The Irish standard., 1898-01-08

Ill gentlemen of fortune, by your ac-
count. Well, I'm ready. Take Il cut
lass him that tlarcs, and I'll see the
color of his inside, crutch and ali, be-
fore that pipes empty"
Not man stirred; not man au-
swcrcd.
That's your sort. is it?' he added,
returning his pipe to his mouth. We'll,
you're gay lot to look at, anyway.
Not much worth to fight, you amt.
Pr'aps you can understand King
Georges English. I'm cap'n here by
lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm
the best man by IL long sca-mic. You
won't fight, MS gentlemen o. fortune
should; then, by thunder, you'll obey,
and you may lay to it! l like that boy,
now; and Inevcr seen Il better boy than
that. Hes more of n man than any
pair Of rats Of you in this here house,
and what say is this: Let me see him
ns'll lay Il hand on him-that's what I
say, and you may lay to it,"
There was a long pause after this.
I stood straight up against the wall,
my heart still going like a slcdgc-ham-
mer, but with a ray Of hope now shin
ing in my bosom. Silver leaned back
against the wall, his arms crossed, his
pipe in the corner OF his mouth, as calm
us though he had been in church; yet his
eye kept wandering furtivcly, and he
kept the tail of it on his unruly fol-
lowers. They on their part drew grad
ually together toward the far end of the
blocll-housc, and the low hiss Of their
whispering sounded in my ears contin-
uously, like n stream. One after an
other they would look up, the red
light of the torch would fall for sec
ond on their nervous faces; but it was
not toward me, it was toward Silver
they turned their eyes.
You seem to have lot to say re-
marked Silver, splitting far into the
mir. Pipe up aud let me hear 1t, or
lay to-"
AK your pardon, sir" said one Of
the men, you're pretty free with some
Of the rules; maybe you'll kindly keep
IN eye upon the rest This crews dis
satisfied; this crew don't vally bully
ing marlinspike; this crew has its
rights like other crews, Ill make so free
as that; and by your own rules, 1 take
it we can talk together. az your
pardon, sir, acknowledging you for to
be captng at this present; but claim
my right. and steps outside for Il coun-
cil.'
And with an elaborate sca-salute, this
fellow, long, ill-looking, ycllow-eyed
man of tive-and-thirty, stepped coolly
toward the door and disappeared out
of the house. One after another the
rest followed his example; each maxi
ing a salute as he passed; each adding
some apology. According to the rules"
Eaid one. "Fo'k's'lc council" said Nor
gan. And SO, with one remark or an
other, all marched out, and left Silver
and me alone with the torch.
The sea-cook instantly removed his
pipe.
"Now, look here, Jim Hawkins" no
said, in a steady whisper, that was no
more than audible, you're within half
plank of death, and what's long
sight worse, of torture. They're going
to throw me off. But you mark,
stand by you through thick and thin.
didn't mean to; no, not till you spoke
up. Twas about desperate to lose that
much blunt, and be hanged into the
bargain. But see you was the right
sort. I says to myself: You stand by
Hawkins, John. and Hawkins'll stand
by you. You're his last card, and by 4
tho living thunder, John, he's yours!
Back to back, says I. You save your
witness, and he'll save your neck!"
began dimly to understand.
"You mean all is lost?" asked.
"Ay, by gum, dol" he answered. ]
"Ship gone, neck gone-that's the size
pf It. Once looked Into that bay, Jim