Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1898-09-15
l hated the very thought of Treasure

Island.
We had a dreary mornings work be-
fore us, for there was no sign of any
wind. and the boats had TO be got out
and manned, and the ship warped three
or four miles round the corner of the
island, and up the narrow passage to
the haven behind Skeleton island.
volunteered for one of the boats, where
had, of course, no business. The
heat was sweltering. and the rneu
grumbled iercely over their work
Anderson was In command of my boat
and instead of keeping the crew In
order, he grumbled as loud as the
worst.
"Well," he said. with an oath. "it's
not forever"
I thought this was a very bad sign
for, up TO that day, the men had gone
briskly and willingly about their bust
ness; but the very sight of the island
had relaxed the cords of discipline.
All the way in, Long John stood by
the steersman and conned the ship
lie knew the passage like the palm OF
his hand; and though the man in the
chains got everywhere more water
than was down in the chart, John never
hesitated oncei
There's a strong scour with the
ebb," he said, "and this here passage
has been dug out, in manner of speak
ing, with a spade"
We brought up just where the an.
Choir was in the chart, about third of
a mile from either shore, the mainland
on one side, and Skeleton island on the
other. The bottom was clean sand
The plunge of our anchor sent up
clouds of birds wheeling and crying
over the woods; but in less than n min.
ute they were all down again. and all
was once more silent.
The place was entirely land-locked,
buried in woods, the trees coming
right down TO high water mark, the
shores mostly fiat, and the hill-tops
standing round at distance in a sort OF
amphitheater, one here, one there. Tive
little rivers, or. rather, two swamps
emptied out into this pond, as you
might call il; and the foliage round
that part of the shore had a kind Of
poisonous brightness. From the ship.
we could see nothing of the house OF
stockade. for they were quite buried
among trees; and il it had not been
for the chart on the companion. we
might have been the first that had ever
anchored there since the island arose
out of the seas.
~ at-
ing. nor a sound but that of the surf
booming half a mile away along the
beaches and against the rocks outside.
A peculiar stagnant smell hung over
the anchorage smell of sodden
leaves and rotten tree trunks. / OBJ
served the doctor smiling. and shifting.
like some one tasting bad egg.
81 don't know about treasure" he
said, "but I'll stake my wig there's
fever here"
II the conduct of the men had been
alarming in the boat, it became truly
threatening when they had come
aboard. They lay about the deck
growing together in talk. The slight
est order was received with a black
look, and grudgingly and carelessly
obeyed. Even the honest hands must
have caught the infection, for there was
not one man aboard TO mend another.
Mutiny, it was plain, hung over us like
thunder-cloud.
And it was not only we of the cabin
party who perceived the danger. Long
John was hard at work going from
group TO group, spending himself in
good advice, and as for example no ma n
could have shown a better. He fairly
outstripped himself In willingness and
civility; he was all smiles to every one.
II an order were given, John would be
on his crutch in an instant, with the
cheeriest SAY, ay, sir!" in the world;
and when there was nothing else to
do, he kept up one song after another,
as II 10 concea; the discomfort of the
rest.
OF all the gloomy features Of that
gloomy afternoon, this obvious anxiety
on the part of Long John appeared the
worst.
We held a council in the cabin.
Sir" said the captain, "if / risk an.
other order, the whole ship'll come
about our ears by the run. You see,
sir, here 1t is. get a rough answer,
do l not? Well, if speak back, pixies
will be going in two shakes; II don't,
Silver will see there's something un.
der that, and the games up. Now. we've
only one man TO rely on"
"And who is that?" askedthe squire.
"Silvcr, sir" returned the captain;
"he's as anxious as You and to smother
things up. This is tiff he'd soon talk
'em out of 1t IL he had the chance, and
what propose to do is to give him the
chance. Let's allow the men an after.
noon ashore. If they all go, why, wei
fight the ship. If they none Of them
go, well, then, We hold the cabin, and
God defend the right. If some go, you
mark my words, sir. Silver'n bring EN-
aboard again as mild as lambs"
II was so decideds loaded pistols
were served out to all the sure men
Hunter, Joyce and Redruth were taken
into our confidence, and received the
news with less surprise and bette,
spirit than we had looked for, and then
the captain went on deck and addressed
the crew.
my lads" said he. "we've had hot
day, and are all tired and out of sorts
A turn ashore1l hurt nobody-the
boats are still in the water; you can
take the gigs, and as many as please
can go ashore for the afternoon. II
fire a gun half an hour before sun.
down."
believe the silly fellows must have
thought they would break their shins
over the treasure as soon as they were
landed; for they all came out of their
sulks in a moment, and gave a cheer
that started the echo in a far-way hill
and sent the birds once more flying and
squalling round the anchorage.
fro BE CONTINUED
| His Object.
Don't eat that" cried an officer Il
a soldier who was trying to ea-