Willmar tribune., 1898-06-07
CHAPTER XXI.
THE TREASURE HUNT FLINTS
POINTER.

it; and you and me must stick close,
back to back like, and We'll save our
necks in spite O. fate and fortune"
Just then a man hailed us from the
fire that breakfast was ready. and we
were soon seated here and there about
the sand over biscuit and fried junk.
They had lighted a fire fit to roast an
OK; and it was now grown so hot that
they could only approach it from the
windward, and even there not without
precaution. In the same wasteful spir-
it, they had cooked, suppose, three
times more than we could eat; and one
of them, with an empty laugh, threw
what was left into the fire, which blazed
and roared again over this unusual fuel.
I never in my life saw men so careless
of the morrow; hand to mouth is the
only word that can describe their way
of doing; and what with wasted food
and sleeping sentries, though they were
bold enough for brush and be done
with it, I could see their entire unfitness
for anything like a prolonged cam
paign.
Even Silver, eating away, with Capt.
Flint upon his shoulder, had not word
of blame for their recklessness. And
this the more surprised me, for ]
thought he had never shown himself
so cunning. as he did then.
cay, mates" said he, cts lucky you
have Barbecue to think for you with
this here head. got what I wanted, I
did. Sure enough, they have the ship.
Where they have it, don't know yet;
but once we hit the treasure, We'll have
to jump about and find out. And then,
mates, US that has the boats, reckon,
has the upper hand"
Thus he kept running on, with his
mouth full of the hot bacon; thus he
restored their hopeand confidence, and,
I more than suspect, repaired his own
at the same time.
GAS for hostage" he continued,
'that's his last talk, guess, with them
he loves SO dear. I've got my piece O.
news, and thanky to him for that; but
it's over and done. I'll take him in a
line when we go treasure-huntin ting, for
We'll keep him like so much gold, in
case of accidents, you mark, and in the
meantime, once we got the ship and
treasure both, and off to sea like jolly
companions, why, then We'll talk Mr..
Hawkins over, we will, and We'll give
him his share, to be sure, for all his
kindness"
1t was no wonder the men were in
good humor now. For my part, I was
horribly cast down. Should the scheme
he had now sketched prove feasible, Sill
yer, already doubly a traitor, would not
hesitate to adopt it. He had still foot
in either camp, and there was no doubt
he would prefer wealth and freedom
with the pirates to bare escape from
hanging, which was the best he had to
hope on our side.
Nay, and even if things so fell out
that he was forced to keep his faith
with DR.. Livesey, even then what dam
ger lay before us! What a moment that
would be when thesuspicions of his fol-
lowers turned to certainty, and he and
I should have to fight for dear life
he, cripple, and I, boy-against five
strong and active seamen!
Add to this double apprehension, the
mystery that still hung over the be-
havior of my friends; their unexplained
desertion of the stockade; their mex
plicable cession of the chart; or, harder
still to understand, the doctors last
warning to Silver: "Look out for
squalls when you find it," and you will
readily believe how little taste I found
in my breakfast, and with how uneasy
heart set forth behind my captors
on the quest for treasure.
We made curious figure had
anyone been there to see us; all in
soiled sailor clothes, and all but me
armed to the teeth. Silver had two
guns slung about him, one before and
one behind-besides the great cutlass
at his waist, and pistol in each pock-
ct of his square-tailed coat. To complete
his strange appearance, Capt Flint sat
perched upon his shoulder and gabbled
odds and ends of purposeless sea-talk.
I had line about my waist, and fol-
lowed obediently after the sea-cook,
who held the loose end of the rope, now
in his free hand, now between his pow
erful teeth. For all the world I was led
like dancing bear.
The other men were variously bur-
dened. some carrying picks and shov-
els-for that had been the very first
necessary they brought ashore from
the. "Hispaniola'-others laden with
pork. bread and brandy for the midday
meal. All the stores, observed, came
from our stock; and I could see the
truth of Silver's words the night before.
Had he not struck a bargain with the
doctor he and his mutineers, deserted
by the ship, must have been driven to-
subsist on clear water, and the proceeds
of their hunting. Water would have
been little to their taste; a sailor is not
usually "a good shot; and, besides all
that, when they were SO shortsof eat
ables, it was not likely they would be
very flush of powde er. .}5s. =ss.. s5:=
Well, thus equipped we all set out out 5
!. even e the fellow with the broken head,
who should 5certainly u have kent II, shaf1-