The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-01-29
CHAPTER NNXI1.


Partly from the dumping influence
OF this alarm, partly to rest Silver and
the sick folk, the whole party sat down
as soon us they had gained the brow of
the ascent.
The plateau being somewhat tilted
toward the west, this spot on which
we had paused commanded q wide pros
pect on either hand. Before US, over
the tree-tors, we beheld the Cape of tho
Woods fringed with surf; behind, we
not only looked down upon the anchor
age and Skeleton island, but saw-clear
across the spit and the eastern low
1ands-a great field of open sea upon
the east. Sheer above us rose the Spy
glass, here dotted with single pines, there
black with precipices. There was no
sound but that Of the distant breakers,
mounting from all round, and the chirp
of countless insects in the brush Not
a man, not sail upon the sea; the very
largeness OF the view increased the
sense of solitude.
Silver, as he sat, took certain bear
ings with his compass.
''There are three tall trees,'" said
he, "about in the right line from Skcle-
ton island. 'Spy-glass shoulder take
it, means that lower pint there. It's
child's play to find the stuff now. I've
half mind to dine first"
II don't feel sharp" growled Morgan.
'Thinkin' O. Flint think it were-'as
done me-"
"Ah, well, my son, you praise your
efars he's dead c,iI Silver.
"He was an ugly devil" cried third
pirate, with shuddcr; "that blue in the
face, tool"
''That was how the rum took him."
added Merry. blue! well, reckon he
was blue. That's u true word"
Ever since they had found the skele-
ton and got upon this train of thought
they had spoken lower and lower, and
they had almost got to whispering by
now, SO that the sound of their talk
hardly interrupted the silence of the
wood. All of sudden, out Of the mid
die of the trees in front of us, thin,
well-known air and words:
"Fifteen men on the dead mans chest
Yo-ho-ho. and a bottle of rum!'
1y affected than the pirates. The color
went from their six faces like enchant-
ment; some leaped to their feet, some
clawed hold of others; Morgan groveled
on the ground.
cts Flint, by y" cried Merry.
The song had stopped as suddenly as
it began-broken off, you would have
said, in the middle of a note, as though
some one had laid his hand upon the
singers mouth. Coming so far through
the clear, sunny atmosphere among tho
green trec-tops, thought it had sound
ed airily and sweetly, and the effect on
my companions was the stranger.
Come" said Silver, struggling with
his ashen lips to get the word out, that
won't do. Stand by to go about. This
is rum start, and I can't name the
voice, but it's some one skylarking-
some one that's flesh and blood, and
you may lay to that"
His courage had come back as he
spoke, and some of the color to his face
along with it. Already the others had
begun to lend an ear to this encourage
ment, and were coming little to them
again-not this time singing, but in a
faint, distant hail, that echoed yet
fainter among the clefts OF the Spy
glass.
"Darby M'Graw," it wailed--for that
is the word that best describes the
sound - DARBY M'Graw! Darby
MGraw!" again and again and again.
and then rising a little higher, and with
an oath that leave out: Fetch aft the
rum, Darby!"
The buccaneers remained rooted to
the ground, their eyes starting from
their heads. Long after the voice had
died away they still stared in silence,
dreadfully, before them.
''That fixes it," gasped one. "Let's
co."
"They was his last words" moaned
Morgan; CHS last words above-board."
Dick had his Bible out and was pray
ing yolubly. He had been well brought
UP, had Dick. before he came to sea
and fell among bad companions.
Still, Silver was unconquered. Icou1d
hear his teeth rattle in his head; but he
had not yet surrendered.
>>OOody III tAlo AcIC lsldHu ever
heard of Darby" he 1nuttered; mot one
but us that's here" And then, making
a great effort: "Shipmates," he cried,
"Tm here to get that stuff, and I'll not
he beat by man nor devil. l never was
feared of Flint in his life, and, by the
powers, I'll face him dead. There's
e 100000 not quarter of a mile from
here. When did ever gentleman O.
fortune show his stern to that much
dollars, for booty old seaman with a
blue mug-and him dead, too2"
But there was no sign of reawakening
courage in his followers; rather, in
deed, of growing terror at the irrever-
ence of his words.
"Belay there, John!" said Merry.
"Don't you cross sperrit."
And the rest were all too terrified to
reply. They would have run away
eeverally had they dared, but fear kept
them together, and KEEP: them close by
John. as if his daring helped them.
He, on his part, had pretty well fought
lis weakness down.
"Sperrit? Well, maybe" he said.
"But there's one thing not clear to me.
There was an echo. Now, no man ever
seen a sperrit with shadow; well,
then, what's he doing with an echo to
him, should like to know? That amt
in natur', surely?"
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