rum, his match was never seen. He
were afraid of none; not he; on'y Silver
Silver was that gentcel."
"Wcll," said I, that may be so, and
30 be It; I'LL the more reason that l
should hurry on and join my friends"
NAY, mate" returned Ben, mot you.
You're u good boy, or I'm mistook;
but you're on'y boy, oil told. Now,
Ben Gum is fly. Rum wouldn't bring
me there, where you're going-not
rum wouldn't, till I see your born
gentleman, and gets it OH his word of
honor. And you won't forget my
words: "A precious sight CHATS what
you'll say, "a precious sight more con-
fdence'-and then nips him."
And he pinched me tho third time
with the same mir of clevcrness.
"And when Ben, Gum is wanted,
you know where to find him, Jim. Just
where you found him to-day. And him
that comes is to have IL white thing in
his hand; and he's to come alone. Oh!
and you'll say this: ben Gunn,' says
you, has reasons of his own.'"
"Well," snid 1, Il believe I under
stand. You have something to pro-
pose, and you wish to see the squire or
the doctor; and you're to be found
where found you. Is that ALP"
sand when? says you," he added.
"Why, from about noon observation to
about six BELLS"
"Good," says I, "and now may go?"
"You won't forget?" he inquired
anxiously. precious sight, and reasons
Of his own, says you. Reasons Of his
own; that's the mainstay; as between
man and man. Well, then"-etill hold
ing met reckon you can go, Jim.
And Jim, If you was to see Silver, you
wouldn't go for to sell Ben Gum? Wild
horses wouldn't draw It from you?
No, says you. And If them pirates
came ashore, Jim, what would you say
but there'd be widders in the morn
ing?"
Here lie was interrupted by Il loud re-
port, and cannonball came tearing
through the trees and pitched in tho
sand, not 100 yards from where we two
were talking. Tho next moment each
of us had taken to his heels in n differ
ent direction.
For good hour to come frequent
reports shook the island, and balls kept
crashing through the woods. moved
from hiding-place to hiding-place, al
ways pursued, or SO it seemed to me, by
these terrifying missiles. But toward
the end of the bombardmcnt, though
still burst not venture in the direction
of the stoclade. where the balls fell
oftenest, had begun, in manner, to
pluck up my heart again; and after a
long detour to the east, crept down
among the shore-side trees.
The sun had just set, the sea breeze
was rustling and tumbling in the
woods, and rufIling the gray surface Of
the anchorage; the tide, too, was far
out, and great tracks of sand lay un-
covered; the air, after the heat of the
day. chilled me through my jacket.
The "Hispaniola" still lay where she
had anchored; but, sure enough, there
was the Jolly Roger-the black flag Of
piracy-fying from her peak. Even a.
II looked there came another red lash
and another report. that sent the