Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-07-22

gether told poor tale OF the lsland. II
was plainly damp, feverish. unhealthy
spot.
Keep indoors, men," said the cap
tain. Ten to one this is trick"
Then he hailed the buccaneer.
''Who goes? Stand or we fire."
Flag of truce" cried Silver.
The captain was in the porch. keep
ing himself carefully out of the way of
a treacherous shot should any be in
tended. He turned and spoke to lis.
Doctors watch on the lookout. DR..
Livesey, take the north side, if you
please; Jim, the east. Gray the west.
The watch below. all hands to load mus
kets. Lively, men. and careful"
And then he turned again to the mu-
tineers.
''And what do you want with your
flag of truce?" he cried.
This time it was the other man who
replied.
'Cap'n Silver, sir, to come on board
and make TERMS" he shouted.
"Cap'n Silver! Don't know him.
Who's he?" cried the captain. And we
could hear him adding to himself:
"Cap'n, is it? My heart, and here's
promotion!"
Long John answered for himself.
"Me, sir. These poor lads have
chosen me cap'n, after your desertion,
sir"-laying particular stress upon the
word 'desertion." Were willing to
submit, if we can come to terms, and no
bones about it. All ask is your word.
Cap'n Smollett, to let me safe and sound
| out of this here stockade, and one
minute to get out O. shot before gun
is fred"
MY man." said Capt. s1nollett, 81
| have not the slightest desire to talk to
you. If you wish to talk to me, you can
come, that's all. If there's any treach-
cry, it'll be on your side, and the Lord
help you"
That's enough, cap'n," shouted Long
John, cheerily. "A word from you's
enough. know gentleman, and you
may lay to that"
We could see the man who carried the
flag of truce attempting to hold Sill
yer back, nor was that wonderful, see
ing how cavalier had been the cap
tain's answer. But Silver laughed at
him aloud, and slapped him on the
back, as if the idea of alarm had been
absurd. Then he advanced to the
stockade, threw over his crutch. got a
leg up, and with great vigor and skill,
succeeded in surrounding the fence
and dropping safely to the other side.
will confess that was far too much
taken up with what was going on to
| be of the slightest use as sentry; in
deed. had already deserted my eastern
loophole and crept up behind the cap
| tain, who had now seated himself on the
threshold, with his elbows on his knees,
| his head in his hands, and his eyes fixed
| on the water as it dubbed out of the
old iron kettle in the sand. He was
whistling to himself: Come, Lasses
| and Lads
Silver had terrible hard work get
ting up the knoll. With the steepness
of the incline, the thick tree stumps.
and the soft sand, he and his crutch
were as helpless as ship in stays. But
he stuck to it like a man in silence, and
at last arrived before the captain, whom
he saluted in the handsomest style.
He was tricked out in his best; an i'm
tons, hung as low as to his knees, and
a fine laced hat was set on the back OF
his head.
Here you are, my man." said the
captain, raising his head. you had
better sit down."
"You amt a.going to let me inside,
cap'n. It's main cold morning, to be
I sure, sir, to sit outside upon the sand"
"Why, Silver" said the captain, If
you had pleased to be an honest man
you might have been sitting in your
galley. It's your own doing. You're
either my ships cook-and then you
were treated handsome--or Cap'n Sill
yer, a common mutincer and pirate,
and then you can go hang!"
"Well, well, capn," returned the sea-
cook, sitting down as he was hidden on
the sand, you'll have to give me hand
up again, that's all. A sweet. pretty
place you have of it here. All, there's
Jim. The top of the morning to you,
Jim. Doctor here's my service. Why.
there you all are together like happy
family, in manner of speaking"
IF you have anything to say, my
man, better say it," said the captain.
Fright you are, Cap'n Smollett," re-
piled Silver. 'Dooty is dooty, to be
sure. Well, now, you look here, that
was good lay of yours last night. l
don't deny it was a good lay. Some of
you pretty handy with hand-spike
end. And I'll not deny either, but what
some of my people was shook-maybe
all was shook; maybe was shook my
self; maybe that's why I'm here for
! terms. But you mark me, cap'n, it
won't do twice, by thunder! Well have
to do sentry go, and ease off point or
so on the rum. Maybe you think we
were all sheet in the winds eye. But
III tell you was sober; l was on'y dog
tired; and if I'd awoke a second sooner
I'd a caught you at the act, would.
He wasn't dead when I got round to
him, not he.''
"Well?" says Capt. smollett, as cool
as can be.
| All that Silver said was a riddle to
him, but you would never have guessed
| it from his tone. AS for me, began to
have an inkling. Ben Gums last words
came back to my mind. I began to
suppose that he had paid the buccan-
GERS a visit while they all lay drunk
together around their fire, and reck-
oned up with glee that we had only
ii enemies to deal with.
(To BE Continued