Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-06-09
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ROBERT LOUIS STFfnsm SVI
PART II.
THE SEA COOK.
CHAPTER VII.
GO TO BRISTOL.


IGo TO BRISTOL.
1t was longer than the squire i'm
sagined ere we were ready for the sea-
and none of our first plans-not even
DR.. Livesey's, of keeping me beside him
could be carried out as we intended.
The doctor had to go to London for
a physician to take charge of his prac-
tice; the squire was hard at work at
Bristol; and l lived on at the Hall I'M
der the charge of old Redruth, the
gamekeeper, almost prisoner but full
of sea dreams and the most charming
anticipations of strange islands and ad-
ventures. 1 brooded by the hour to-
gether over the map, all the details of
which / well remembered. Sitting by
the fire in the housekeeper's room, L
approached that island in my fancy,
from every possible direction; l eX-
p1ored every acre of it's surface;
climbed a thousand times to that tall
hill they call the Spy-glass, and from
the top enjoyed the most wonderful
and changing prospects. Sometimes
the isle was thick with savages, with
whom we fought; sometimes full of
dangerous animals that hunted us; but
in all my fancies nothing occurred to
me so strange and tragic as our actual
adventures.
So the weeks passed on, till one fine
day there came q letter addressed to DR..
Livesey, with this addition: ITO be.
opened in the case of. his absence by
Tom Redruth, or young Hawkins"
aCbeying this order we found, or rather
I found-for the gamekeeper was a
poor hand at reading anything but
1print-the following important news:
"Ofd Anchor Inn, Bristol, March I, IL.
Dear Livesey: AS 1 do not know wheth-
rer you at the Hall or stin in London.
send this in double to both places.
1.-The ship is bought and fitted. She lies
at anchor, ready for sea. You never i'm
agined a sweeter schooner child might
sail her-two hundred tons: name, His
PAMELA
at got her through my old friend, Bland
i1y, who has proved himself throughout the
smost surprising trump. The admirable
Mellow literally shaved in my interest, and
$50, may say, did every one in Bristol. as
soon as they got wind of the port we sailed
foF-treasure. mean"
"Redruth,'' said /, interrupting the
letter, "Dr. Livesey will not like that.
The squire has been talking after ALL"
well, who's got a better right?"
growled the gamekeeper. ga pretty
Livesey, should think"
At that gave up all attempts at COM
mentary, and read straight on:
.'Blandly himself found the Hispaniola, >
and by the most admirable management
got her for the merest trif1e. There is a
class of men in Bristol monstrously preju-
diced against Blandly. They so the length
of declaring that this honest creature
would do anything for money, that the
-Hispaniola' belonged to him and that he
sold it me absurdly high-the most trans
parent calumnieS. None of them dare,
however, to deny the merits Of the ship.
$50 far there was not q hitch. The work
people to be Sure-riggerS and what not
were most annoytngly slow but time cured
that. 1t was the crew that troubled me-
ST wished round score of men-in case
of natives. buccaneers, or the odious
Greenland I had the worry of the deuce
Stself to find so much as half dozen, till
the most remarkable stroke of fortune
sbrought me the very man that I required.
ct was standing the dock. when, by
the merest accident, fell in talk with him.
I found he was an old sailor, kept public
house, knew all the seafaring men in Bris-
tol, had lost his health ashore, and want
ed good berth as cook 20 get to sea again.
He had hobbled down there that morning.
he said. to get a smell of the salt.
II was monstrously touched-so would
you have been-and, out of pure pity, en-
gagged him on the spot to be ships cook.
Long John Silver. he is called. and has los.
afegs but that 1 regarded as q recommends
Stion, since he lost it in his country's serv-
ice, under the immortal Hawke. He has nc
pension, Livesey. Imagine the abomin-
able age we live in!
Well, sir, thought had only found a
cook. but 1t was a crew had discovered
Between Silver and myself we got to-
gether in a few days company of the
toughest old salts imaginable-not pretty
to look at. but fellows. by their faces. of the
most indomitable spirit. declare we could
fight frigate.
Long John even got rid of two out of the
six or seven I had already engaged Ht
showed me in a moment that they were
Just the sort Of fresh-water swabs we hat
TO fear in an adventure of Importance.
81 am in the most magnificent health and
spirits. eating like bull. sleeping like
Ehear my old tarpauiins tranping round the
scapstan. Seward hot Hang the treasure
nt.s the glory of the sea that has turned
my head. So now. Livesey, come post; d.
not lose an hour. IL you respect me.
Let young Hawkins go at once to SCI
his mother. with Redruth for guard; ant
then both come full speed to Bristol.
JOHN TRELAWNEY.
s'P. ST. did not tell you that Blandly
who. by the way, is to send a consort afte
fus If we don't turn up by the end of Au
gust, had found an admirable fellow 70
5saiIing-naster-a stin man. which regret
John Silver unearthed very competen
iznan for q mate, man named Arrow.
nave a boatswain who pipes. Livesey: s.
things shall go man-os-war fashion o.
board the good ship sHispaniola-.
Il forgot to tell you that Silver is q maj
zaf substance know OF my own know1edg