The Irish standard., 1898-01-22

very different. AT the foot of pretty
big pine, and involved in Il green
creeper, which had even partly lifted
some of the smaller bones, n human
skeleton lay, with Il few :hreds of cloth
ing, on the ground. ). believe Il chill
struck for u moment to, every heart.
"IIe was u scaman," said George
Merry, who, holder than the rest, had
gone up close, and was examining the
rags of clothing. "Leastways, this is
Il good sea-cloth."
GAY, ay," said Silver, like enough;
you wouldn't look to find Il bishop here,
reckon. But what sort of way is
that for bones to lie? 'Tuin't in
natur'."
Indeed, on second glance, 1T seemed
impossible to fancy that the body was
in natural position. lsnt for some
disarray (the work, perhaps of tho
birds that had fed upon him, or of the
slow-growing creeper that had grad
lay perfectly straight-his feet point
ing in one direction, his hands, raised
above his head like a divers, pointing
directly in the opposite.
eve taken notion into my old
numskull," observed Silver Here's
the compass; there's the tip-top pint
of Skeleton island, stickin' out like
tooth. just take bearing, will you.
along the line Of them bones"
1t was done. The body pointed
straight in the direction of the island,
and the compass rend duly +. S. T.. by T..
II thought So" cried The cook; "this
here is p'inter. Right up there is our
line for the pole star and the jolly dol
lars. But, by thunder, if it don't mako
me cold inside to think of Flint. This
is one of his jokes, and no mistake.
Him and these six were alone here; he
killed EN-, every man; and this one he
hauled here and laid down by COM
pass, SILVER my timbers! They're long
bones, and the hairs been yellow. Ay.
that would be Allardyce. You mind
Allardyce, Tom Morgan?'
GAY, ay," returned Morgan, Il mind
him; he owed me money, lie did, and
took my knife ashore with him."
"Spealsing of knives" said another,
why Aoh " Q lillu IllS II ~ lIH iouli'it
Flint warn't the man to pick a scaman's
pocket; and the birds, ] guess, would
leave it be-
"Dy the powers, and hats true!"
cried Silver.
There amt u thing left here" said
Merry, still feeling around among tho
bones, mot copper dot nor II baccy
hDy IT, f1on,t 1oo1r ,,of,,.n1 n mo -
NO, by gum, it don't" agreed Sill
Yer; mos natral, nor not vice. says
you. Great guns! mcssmate, but if
Flint was living, this would be hot
spot for you and me. Six they were,
and six are we; and bones is what they
are now"
II saw him dead with these here dead
lights" sud Morgan. BILLY took mo
in. There he laid, with pcnny-pieccs
on his eyes"
"Dead--ay, sure enough he's dead.
and gone below" said the fellow with
the bandag.; "but if ever specrit
walked, it would be Flint's. Dear heart,
but he died bad, did Flint"
"Ay, and that he did, observed an
other; "now he ragged, and now he hol-
Ter for the rum. and now he sung.
Fifteen Mem were his only song,
mates; and I tell you true. 1 never right
ly lifted to hear it since. 1t was main
hot, and the windy was open, and L
hear that old song cotnin' out as clear
as clear-anri the death-haul on the
man already"
"Come. come" said Silver, "stow this
talk. He's dead, and he don't walk, that
know; leastways, he won't walk by
day, and you may Idly to that. Care
killed the cat. Fetch alcud for the
iouiDloons"
We started, certainly; but in spite Of
the hot sun and the staring daylight,