Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-02-03

In the second place, the ebb was now
making-a strong ripping current run
ming westward through the basin, and
then southland and seaward down the
straits by which we had entered in the
morning. Even the ripples were a dan
per to our overloaded craft; but the
worst of it was that we were swept out
of our true course, and away from our
proper landing-place behind the point.
If we let the current have its way we
should come ashore beside the gigs,
where the pirates might appear at any
moment.
II cannot keep her head for the
stockade, SIR said to the captain. l
was steering, while he and Redruth,
two fresh men, were at the oars. The
tide keeps washing her down. Could
you pull little stronger"
"Not without swamping the boat"
said he. "You must bear up, sir, If you
please-bear up until you see you're
gaining"
1 tried, and found by experiment that
the tide kept sweeping us westward un-
til I had laid her head due east, or just
about right angles to the way we ought
to go.
We'll never get ashore at this rate" "
said I.
"If it's the only course that we can
lie, sir, we must even lie it," returned
the captain. eve must keep upstream.
You see, sir" he went on, ''if once we
dropped to leeward of the landing
place, it's hard to say where we should
get ashore, besides the chance of be-
ing boarded by the gigs; whereas, the
way we go the current must slacken,
and then we can dodge back along the
shore"
'"The currents less already, SIR" said
the man Gray, who was sitting in the
fore-sheets; you can ease her off bit"
Thank you, my man." saidI, quite as
If nothing had happened; for we had
all quietly made up our minds to treat
him like one of ourselves
Suddenly the captain spoke up again
and 1 thought his voice was a little
changed.
The gun!" said he.
az have thought of that" said /, for
made sure he was thinking of q bonn
bardment of the fort. 'They could
never get the gun ashore, and if they
did, they could never haul it through
| the woods"
Look astern, DOCTOR" replied the
captain.
We had entirely forgotten the long
nine; and there, to our horror, were the
five rogues busy about her, getting of
| her jacket, as they called the stout
| tarpaulin cover under which shf
sailed. Not only that, but it flashed intC
| my mind at the same moment that the
round shot and the powder for the CUR
had been left behind, and a stroke Will
an az would put 1t all into the posses
sion of the evil ones aboard.
Israel was Flint's gunner" sai(
| Gray, hoarsely.
At any risk, we put the boats heaC
direct for the landing-place. By thi
time we had got SO far out of the rul
of the current that we kept steerag
way even at our necessarily gentle rat
of rowing, and could keep her stead.
for the goal But the worst of it wa
that, with the course 1 now held, w
turned our broadside instead of ou
stern to the "Hispaniola," and offered
target like q barn door.
l could hear, as well as see, tha
brandy-faced rascal, Israel Hands
Pumping down a round-shot on tn
deck.
who's the best shot?' asked tn
captain.
"Air. Trelawney. out and away" sal
|.
'AIr. Trelawney, will you please pic
me Off one Of those men, sir? Hands
if possible" said the captain.
Trelawncy was as cold as steel. II
looked to the priming of his gun.
"Now," cried the captain, "easy wit