Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-02-10

middle, as If to wear them round you
neck-nearly every variety of none
in the world must. think. have foun
a place in that collection; and for nun
Der. 4 am sure bey were like autumn
leaves. so that my back ached wit
STOPPING and my fingers with sorting
them out.
] Day after day this work went on; b.
every evening a fortune had beef
slowed aboard. but there was anothe
fortune waiting for the morrow; ant
all this time wesheard nothing of th'
three surviving mutineers.
At last-I think it was on the thirC
night-the doctor and were strollinl
on the shoulder of the hill where i
overlooks the lowlands of the isle
when. from out the thick darkness be
low. the wind brought us noise be
tween shrieking and singing. 1t was
only a snatch that reached our ears
followed by the former silence.
Heaven forgive them" said the doc
! tor; +" tits the mutineers!"
"All drunk, sir" struck in the voice
of Silver from behind us.
Silver, l should say. was allowed his
entire liberty. and. in spite of daily re-
bluffs. seemed to regard himself once
more as quite a privileged and friendly
dependent. Indeed, it was remarkable
how well he bore these Sights. and with
what unweaTying politeness he kept
at trying to ingraiiate himself with all
Yet | think, none treated him better
than a dog; unless it was Ben Gum.
who was still terribly afraid of his old
quartermaster. or myself, who had real
~ something TO thank him for; al.
though for that matter, suppose. !
had reason to think even worse of him
than anybody else. for ! had seen him
meditating fresh treachery upon the
plateau. Accordingly. it was pretty
grufily that the doctor answered him
Drunk or ravingl" said he.
Right you were. sir, replied Silver;
'-and precious little odds which. TO you
and me-"
81 suppose you would hardly ask me
TO call you humane man." returned
the doctor, with a sheer, land so my
feelings may surprise you, Master Sill
yer. But if were sure they were raw
ing-as am morally certain one, at
least, of them is down with feyer-l
should leave this camp, and, at what
ever risk TO my own carcass, take them
the assistance of my skill"
ASK your pardon, sir, you would be
very wrong" quoth Silver. You would
lose your precious life, and you may
lay to that. I'm ON your side now, hand
and glove; and | shouldn't wish for to
see the party weakened, let alone your
self, seeing as know what owes yea
But these men down there, they
couldn't keep their word-no. not sup
posing they wished to; and what's more
they couldn't believe as you could"
NO" said the doctor. You're the
man to keep your word, we know that.
Well, that was about the last news we
had of the three pirates. Only once we
heard gunshot a great way off, and
supposed them to be hunting. A couu
ell was held, and it was decided that we
must desert them on the island-to the
huge glee, | must say. of Ben Gum.
and with the strong approval of Gray.
We left good stock of powder anu
shot, the bulk of the salt goat, a few
medicines and some other necessaries.
tools, clothing. a spare sail. fathom or
two of rope, and, by the particular de
sire of the doctor, handsome present
of tobacco.
That was about our last doing on the
island. Before that we had got the
treasure slowed, and had shipped
enough water and the remainder of the
goat meat. in case of any distress; and
at last, one fine morning. we weighed
anchor. which was about all that we
could manage, and stood out of North
inlet, the same colors flying that the
captain had flown and fought under al
the palisade.s
The three fellows must have been |
watching us closer than we thought for, |
rs we soon had proved. For, coming |
through the narrows, we had TO lie |
Gerry near the southern point, and |
there we saw all three of them kneeling |
together on a spit of sand, with their |
arms raised in supplication. 1t went |
TO all our hearts, think, TO leave them
IN that wretched state: but we could |
On