Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-03-03


my advantage lay; and that with fell
low so densely stupid I could easily
conceal my suspicious 10 the end.
Some wine?" l said. Far better.
Will YOU have white or redo
well, reckon it's about the blessed
same to me, shipmate," he replied; $50
it's strong. and plenty of Il, what's the
odds?"
"AIl right" 1 answered. IN bring
YOU port, Mr. Hands. But I'll have to
dig for it."
With that l scuttled down the COM
panion with all the noise l could.
slipped off my shoes, ran quietly along
the SPARED gallery. mounted the fore
castle ladder, and popped my head out
of the fore companion. l knew he
would not expect to see me there; yet l
took every precaution possible; and
certainly the worst of my suspicious
proved too true.
He had risen from his position to his
hands and knees; and, though his leg
obviously hurt him pretty sharply
when he moved-for l could hear him
stifle a groan-yet IL was at a good, rat
Ting rate that he trailed himself across
the deck. In half minute he had
reached the port scuppers, and picked
out OF a coil of rope a long knife, or
rather a short dirk, discolored to the
hiIt with blood. He looked upon it for
a moment, thrusting forth his under
jaw. tried the point upon his hand, and
then, hastily concealiug il in the bosom
of his Jacket, trundlcd back again into
his old place against the bulwark.
This was all that l required to know.
Israel could move about; he was now
armed; and if he had been at so much
trouble to get rid of me, it was plain
that l was meant to be the victim.
What he would do fterward-whether
he would try to crawl right across the
island from North inlet TO the camp
among the swamps, or whether he
would fire Long Tom, trusting that his
own comrades might come first to help
him, was, of course, more than L could
say.
Yet felt sure that I could trust him
in one point, since in that our interests
jumped together, and that was in the
disposition of the schooner. We both de-
sired to have her stranded safe enough,
in a sheltered place, and so that, when
the time came, she could be got off
again with as little labor and danger as
might be; and until that was done
considered that my life would certainly
be spared.
While was thus turning the business
over in my mind I had not been idle
with my body. had stolen back to the
cabin, slipped once more into my shoes,
and laid my hand at random on bottle
of wine, and now, with this for an ex-
cuse, 1 made my reappearance on the
deck
Hands lay as had left him, all fallen
together In 4 huddle, and with his eye
lids low; ed, as though he were too
weak to bear the light. He looked up,
however, al my coming, knocked the
neck off the bottle, like 4 man who had
done the same thing ctten, and took
good swir. with is favorite toast of
''here's laeE," Then he lay quiet for
little, ard taen, pulling out stick OF
tobacco, begged me to cut him quid.
"Cut me junk o that" says he, "for
I haven't no knife, and hardly strength
enough, so be as 1 had. All, Jim, Jim,
I reckon I've missed stays! Cut me
quid ASH likely be the last, lad; for I'm
for my long home, and no mistake"
WELL" said I, "rIl cut you some to-
bacco; but if l was you and thought
myself so badly, l would go to my
prayers, like a Christian man."
''Why?" said he. "Now, you tell me
why"
"Why?" 1 cried. "You were asking
me just now about the dead. You've
broken your trust; you've lived in sin
and lies and blood; there's a man you
killed lying at your fset this moment;
and You ask me why! For Gods mercy,
Mr.. Hands. that's why
l spoke wi;h u little heat, thinking of
the bloody dirk he had hidden in his
pocket, and designed, in his i'll thoughts,
10 end me with. lie, for his part, took
great draught of the wine, and spoke
with the most unusual solemnity.
For 80 year." he said, I've sailed
the seas, and seen good and bad, better
and worse, fair weather and foul, pro-
visions running out, knives going, and
what not. Wen, now, / tell you, l never
seen good come o. goodness yet. Him
as strikes first is my fancy; dead men
don't bite; them's my yiews-amen, so
be it. And now, you look here" he add
ed, suddenly changing his tone, we've
had about enough of this foolery. The
tides made good enough by now. You
just take my orders, Cap'n Hawkins, and
Wen sail slap in and be done with it,"
All told, we had scarce two miles to
run; but the navigation was delicate,
the entrance to this northern anchor
age was not only marrow and shoal, but
lay east and west, so that the schooner
must be nicely handled to be got in.
I think l was a good, prompt subaltern,
and 1 am very sure that Hands was an
excellent pilot; Cor we went about. and
lodged in, shaving the banks, with II
certainty and a neatness that were a
pleasure to behold.
Scarcely had we passed the head be-
fore the land closed around us. The
shores of North inlet were as thickly
wooded as those of the southern an
ehOrage; but the space was longer and
narrower, and more like, what in truth
it was, the estuary of river. Right be-
fore us, ut the southern end, we saw
the wreck of a ship in the last stages
of Gilapidation. 1t had been great
vessel Of three masts, but had lain so
long exposed to the injuries of the
weather, that it was hung about with
great webs Of dripping sea-weed, and
on the deck of it shore bushes had
taken root, and now flourished thick
with flowers. 1t was a sad sight, but it
showed us that the anchorage was
calm.
"Now." said Hands, Took there;
there's 4 pet bit for to beach a ship in
Fine fiat sand, never catspaw. trees all
around of it, and flowers a-blowing
Ike "a Earding ON that old ship"
"Aud once bcached," inquired, "how
shall we get her Off aFain?"
why, So" he replied; you take
line ashore there on the other side at
low water; take a turn about one O
them big pines; bring it back, take
turn round the capstan, and lie to for
the tide. Come high water, all hands !
take "a pull upon the line, and off she !
comes as sweet as natur'. And now,
bow you stand by. We're near the bi: |
now. and she's too much way on her. !
Starboard a little - -stcady-star- .
board - larboard little - steady |
steady"
So Le issued his commands, which l !
l,,-,g llaslI,- ohpye1. tiU all of "a sud-