Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-07-08
returned to the shore and jumped on
hoo thu ;ol11,1,o,%

l found them all shaken, as was nat
ural The squire was sitting down, as
white as a sheet, thinking of the harm
he had led us to, the good soul! and one
OF the six forecastle hands was little
better.
There's man." said Capt. Smollett,
nodding toward him, new to this
work. He came highland fainting,
doctor, when he heard the cry. An
other touch of the rudder and that man
would join u.s."
told my plan to the captain, and be-
tween us we settled on the details of its
accomplishment
We put old Redruth in the gallery
between the cabin and the forecastle,
with three or four loaded muskets and
mattress for protection. Hunter
brought the boat round under the
stern port, and Joyce and set to work
loading her with powder tins. muskets,
bags Of biscuits, kegs Of pork. cask
OF cognac and my invaluable medicine
chest
In the meantime the squire and the
captain stayed on deck, and the latter
hailed the cockswain, who was the
principal man on board.
Mr.. Hands," he said, here are two
OF us wish brace of pistols each. If
any one Of you six make signal of any
description, that mans dead"
They were good deal taken abock;
and after little consultation, one and
all tumbled down the fore companion,
thinking, no doubt, to take us on the
rear. But when they saw Redruth
waiting for them in the spared gal
lery, they went about ship at once, and
a head popped out on deck.
Down, dog!" cries the captain.
And the head popped back again; and
we heard no more, for the time, of these
six very faint-hearted seamen.
By this time. tumbling things in as
they came, we had the jolly boat loaded
as much as we dared. Joyce and l
got out through the stern port and we
made for shore again as fast as our
oars could take US.
This second trip fairly aroused the
watchers along tive shore. 'Lillibul-
lero" was dropped again, and just be-
fore we lost sight nf them behind the
little point one of them whipped
ashore and disappeared. 1 had half a
mind to change my plans and destroy
their boats, but l feared that Silver
and the others might be close at hand.
and all might very we'll be lost by try
ing for too much.
No ho1 %n1,o1o1 1orl e. N
some place before we set the provi-
sion i'll the block house. All three made
the first journey, heavily laden. and
tossed our stores over the palisade.
Then, leaving Joyce to guard them
one man, to be sure, but with half a
dozen muskets-Hunter and l returned
to the jolly-boat, and loaded ourselves
once more. So we proceeded without
pausing to take breath, till the whole
cargo was bestowed, when the two serv.
ants took up their position in the
block-house, and I, with all my power,
sculled back to the Hispaniola.
That we should have risked a second
boat load seems more daring than 1t
really was. They had the advantage
of numbers, of course, but we had the
advantage of arms. Not one of the wen
| ashore had muskct, and before THY
could get within range for pistoi-she.-t-
| ing, we flattered ourselves we coul1 CO
able to give a good account of hail
dozen at least.
The squire was waiting for ns At
the stern window, all his faintness g:Sc
from him. He caught the painter and
made it fast, and we fell to LOADING the
boat for our very lives. Pork, powder
and biscuit was the cargo, with only .
musket and cutlass apiece for squire
and me and Redruth and the captain.
The rest of the arms and powder were
dropped overheard in two fathoms and
a half of water, so that we could see
the bright steel shining far below VI
in the sun, on the clear, sandy bottom
BY this time the tide was beginning
to ebb, and the ship was swinging
around to her anchor. Voices wers
heard hallooing in the direction of tie
two gigs; and though this treasured up
the eastward, it warned our party To
be off.
Redruth rctreated from his plaza in
the gallery and dropped into the boat.
which we had brought round to the
ships counter, to be handler for Capt.
Smollett.
Nov, men," said he, do you bear
mc?"
There was no answer from the 1cre-
castle.
Its to you, Abraham Gray-its to
you l am speaking"
Still no reply. -...
"Gray," resumed Mr.. Smollett, a Httte
louder, 81 am leaving this ship, ard !
order you to follow your captain. I
know you are good man at bottom,
and I dare say not one of the lot d
you's as bad as he makes out. l hare
my watch here in my hand; give you
80 seconds to join me in
There was pause.
"Come, my fine fellow" continued
the captain, don't hang so long In
stays. I'm risking my life, and thc
lives Of these good gentlemen, every
second"
There was sudden scuffle, sound
OF blows, and out burst Abraham GRAY
with knife cut on the side of the cheek
and came running to the captain, ike a
dog to the whistle.
Pm with you, SIR" said he.
And the next moment he and the cap
tain had dropped aboard of us, and we
had showed off and given way.
We were clear out of the ship, but
not yet ashore in our stockade.
fro BE Continued