Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-03-17

Then you can talk"
"Thanky, George" replied the sen
cook. You always was brisk for busi-
ness, and has the rules by heart, George,
as I'm pleased to see. Well, what is il,
anyway? All! Deposed'-that's it, is
1t? Very pretty wrote, to be sure; like
print. I swear. Your hand O. write,
George? Why, you was gettin' quite a
be cap'n next, shouldn't wonder. just
oblige me with that torch again, will
you? This pipe don't draw"
Come, now" said George, "you don't
fool this crew no more. You're funny
man, by your account; but you're over
now, and you'll maybe step down off
that barrel and help vote"
81 thought you said you knowed the
rules" returned Silver, contemptuous-
ly. "Leastways, il you don't, do, and
I wait here-and I'm still your cap'n,
mindful you outs with your griev-
ances and reply; in the meantime Your
black spot amt worth biscuit. After
that We'll see"
"Oh," replied George, you don't be
under no kind of apprehension; we're
all square, we are. First, you've made
a hash of this cruise-you'll be bold
man to say no to that. Second, you let
the enemy out o this here trap for moth
ing. Why did they want outl Idunno;
but it's pretty plain they wanted 1t.
Third, you wouldn't let us go at them
upon the march. Oh, we see through
you, John Silver; you want to play
booty, that's what's wrong with you.
And then, fourth, there's this here boy
'Is that ALP" asked Silver, quietly.
Enough, too" retorted George.
"We'Il all swing and sun dry for your
bungling."
"Well, now, look here, I'll answer
these four pints; one after another IN
answer 'em. / made a hash o this
cruise, did 1? Well, now, you all know
what 1 wanted; and you all know, If
that had been done, that we'd "a been
aboard the 'Hispaniola' this night as
ever was, every man of us alive, and fit,
and full of good plum-duff, and the
treasure in the hold of her, by thunder!
Well, who crossed me? Who forced my
hand, as with the lawful cap'n? Who
tipped me the black spot the day we
landed and began this dance? Ah, it's
mighty fine dance-Im with you
there-an6 looks mighty like horn
pipe in a ropes end at Execution Dock
by London town, it does. But who done
1t? Why, it was Anderson and Hands,
and you, George Merry! And you're the
last above board of that same meddling
crew; and you have the Davy Jones'
insolence to up and stand for cap'n over
me-you, that sunk the lot of us! BY
the powers! but this tops the stiffest
yarn to nothing"
Silver paused, and could see by the
faces of George and his companions
that these words had not been said In
vain.
That's for number one" cried the
brow, Tor he had been fI''fffithd talking With
vehemence that shook the house.
"Why, give you my word, I'm sick to
speak to you. You've neither sense nor
memory, and leave it to fancy where
your mother was that let you come to
sea. Sea! Gentlemen O. fortune! !
reckon tailors is your trade"
go on, john" said Morgan. Speak
up to the Others"
"Ah, the othersi" returned John.
They're a nice lot, amt they? You say
this cruise Is bungledl All! by gum,
II you could understand how bad It's
bungled, you would seet We're that
near the gibbet that my neck's stiff
with thinking on it. You've seen 'em,
maybe, hanged in chains, birds about
'em, seamen Printing 'em out as they
go down with the tide. Who's that"
says one. That! Why, that's John Sill
yer. L knowed him WELL says another.
And you can hear the chains a-jangle as
you go about and reach for the other
buoy. Now, that's about where we are,
every mothers son of us, thanks to
him and Hands, and Anderson, and
other ruination fools of you. And II you
want to know about number four, and
that boy, why, shiver my timbers! isn't
he hostage? Are we going to waste
a hostage? No, not us; he might
be our last chance, and / shouldn't
wonder. XIII that boy? Not me, mates!
And number three? All, well, there's
deal to say to number three. Maybe
you don't count it nothing to have areal
college doctor come to see you every
day-you, John, with your head broke
or you, George Merry, that had the
ague shakes upon you not six hours
agone, and has your eyes the color OF
lemon peel to this same moment on the
clock? And maybe, perhaps, you didn't
know there was consort coming,
either? But there is, and not so long
till then; and Wen see who'll be glad to
have a hostage when 1t comes to that.
And as for number two, and why ]
made bargain-well, you came crawl
ing on your knees to me to make it-on
your knees you came, you was that
down-hearted-and you'd have starved
too, II I hadn't-but that's trifle! you
look there-that's why!"
And he cast down upon the floor q
paper that instantly yrecognized-none
other than the chart on yellow paper
with three red crosses, that had found
in the oilcloth at the bottom of the cap
tain's chest. Why the doctor had given
it to him was more than could fancy
But If it were inexplicable TO me the
appearance of the chart was incredible
to the surviving mutineers. They
leaped upon 1t like cats upon mouse.
1t went from hand to hand, one tear
ing 1t from another; and by the oaths
and the cries and the childish laughter
with which they accompanied their ex-
animation, you would have thought, not
only they were lingering the very gold,
but were at sea with it, besides, in
safety.
YES" said one, that's Flint, sure
enough j. F., and a score below, with a
Glove hitch to it, so he doneever."
Mighty pretty" said George. 'But
how are we to get away with It, and us
10 ship?"
Silver suddenly sprung up, and sup
porting himself with hand against
the wall: NOW, / give you warning,
George" he cried. "One more word of
your sauce, and I'll call you down and
fight you. How? Wy, how do know?
You had ought TO tell me that-you
and the rest, that lose me my schooner,
with your interference, burn you!
But not you, you can't; you hain't got
the invention of coc,roach. But civil
you can speak, and shall, George Merry.
you may lay to that"
That's fair enow." said the old man
Morgan.
Fair! Ireckon so," said the sea-cook.
you lost the ship; found the treasure.
Who's the better man nt thHt2 And