Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-01-27


with the news that Jim Hawkins had
slipped into boat and was gone
ashore with the rest.
1t had never occurred 10 us TO doubt
Jim Hawkins; but we were alarmed
for his safety. With the men in the
temper they were in, it seemed an even
chance if we should see the lad again.
We ran on deck. The pitch was bubbling
in the seams; the nasty stencil CT the
place turned me sick; II ever man
smelled fever and dysentery, it was in
that abominable anchorage. The six
scoundrels were sitting grumbling
under sail in the forecasue; ashore
we could see the gigs made fast, and
man sitting in each. hard by where the
river runs in. One of them was whist
ling "Lillibullero."
Waiting was strain; and 1t was de-
cided that Hunter and l should go
ashore with the jolly-boat, in quest of
information.
The gigs had leaned to their right;
but Hunter and pulled straight in, in
the direction of the stockade upon the
chart. The two who were left guard
ing their boats seemed in n hustle at
our appearance; "Lillibullero" stopped
off, and I could see the pair discussing
what they ought to bo. Had they gone
and told Silver, ali might have turned
out differently; but they had their
orders, I suppose, and decided to sit
quietly where they were and bark
back again to 'Lillibullero."
There was a slight bend in the coast,
and l steered so as to put it between
us; even before we landed we had thus
lost sight of the gigs. | jumped out.
and came as near running as l burst,
with h;g silk handk -chief under my
hat for coolness' sake, and brace of
pistols ready primed for safety.
had not gone 100 yards when came
on the stockade,
This was how 1t was: A spring of
clear water rose almost at the top of
knoll. Well, on the knoll, and inclosing
the spring, they had clapped stout
log house, fit to hold two score people
on a pinch, and loop-holed for mus
kerry on every side. All round this
they had cleared wide space, and then
the thing was completed by paling
six feet high, without door or opes-
ing, too strong to pull down without
time and labor, and too open to shelter
the besiegers. The people in the log
house had them in every way; they
stood quiet in shelter and shot the
others like partridges. All they want
ed was a good watch and food; for,
short of a complete surprise, they
might have held the place against
regiment.
What particularly took my fancy was
the spring. For, though we had good
enough place of it in the cabin OF the
"Hispaniola," with plenty of arms and
ammunition, and things to eat, and ex'
cellent wines, there had been one thing
oyerlooked-we had no water. 1 wac
thinking this over, when there came
ringing over the island the cry of q
man at the point of death. I was not
new to violent DEATH have served
his royal highness the duke OF Cum
berland, and got n wound myself al
Fontenoy-but know my pulse went
dot and carry one. Jim Hawkins 10
gone" was my first thought
1t Is something to have been an OLD
soldier, but more still to have been g
doctor. There is no time to dilly daily
in our work. And so now made up my
mind instantly, and with no time los1
returned to the shore and jumped on
board the jouy-boat-
BY good fortune Hunter pulled Q
good oar. We made the water fly; and
the boat was soon alongside. and
aboard the schooner.
l found them ell shaken, as was nat
ural. The squire was sitting down, as
white as sheet, thinking of the harm
he had led us to, the good soull and one
| of the six forecastle hands was little
better.
There's a man." said Capt. Smollett,
nodding toward him, new to this
work. He came highland faintingr
doctor, when he heard the cry. An
other touch of the rudder and that man
would join u.s."
1 told my plan to the captain, and be-
tween us we settled on the details OF Its
accomplishment.
We put old Redruth in the gallery
between the cabin and the forecastle,
with three or four loaded muskets and
a mattress for protection. Hunter
brought the boat round under the
stern port and Joyce and set to work
loading her with powder tins, muskets,
bags of biscuits, kegs of pork, cask
of cognac and my invaluable medicine
chest.
In the meantime the squire and the
captain stayed on deck, and the latter
hailed the cockswain, who was the
principal man on board.
''Mr. Hands," he said, here are two
of us with brace of pistols each. II
any one of you six make a signal OF any
description, that mans dead"
They were a good deal taken aback;
and after a little consultation, one and
all tumbled down the fore companion
thinking, no doubt, to take us on the
rear. But when they saw Redruth
waiting for them in the spared gal,
lery, they went about ship at once, and
a head popped out on deck.
Down, dogI" cries the captain.
And the head popped back again; and
we heard no more, for the time, OF these
six very faint-hea-ted seamen.
BY this time, tumbling things In as
they came, VIC had the jolly-boat loaded
as much as we dared. Joyce and ]
got out through the stern port and we
made for shore again as fast as our
oars could take us.
This second trip fairly aroused the
watchers along the shore. "Llibul-
lero" was dropped again, and just be-
fore we lost sight of them behind the
little point one of them whipped
ashore and disappeared. 1 had half
mind to change my plans and destroy
their boats, but 1 feared that Silver
and the others might be close at hand,
and all might very we'll be lost by try
ing for too much.
we had soon touched land In the
some place before we set the provi-
sion in the block-house. All three made
the first journey, heavily laden, and
tossed our stores over the palisade.
Then, leaving Joyce to guard them
one man, to be sure, but with half
dozen muskets-Hunter and returned
to the jolly-boat, and loaded ourselves
once more. So we proceeded without
pausing to take breath, till the whole
cargo was bestowed, when the two serv-
ants took up their position in the
block-house, and I, with all my power,
sculled back to the Hispaniola.