Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-19

and, with one good heave, tumbled him
overheard. lie went in with a sounding
plunge, the red cap came off and re-
NAMED floating on the surface, and as
soon as the splash subsidized could see
him and Israel lying side by side, both
wavering with the tremulous movement
of the water. O'Brien, though still
quite young man, was very bald.
There he lay, with that bald head
across the knees of The man who had
killed him and the quick fishes steering
to and fro over both.
was now alone upon the ship; the
tide had just turned. The sun was
within so few degrees of setting that
already the shadow of the pines upon
the western shore began to reach right
across the anchorage and fall in pat
terms on the deck. The evening breeze
had sprung up, and though it was well
warded off by the hill with the two
peaks upon the east, the cordage had be-
gun to sing little softly to itself and
the idle sails to rattle to and fro.
began to see danger to the ship.
The jibs speedily doused and brought
tumbling to the deck; but the mainsail
was harder matter. OF course, when
the schooner canted over the boom had
swung cupboard and the cap of it and
foot or two of sail hung even under
water. / thought this made it still more
dangerous; yet the strain was so heavy
that / half feared to NEEDLE. At last
got my knife and cut the halyardy.
The peak dropped instantly, great
belly of loose canvas tloated broad upon
the water. and since, pull as liked, 1
could not bulge the downhaul, that
was the extent of what could accom-
plish. For the rest, the "Hispaniola"
must trust to luck, like myself.
By this time the whole anchorage had
fallen into shadow-the last rays, 1 re-
member, falling through glade of the
wood and shining, bright as jewels, on
the fowery mantle of the wreck. 1t
began to be chill, the tide was rapidly
fleeing seward, the schooner settling
more and more on her beam-ends.
I scrambled forward and looked over.
1t seemed shallow enough and, holding
the cut hawser in both hands for last
security, let myself drop softly over
board. The water scarcely reached my
waist, the sand was firm and covered
with ripple marks, and waded ashore
in great spirits, leaving the 'Hispani-
ola" on her side, with her mainsail trail
ing wide upon the surface Of the bay.
About the same time the sun went fair
ly down and the breeze whistled low in
the dusk among the tossing pines.
| AT least, and at last, 1 was off the
sea, nor had / returned thence empty
handed. There lay the schooner, clear
at last from buccaneers and ready for
our own men to board and get to sea
again. had nothing nearer my fancy
than to get home to the stockade and
boast of my achievements. Possibly I
might be blamed a bit for my truantry,
but the recapture of the "Hispaniola"
was clinching answer, and hoped
that even Capt. Smollett would con-
fess had not lost my time.
So thinking, and in famous spirits, /
began to set my face homsward for the
block-house and my companions. Ire
| membered that the most easterly of the
rivers which drain into Capt. Kidd's
anchorage ran from the two-peaked hill
upon my left, and I bent my course
in that direction that might pass the
stream while it was small. The wood
was pretty open, and, keeping along
the lower spurs, I soon turned the cor
ner of that hill, and not long after
waded to the mid-calf across the water
course.
Il &c hrn 1rrt,f ffNx yHoys
countered Ben Gum, the maroon, and
walked more circumspectly, keeping
IN eye on every side. The dusk had
come nigh hand completely, and, as
opened out the cleft between the two
peaks, 1 became aware of waver-
ing glow against the sky, where, as /
1 judged, the man of the island was cook
ing his supper before roaring fire.
And yet 1 wondered, in my heart, that
he should show himself 80 careless.
For If could see this radiance, might
it not reach the eye Of Silver himself
where he camped upon the shore
among the marshes?
| Gradually the night fell blacker; ii
was all could do to guide my.
self even roughly toward my des.
tination; the double hill behind me
and the spy-glass on my right
hand doomed faint and fainter;
the stars were few and pale; and in
the, low ground where 1 wandered ]
kept tripping among the bushes and
rolling into sandy pits.
| Suddenly a kind Of brightness fell
about me. I looked up; pale glim.
mer of moonbeams had alighted on the
summit OF the Spy-glass, and soon aft
err saw something broad and silvery
moving low down behind the trees
and knew the moon had risen.
With this to help me passed rapid
ly over what remained to me of my
journey; and, sometimes walking
sometimes running. impatiently drew
near to the stockade. Yet, as begar
to thread the grove that lies before it
was not SO thoughtless but that
Stacked my pace and went trifie war
lily. 1t would have been poor end t.
my adventures to get shot down by
my own party in mistake.
The moon was climbing higher ani
higher; its light began to fall here ant
there in masses through the NOR
open districts of the wood, and right il
front Of me a glow of different colo
appeared among the trees. 1t was ret
and hot, and now and again it WAS .
little darkened-as it were the ember
Of bonfire smoldering.
For the life of me could not thin