Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-07-21

PART II.
I AN I IT.
THE SEA COOK.
CHAPTER VII.
GO TO BRISTOL.

1t was longer than the squire i'm
sgined ere we were ready for the sea,
and none of our first plans-not even
DIR. Livesey's, of keeping me beside him
could be carried out as we intended.
The doctor had to go to London for
physician to take charge of his prac-
tice; the squire was hard at work at
Bristol; and | lived on at the Hall un-
der the charge of old Redruth, the
gamekeeper, almost a prisoner but full
of sea dreams and the most charming
Rnticipations of strange islands and adj
ventures. | 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, /
approached that island in my fancy,
from every possible direction; / eX-
plored every acre of its surface; |
climbed 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 a letter addressed to DR..
Livescy, with this addition: "To be
opened in the case of his absence by
Tom Redruth, or young Hawkins" "
Obeying this order we found or rather
/ found-for the gamekeeper was a
poor hand at reading anything but
print-the following important news:
"Old Anchor Inn, Bristol, March !, IL.
Dear Livesey: AS | do not know wheth-
er you are at the Hall or still in London, 1
send this in double to both places.
THE ship Is bought and fitted. She lies
at anchor, ready for sea. You never i'm
aglned a sweeter schooner-a child might
sail her-two hundred tons; name, His
paniola.'
II got her through my old friend, Bland
fy. who has proved himself throughout the
most surprising trump. The admirable
fellow literally slaved in my interest, and
so, l may say, did every one in Bristol, as
soon as they got wind of the port we sailed
for-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. "a pretty
rum go if squire amt to talk for DR..
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 trfe There is a
class of men in Bristol monstrously preju-
diced against Blandly. They go the length
OF declaring that this honest creature
would do anything for money, that the
lHispaniola' belonged to him and that he
sold 1t me absurdly hlgh-the most trans
parent calumnies. None of them dare
however, to deny the merits cf :he ship.
80 far there was not hitch The work
people to be sure-riggerS ri what not
were most annoytngly slow; but time cured
that. 1t was the crew that troubled me.
II wished a round score of men--in case
of natives buccaneers, or the odious
French-and l had the worry of the deuce
itself to find SO much as half dozen, til
the most remarkable stroke of fortune
brought me the very man that l required.
II was standing on the dock, when, by
the merest accident, l fell In talk with him
! found he was an old sailor, kept public
house, knew all the Seafarng 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
IT 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
aleg; but that | regarded a recommenda
ton, since he lost it in his country's serv.
ice. under the immortal Hawke. He has ne
pension, Livesey. Imagine the abomin
able age we live in!
well. sir / thought had only found g
cook, but it was crew | had discovered
Between Silver and myself we got to-
gether In few days a company of the
toughest old salts imaginable-not pretty
to look at, but fellows, by their faces, of the
most indomitable spirit. declare we coulC
Eight a frigate.
Long John even got rid of two out Of the
BLK or seven | had already engaged. H
showed me in a moment than they wer
Just the sort of fresh-water swabs we hat
to fear in an adventure of portance
Il am In the most magnificent health anC
spirits. eating like bull sleeping like
tree. yet / shall not enjoy a moment till
hear my old tarpaulins trampng round tn,
capstan. Seaward no! Hang the treasure
It's the glory of the that has turned
my head. So now, Livesey, come post; dt
not lose an hour, If you respect me.
Let young Hawkins go at once to Sc,
his mother, with Redruth for a guard anC
then both come full speed to Bristol.
JOHN TRELAWNEY.
"P. 81 did not tell you that Blandly
who, by the way, is to send a consort afte
us IL we don't turn up by the end of Au
gust, had found an admirable fellow 70
sailing stiff man, which / regret
but in all other respects, treasure. Lon
John Silver unearthed very competen
man for a mate, a man named Arrow.
have a boatSWan who pipes, Livesey; =
things shah go man-o'-war fashion o.
board the good ship Hispaniola.'
81 forgot to tell you that Silver is ma
of substance; ! know Of my own knowledg