Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-02-15
PART q
THE SEA COOK.
CHAPTER VII.
co TO BRISTOL.

CHAPTER VII.
IGO TO BRISTOL.
1t was longer than the squire inn
agined 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
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 a prisoner but full
of sea dreams and the most charming
anticipa tions of strange islands and adj
ventures. | brooded by the hour to-
gether over the map, all the details of
which l well remembered. Sitting by
the fire in the houselleeper's room,
approached that island in my fancy,
from every possible direction; 1 eN-
plored every acre of it's surface; 1
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 letter addressed to DR..
Livesey, with this addition: ITO be
opened in the case of his absence by
Tom Redruth, or young Hawkins. :"
Obeying this order we found, or rather
l found-for the gamekeeper was a
poor hand at reading anything but
print-the following important news:
"old Anchor Inn. Bristol. March 1. II.
Dear Livesey: AS do not know wheth-
er you are at the Hall or still in London.
send this in double to both places
The ship Is bought and fitted. She lies
at anchor, ready for sea You never i'm
agined sweeter schooner-a child might
sail her-two hundred tons; name. His
PAMELA
II got her through my old friend, Bland
~, who has proved himself throughout the
most surprising trump. The admirable
fellow literally shaved in my interest, and
so. may say, did every one in Bristol, s
soon as they got wind of the port we sailed
1oT-treaSure, mean.
"Redruth," said l, interruptine the
letter, "Dr. Livesey will not like that.
The squire has been talking after ALL"
well, who's got better right?'
growled the gamekeeper. "A pretty
rum go if squire amt to talk for Dr..
Livesey, l should think"
AT that gave up all attempts at com
mentary, and read straight on:
'Blandly himself found the Hispa niola,
and by the most admira BILE mana cement
got her for the merest trine. There is a
class of men in Bristol monstrously preju-
diced against Blandiy. They go the length
of declaring that this honest creature
would do anything for money, that the
'Hispaniola' belonged to him and that he
sold 1t me absurdly high-the most trans
parent calumnies. None of them dare,
however, to deny the merits of the ship
so far there was not hitch. The work.
people to be sure-riggers and what not
were most annoyingfy slow; but time cured
that. 1t was the crew that troubled me.
Il wished round score of m en-in case
of natives, buccaneers, or the odious
French-and had the worry of the deuce
itself to find so much as half dozen, till
the most remarkable stroke of fortune
brought me the very man that required.
II was standing on the dock, when, by
the merest accident, i 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 G good berth as cook to 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 lost
aleg; but that regarded as a recommends
ton, 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 I had only found a
cook, but 1T was crew l had discovered
Between Silver and myself we got to-
gether in few days a company of the
toughest old salts imaginabe-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 / had already engaged. He
| showed me in a moment that they were
| Just the sort of fresh-water swabs we hac
| to fear In an adventure of Importance.
II am in the most magnificent health an6
| spirits, eating like bull, sleeping like a
| tree. yet l shall not enjoy a moment till
| hear my old tarpaulns tramping round the
| capstan. Seward ho Hang the treasure
| It's the glory of the sea that has turned
my head. So now, Livesey, come post; dc
not lose an hour, if you respect me.
Let young Hawkins go at once to see
| his mother with Redruth for guard; ans
then both come full speed to Bristol.
JOHN TRELAWNEY.
| Up. 81 did not tell you that Blandly
| who, by the way, Is to send consort after
us If we don't turn up by the end of Au
| gust, had found an admirable fellow fol
| sailing master-a stiff man. which regret
| but, In all other respects treasure Ions
John Silver unearthed a very competen
man for a mate. man named Arrow.
| have boatswatn who pipes, I4ivesey; 81
things shall go man-o'-war fashion OF
board the good ship 'EIispanlola.'
II forgot to tell you that Silver is maj
| or substance; know Of my own knowledg,
| that he has bankers account which ha:
never been overdrawn. He leaves his wifi,
to manage the inn; and as she is woman
| OF color, pair of old bachelors like you ant
i may be excused for guessing that it is tn,
wife, quite as much as the health, tina
sends him backto rowing. TT.
| p. i. S.-Hawkins may stay one nigh
| with his mother. j. t."
You can fancy the excitement int,
which that letter put me. l was hal
beside myself with glee; and if ever
despised man, it was old Tom Red
ruth, who could do nothing but grumbl
and lament. Any of the under game
keepers would gladly have change.
places with him; but such was not III,
squire's pleasure, and the squirrels pleas
IRE was like law among them all No
body but old Redruth would have daret
SO much as even togrumble.
The next morning he and l set GU