Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-07-08
PART w. y
THE STOCKADE.
CHAPTER XVI.

| NARRATIVE CONTINUED BY THE
DOCTOR - HOW THE SHIP WAS
ABANDONED.
1t was about half-past one-three
bells in the sea phrase-that the two
boats went ashore from the "Hispani-
OLA" The captain, the squire and l
| were talking matters over in the cabin.
Had there been breath of wind, we
should have fallen on the six mutinecrs
| who were left aboard with US, slipped
our cable, and away to sea. But the
| wind was wanting; and to complete
our helplessness, down came Hunter
with the news that Jim Hawkins had
| slipped into q boat and was gone
ashore with the rest.
1t had never occurred to 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.
Weran on deck. The pitch was bubbling
in the seams: the nasty stencil CT the
place turned me sick; if ever a man
smelled fever and dysentery, it was in
that abominable anchorage. The six
scoundrels were sitting grumbling
under a sail in the forecastle; 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 it 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 a hustle at
our appearance; "Lillibullero" stopped
off, and l could sec the pair discussing
what they ought to DO. Had they gone
and told Silver, all 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 I steered so as to put it between
us; even before we landed we had thus
lost sight of the gigs. l jumped out,
and came as near running as l burst,
with big silk handkerchief under my
hat for GOODNESS sake, and brace Of
pistols ready primed for safety.
had not gone 100 yards when came
on the stockade.
This was how it 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 open
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 HE cartridges. All they want
ed was q good watch and food; for,
short Of complete surprise, sthey
might have held the place against a
regiment.
What particularly took my fancy was
the spring. For, though we had a 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
overlooked-we had no water. l was
thinking this over, when there came
ringing over the island the cry OF a
man at the point of death. l was not
new to violent DEATH have served
his royal highness the duke of Cum
berland, and got a wound myself at
Fontenoy-but 1 know my pulse went
dot and carry one. Jim Hawkins is
gone," was my first thought.
It is something to have been an old
soldier, but more still to have been
doctor. There is no time to dilly-dally
in our work. And SO now made up my
mind instantly, anG with no time lost