Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-02-22
honest men aboard depended upon me
CHAPTER XII.

my timber leg. The same broadside I
lost my leg old Pew lost his headlights.
1t was a master surgeon, him that am
pytated me-out of college and all
Latin by the bucket, and what not; but
he was hanged like a dog, and sun
dried like the rest, at Corso castle.
That was Roberts men, that was, and
coined of changing names to their ships
Royal Fortune and SO on. Now,
what ship was christened, so let her
stay, says l. So it was with the Cas-
sandra,' as brought us all safe home
from Malabar, after England took the
'Viceroy of the Indies;' so it was with
the old Walrus, Flint's old ship, as I've
seen amuck with the red blood and fit to
sink with gold"
youngest hand on board, and evidently
full of admiration, she was the flower
of the flock, was Flint"
Davis was man, too, by all ac-
COUNTS" said Silver. 81 never sailed
along Of him; first with England, then
with Flint, that's my story; and now
here on my own account, in manner of
speaking. laid by 900 safe, from Eng
land, and 1000 after Flint. That ain't
bad for man before the mast-all safe
in bank. 'Tain't earning now; it's saw
ing does it, you may lay to that.
Where's all England's men now? L
dunno. Where's Flint's? Why, most
on ems aboard here, and glad to get
the duff-been begging before that,
some on 'em. Old Pew, rs has lost his
sight, and might have thought shame,
spends 1900 year, like a lord in
parliament. Where is he now? Well.
he's dead now, and under matches; but
| for two years before that, SILVER my
timbers! that man was starving. He
begged and he stole, and he cut throats,
and starved at that, by the powers!"
well, it amt much use, after ALL"
said the young seaman.
faint much use for fools, you may
lay to it-that, nor nothing" cried Sill
yer. But now, you look here; you're
young, you are, but you're as smart
aspaint. Isee thatwhen 1 set my eyes on
you, and I'll talk to you like man."
You can imagine how 1 felt when /
heard this abominable old rogue adj
dressing another in the very same
words of fattery he had used to myself
I think, if l had been able, / would
have killed him through the barrel.
Meantime he ran on, little supposing he
he was overheard.
Here it is about gentlemen of for
tune. They lives rough, and they risk
swinging, but they eat and drink like
fighting cocks, and when cruise is
done, why, it's hundreds of pounds in
stead of hundreds of farthings in their
pockets. Now, the most goes for mum
and good fling, and to sea again in
their shirts. But that's not the course
lay. Iputs it away, some here, some
there, and none too much anywheres,
by reason of suspicion. I'm so, mark
you; once back from this cruise, set up
gentleman in earnest. Time enough,
too, say you. All! but I've lived easy
in the meantime; never denied myself
O. nothing heart desires, and slept
soft and cat dainty all my days, but
when at sea. And how did l begin /?
Before the mast like you'll"
"Well," said the other, "but all the
other moneys gone now, amt it? You
daren't show face in Bristol after this.'
why, where might you suppose it
WASP" asked Silver. derisively.
cat Bristol, in banks and places"
answered his companion.
'It were," said the cook; sit were
| when we weighed anchor. But my old
missis has it all by now And the Spy
glass is sold, lease and goodwill and
rigging; and the old girls off to meet
me. l would tell you where, for 1
trust you; but it 'ud make jealousy
among the mates"
"And you can trust your missis ?''
asked the other.
Gentlemen of fortune" returned
the cook, usually trusts little among
themselves, and right they are, you
may lay to it. But have way with
me, have. When mate brings slip
on his cable--one as knows me, mean
1T won't be in the same world with
old John. There was some that was
feared of Pew, and some that was
feared of Flint; but Flint his own self
was feared of me. Feared he was, and
proud. They was the toughest crew
afloat, was Flint's; the devil himself
would have been feared TO go to sea
with them. Well, now, tell you, I'm
not a Boosting man, and you seen
yourself how easy keep company; for
when l was quartermaster, lambs
wasn't the word for Flint's old buc-
cancers. An, you may be sure of your
self in old Johns Ship
well, 1 tell you now," replied the
lad, II didn't half a quarter like the job
till had this talk with you, John; but
there's my hand on it now"
"And a brave lad you We're, and
smart, too" answered Silver, shaking
hands so heartily that all the barrel
shook, "and finer tigure-head for a
gentleman of fortune never clapped
my eyes on"
| BY this time I had begun to under
stand the meaning of their terms. BY
a gentleman of fortune" they plainly
meant neither more nor less than a
common pirate, and the little scene
that l had overheard was the last act
in the corruption of one of the honest
hands-perhaps of the last one left
aboard. But on this pointI was soon
to be relieved, for Silver giving little
whistle, third man strolled up, and
sat down by the party.
Dicks square" said Silver.
ooh, I knowed Dick was square,
returned the voice of the cockswain