Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-07-15
@yl9ZM1szz2!2S5[|H1IEa! =!
.I&5S!ls7ss
- $3.50 RI.A
(ao1@I l0Vs sIIyEnsea /G
PART ".
CHAPTER XVII.

PART ~.
CHAPTER XVII.
NARRATIVE CONTINUED BY THE
DOCTOR THE JOLLY-BOAT'S LAST
TRIP.
This fifth trip was quite different from
any OF the others. In the first place. the
little gallipot of boat that we were in
was gravely overloaded. Five grown
men, and three of them-Trelawney
Redruth and the captain-over six feet
high. was already more than she was
meant to carry. Add to that the pow
der. pork and the bread-bags. The
gunwale was Tipping astern. Several
times we shipped little water, and my
breeches and the tails of my coat were
all soaking wet before we had gone 100
yards.
The captain made US trim the boat.
and we got her to lie little more even
~. AL the same. we were afraid to
breathe.
In the second place, the ebb was now
making-a strong ripping current run
ming westward through the basin, and
then southland and seward down the
straits by which we had entered in the
morning. Even the ripples were dan
ger to our overloaded craft; but the
worst of it was that we We're swept out
of our true course. and away from our
proper landing-place behind the point.
If we let the current have it's way we
should come ashore beside the gigs,
where the pirates might appear at any
moment.
Il cannot keep her head for the
stockade. SIR" said to the captain.
was steering. while he and Redruth,
two fresh men. were at the oars. 1.-THE
tide keeps washing her down. Could
you pull little stronger?"
''Not without swapping the boat"
said he. "You must bear up, sir, if you
please-bear up until you see you're
gaining" ....
tried. and found by experiment that
the tide kept sweeping us westward un-
til l had laid her head due east, or just
about right angles to the way we ought
to 60.
We'll never get ashore at this rate"
said l.
IF it's the only course that we can
lie, sir, we must even lie it," returned
the captain. "We must keep upstream.
You see, sir" he went on, "if once we
dropped to leeward Of the landing
place, it's hard to say where we should
get ashore. besides the chance of be-
ing boarded by the gigs; whereas, the
way we go the current must slacken,
and then we can dodge back along the
Shore"
1.-THE currents less already, SIR" said
the man Gray. who was sitting in the
fore-sheets; "you can ease her off Bit"
THANK you. my man." said I, quite as
if nothing had happened; for we had
all quietly made up our minds to treat
him like one of ourselves.
Suddenly the captain spoke up again,
and l thought his voice was little
changed.
"The gum" said he.
II have thought of tnat," said I, for I
made sure he was thinking of bonn
bardment of the fort. "They could
never get the gun ashore, and if they
did, they could never haul it through
the woods"
"Look astern. DOCTOR" replied the
captain.
We had entirely forgotten the long
nine; and there. to our horror, were the
five rogues busy, about her, getting off
her jacket. as they called the stout
tarpaulin cover under which she
sailed. Not only that, but it flashed into
my mind at the same moment that the
round shot and the powder for the gun
had been left behind, and a stroke with
an ak would put it all into the posses
sion of the evil ones aboard.
Israel was Flints gunner" said
Gray, hoarsely.
At any risk, we put the boats head
direct for the landing-place. BY this
time we had got SO far out of the run
of the current that we kept steerage
way even at our necessarily gentle rate
of rowing. and could keep her steady
for the goal. But the worst of it was
that, with the course l now held, we
turned our broadside instead of our
stern to the "Hspaniola," and offered a
target like barn door.
l could hear, as we'll as see, that
brandyfaced rascal, Israel Hands,
Pumping down a round-shot on the
deck.
who's the best shot?" asked the
captain.
Mr.. Trelawney. out and away" said
"Mr. Trelawney, will you please pick
me off one of those men, sir? Hands,
if possible" said the captain.
Trelawney was as cold as steel. He
looked to the printing of his gun.
"Now," cried the captain, "easy with
that gun, sir, or you'll swamp the boat
All hands stand by to trim her when he
aims"
The squire raised his gun, the rowing
ceased, and we leaned over to the other
side to keep the balance, and all was SO
nicely contrived that we did not ship
a drop.
They had the gun, by this time
slowed round upon the swivel and
Hands, who was at the muzzle with the
hammer. was, in consequence, the most
exposed. However, we had no luck;
for just as Trelawney fired, down he
stopped, the ball whistling over him
and it was one of the other four who
fell.
The cry he gave was echoed, not only
by his companions on board, but by a
great number of voices from the shore,
and looking in that direction saw the
other pirates trooDinr out from